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The quaint Essex Street Market buildings aren’t too long for this world. These brick warehouses, constructed in 1940 under Mayor La Guardia to move the pushcarts inside, are situated on SPURA lots currently designated for Essex Crossing redevelopment. The first facility to fall is the south site – 115 Delancey Street – where Olympic Restaurant and Jade Fountain heretofore resided.

Even though demolition permits were filed nearly six months ago, the proverbial wrecking ball is only now just arriving. Last week, window cutouts were boarded up and asbestos abatement notices plastered around the perimeter. Expect the dismantling to commence any day now.

As previously reported, an ambitious 26-story tower is underway at 115 Delancey. The building will house a 14-screen movie theater on the first four floors, new Essex Market digs on the first and mezzanine levels, and 195 residential units up above. Plans were filed with the Department of Buildings a month ago, and still await the official approval from the agency.

The Department of Housing Preservation and Development is the landowner. Delancey Associates — a consortium of L+M Development, BFC and Taconic Investment Partners — is the developer on the project.

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