UPDATED: Confirmed: People Live Inside 2 Cooper Square: Park Allegedly Coming Soon To Empty Lot Next Door

After some confusion at NYC The Blog headquarters with regard to residents at 2 Cooper Square, namely are there or aren't there, it seems clear now that people do indeed live inside of 2 Cooper Square. This makes sense. After all, The Wall Street Journal reported in June, at that time the building had signed leases for 21 units.

Unable to confirm from the leasing agent or the publicity firm, or from anyone else "in the industry,"—that people have been living there for months as an employee of the building informed yesterday—I resorted to walking by the building to practice journalism peek in the windows and look for clues. As you can see in the photo above, there are tell tale signs of human habitation, including lamps, laptops and plants. UPDATE: Leasing agents for the building confirmed via email this morning: "...people are living in the building and it is fully staffed and functional." He continued:
"I believe the plot of land behind the building is owned by the City of New York. There are talks that it will become a park or garden.  No building will be built on top of it, that I am certain of."

What's more, it seems the empty lot next door will become a park according to sources with knowledge of the situation. Though neither source was sure who owns the land. A Google street view image taken prior to construction of 2 Cooper shows a sign on the fence announcing a New York City Capital Construction Sign and Department of Environment Protection project; the fence is sign free today, as seen in the photo at right.

A call to the Parks Department looking for more information about the lot was shuffled over to very nice lady in the planning department, who explained she wanted to look into the matter and would call back shortly with more information, though never did. A follow up seems in order.

Lastly, while on the topic on 2 Cooper, with regard to the alley way on the north side of the building that some were interested in, it's not clear if it will become a public way. (Maybe if/when the park is built?) There is no exit on the other end of the alley, which is abutted directly by a private lot with a working garage. The Kaplan building runs along the  north side (note the nice graffiti on that wall) and a very tall cement wall currently abuts the south side (see photo at bottom right). A security gaurd on duty wasn't sure what the status of the alley way was, or how it would be used.


Previously: 2 Cooper Square Has Tenants?

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