One of the final pieces of the Essex Crossing redevelopment is officially moving forward.

The former home of the original Essex Street Market is set to become a 10-story mixed-use building with 99 apartments, bringing new housing, retail space, and transit improvements to the Lower East Side.

Located at 100 Essex Street, the project is being developed by Delancey Street Associates, which includes BFC Partners, and designed by S9 Architecture. Plans include 26 affordable apartments, four ground-floor commercial spaces, and an MTA-funded elevator and escalator connection that will make the Delancey-Essex subway station fully ADA accessible. Construction could begin as early as this fall, with completion expected in 2029.

The original Essex Street Market served the neighborhood for nearly 80 years before relocating across the street in 2019, clearing the way for this final phase of the redevelopment. Once complete, Essex Crossing will include approximately 1,100 apartments across nine sites, including 550 affordable units.

While the residential component is a major milestone, the commercial impact is just as noteworthy. Four new storefronts will be added along Delancey and Essex Streets, directly adjacent to one of the neighborhood's busiest transit hubs. According to the development team, the spaces are expected to attract retail and food-and-beverage tenants, continuing the area's transformation into a vibrant mixed-use destination.

Another detail worth watching is the project's size. At 99 units, it falls just below the 100-unit threshold tied to New York's 485-x tax incentive, which requires higher minimum construction wages for larger residential developments. As more projects move through the pipeline, it will be interesting to see whether other developers make similar sizing decisions.

At Tri State Commercial, we see this project as another example of how transit-oriented, mixed-use developments continue to shape New York City's commercial landscape. New housing, improved accessibility, and additional retail space all contribute to stronger neighborhood activity, making projects like this important to watch for landlords, tenants, and investors alike as the Lower East Side continues to evolve.

Source: 6sqft, "Lower East Side's former Essex Street Market to become 99-unit rental," published August 3, 2026.