Building Equity Management Buys Historic Nolita Retail Building for $45M

A mainstay storefront in Manhattan’s Nolita neighborhood has sold for $44.98 million, according to city records made public Monday. 

The four-story retail building, located at 236 Bowery, is between Prince and Stanton streets, opposite the New Museum. 

The selling entity, 236 Bowery, is a limited liability company controlled by Anton Mayer. Building Equity Management purchased the property through the entity TTV Investments XV. The latter entity’s president, David Dailey, signed for the property, but Dailey’s involvement with Building Equity Management is unclear. 

The building’s colorful red and yellow signage and circa-1920 stone facade bears the name of Bari Restaurant and Pizzeria Equipment. The fourth-generation, family-owned restaurant supply store was established in the 1950s, and its longtime owners are credited with helping shape New York City’s iconic pizza culture. 

The purveyor of pizza ovens, ranges, refrigerators and mixers is considered one of the neighborhood’s oldest shops. At one time, the business and landlord owned 10 storefronts at Prince Street and Bowery, according to The New York Times.

Plans for the property under its new ownership are unclear, but news of the sale comes after an entity linked to Building Equity Management bought the adjacent mixed-use properties at 232 Bowery and 234 Bowery from an LLC linked to Bari Restaurant for a combined $15 million in October 2024, according to property records.

Building Equity Management did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Employees at Bari Restaurant and Pizzeria Equipment told Commercial Observer that Mayer was unable to comment by press time. 

Emily Davis can be reached at edavis@commercialobserver.com.