UES Restaurant Cafe D'Alsace Could Be Replaced By High-Rise

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Development firm Aimco is planning to demolish a low-rise building on the corner of an Upper East Side block to build a 22-story high-rise with retail and residential uses, according to plans filed with the city Department of Buildings this month.

The new development will rise 270-feet-tall on the corner of Second Avenue and East 88th Street, according to the building plans. With 83,956 square feet zoned for residential use and 41 planned apartments, the average unit size in the building will be about 2047 square feet — indicating luxury residences are likely in the works.

Aimco filed demolition plans for 1961, 1963 and 1965 Second Ave. in July. The development firm acquired the properties in 2004 for about $2.1 million, according to public city finance records. It's unclear when the developer will begin demolition work.

Current businesses on the Second Avenue corner include French restaurant Cafe D'Alsace, a liquor store, a dry cleaners and a nail salon. The new development will include at least three commercial spaces, but it's unclear if the tenants will carry over.

A message sent to the owners of Cafe D'Alsace was not immediately returned.

The firm Hill and West Architects will be tapped to design the new development, according to building plans.