3 UES Buildings Face Teardowns Ahead Of Redevelopment, Plans Show

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Three buildings that have lined an Upper East Side block for decades will soon be torn down, months after a developer shelled out millions to acquire them, according to city records.

The three buildings at 1485-1487 Second Ave. and 251 East 77th St. stand one, six and five stories tall, respectively. In December, the developer Naftali Group paid $72.6 million to acquire the five buildings that span the block's southwest corner, and which formerly housed businesses like Sable's, Vero Wine Bar, Lenwich, and the sports bar Stax NYC.

Then, this week, Naftali filed plans to demolish the initial three buildings, with the remaining two likely to follow. The company has not revealed its ultimate plans for the site, but a spokesperson told the Commercial Observer last year that it would construct a "thoughtfully-designed building that will transform this prime corner and contribute to the ongoing transformation of the Upper East Side."

Though the buildings are now vacant, the process of emptying them out was not always a smooth one. Last year, Vero Wine Bar filed suit against its then-landlord at 1483 Second Ave., alleging that he made violent threats in an effort to drive them out in order to sell the building.

Vero's owners claimed that the landlord, Benjamin Ohebshalom, personally destroyed the plantings that surrounded its outdoor dining structure — even including surveillance footage that showed the destruction in progress. Another unidentified man showed up at one of the restaurateur's homes, telling him "You better give up this place or you will end up in the back of a garbage truck," according to the lawsuit.

Vero and its landlords ultimately reached a $375,000 settlement last fall — weeks before Ohebshalom's company sold the building — with Ohebshalom also agreeing to waive $208,000 in unpaid rent, according to court records. Meanwhile, Vero is now planning a new location on Second Avenue near East 60th Street.

Naftali did not return a request for details about the demolitions on Wednesday, such as when work would begin or what will be built on the site. The company is known for its luxury projects in the neighborhood, like the recently-completed luxury building at 200 East 83rd St., and The Benson, a condominium tower on Madison Avenue.

That latter building also attracted notice for its short-lived banner that featured Jerry Seinfeld — which ultimately landed Naftali a $25,000 fine for unpermitted advertising.

Related coverage:

• Chunks Of 2 UES Blocks Are Sold, With Redevelopments Likely
• Upper East Side Wine Bar Owners Say Landlord Made Violent Threats