New 35 Cooper Square owner hears preservation worries

The new owner of 35 Cooper Square, Arun Bhatia, met with preservation advocates yesterday to hear their concerns about the site’s redevelopment. Preservationists want to make sure the 1825 East Village rowhouse will retain its historic integrity. Bhatia bought the building for $8.5 million last year, and filed a demolition application last month. According to DNAinfo, Simeon Bankoff, executive director of the Historic Districts Council, said Bhatia does not currently have a plan for the building and two adjacent lots. A spokesperson for Bhatia said it might be hard to keep 35 Cooper Square intact, but advocates who attended the meeting said they were “optimistic.” [DNAinfo]