Lower East Side’s old Moscot HQ poised for demolition

The former Moscot headquarters on the Lower East Side has long been poised to give way to a new high-rise, and after five years of circling in the rumor mill it seems the site is being leveled for just that. Bowery Boogie notes that the building at the northeast corner of Orchard and Delancey streets has been surrounded by construction scaffolding, signaling that 118 Orchard Street’s date with the wrecking ball is imminent. (Demolition permits have yet to be approved by the Department of Buildings.)

According to documents on file with the DOB, developer Helm Equities plans on bringing a 12-story rental building with 24 apartments, including duplexes on floors nine through 12, and a ground-floor restaurant to the site. The plans by SWA Architecture have yet to be approved by the city. Preliminary renderings for the building, depicting a crude vision of a glass-enclosed tower, first appeared last spring.

Helm Equities purchased the site, the 76-year home to glasses purveyor Moscot, for $4.8 million in 2012. Rox Gallery moved into the space in 2013, but vacated some time after. As for Moscot, it’s going strong across the street in its new-ish space at 108 Orchard Street.

• Demolition Finally Underway at Moscot’s Former Delancey Street Home (for Real this Time) [Bowery Boogie]
• This 12-Story Tower May Replace Moscot's Former LES Headquarters [Curbed]
• Gallery-Eating 12-Story Building To Rise on Delancey Street [Curbed]
• Eyeglass HQ Making Way for New LES Luxury High-Rise? [Curbed]