Nearly a dozen Upper East Side small businesses are losing their longtime storefronts at the corner of East 86th Street and First Avenue, as plans filed with the City on Thursday reveal that the six walk-up buildings housing mom and pop shops, as well as a number of apartments, are set to be demolished.
According to applications filed with the NYC Department of Buildings, developers plan to tear down the six four story buildings located at the northwest corner of the intersection, including 349 to 359 East 86th Streets.
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Those buildings are home to Chicky’s Restaurant, Dunkin Donuts, East 86th Deli & Grocery, A & N Art Gallery & Custom Framing, Our Cleaners, Aero Locksmith and Hybrid Florist.
Around the corner, three more buildings from 1653 to 1659 First Avenue are also facing demolition, according to the application, which house Beauty Nails, Le Grande Triage liquor store, Peng’s Noodle Folk and Taco Today. Patch was first to report on the application’s filing.
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A sign of the trouble ahead for the small businesses first appeared publicly late last month, when Aero Locksmith posted a sign in the window alerting customers and friends to the upcoming demolition of their building — and their impeding move by the end of the year to East 83rd Street between Second and Third Avenues.
Eviction proceedings have also been filed against some of the businesses, with the landlord emerging victorious in their lawsuits against Chicky’s and East 86th Deli & Grocery — while a case against Hybrid Florist is still pending. The Dunkin’ Donuts franchise is also being sued by the landlord, accused of not paying rent.
It’s not clear when demolition will begin or what will be built at the site once complete.
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