New Development May Shutter Mars Bar for Two Years

If a current plan to build low income housing on a parcel of land on lower 2nd Avenue is approved by Community Board 3, the borough president, and the City Council, it will lead to the two year shuttering and eventual rebuilding of famed East Village dive Mars Bar. BFC Partners, builders of luxury condos like Noho's 48 Bond and Downtown Brooklyn's Toren will present the plans to renovate a row of properties along Second Avenue—including the bar's address at 11-17 2nd Ave.—add more square footage to the lot, sell a portion of new apartments in the buildings to low income tenants for as little as $1 and sell the rest at market rate to CB3 tomorrow.

Though the construction would shutter the bar, its owner Hank Penza supports the plan, as it will eventually increase the square footage of his bar. He calls the developers "good people," says he's not concerned about lost revenue, and adds, "They won’t choke me...I didn’t get off the boat yesterday with a pound of spaghetti in my hand."

If approved construction will begin as early as next summer.
· Plan Would Add Low Income Housing [The Local via Curbed NY]
[photo: Curbed NY]