The Raymond Building on the north side of East 125th Street is apparently looking for a specific type of tenant as of late. Number 51 East 125th Street is just right across the street from the Harlem Children's Zone building at Madison Avenue and it used to house one of the many Manna's buffet branches. Even though the street level retail seems to have been functioning in the past decade, the entire building looks like it need a thorough restoration of its many architectural details. The lower photo shows the new sign that has appeared as of recent advertising "medical space available" so there's apparently a target audience at hand for this location (click on last image to enlarge). One would imagine that the owner would be open to any type of business that might come along and fix up the property but that's just our opinion.
I don't understand why they'd be targeting medical uses either. Is it because the zoning on the site allows medical use whereas most other properties on 125th don't? The Manna's vacated that space fairly recently but I think the upper floors have been vacant for long time. Check out Camilo José Vergara's photos of that corner over the years. Looks like it was a furniture store before Manna's moved in, but those windows were those been painted blue (boards?) even then, although with fresher coats of paint.
ReplyDeletehttp://invinciblecities.camden.rutgers.edu/files/1401.jpg
The Wendy's and 99 cent store really improved the other end this block (as amazing as it is to say that) after so many years that those buildings had been abandoned. The upper floors of those buildings looked totally bombed out and now they look great.