One of the more picturesque commercial strips that have not seen much action in the past boom years can be found right by the prestigious Strivers Row historic district. The landmark neighborhood has some the most valued homes in Central Harlem yet many of the buildings with retail along FDB/8th Avenue and ACP/7th Avenue have been sitting empty. The FDB side especially has some great retail spaces since they are part of the landmark buildings of the neighborhood. St. Nicholas Park is a block and a half away which is also the location of the B,C train on 135th Street. There's already a built-in clientele with the housing stock in the immediate area and the shops just need a little love to get them going again. Photos by Ulysses
One of the more picturesque commercial strips that have not seen much action in the past boom years can be found right by the prestigious Strivers Row historic district. The landmark neighborhood has some the most valued homes in Central Harlem yet many of the buildings with retail along FDB/8th Avenue and ACP/7th Avenue have been sitting empty. The FDB side especially has some great retail spaces since they are part of the landmark buildings of the neighborhood. St. Nicholas Park is a block and a half away which is also the location of the B,C train on 135th Street. There's already a built-in clientele with the housing stock in the immediate area and the shops just need a little love to get them going again. Photos by Ulysses
This is tragic. I am convinced someone is sitting on these retail untils because they love blight. HOW the city allows a distinguished historical building to sit like this is beyond my understanding. NYC needs to stop having separate rules and laws for Harlem. People here should be held to th same laws as those in the West Village. We live in the SAME city. Period.
ReplyDeleteThis would NEVER be allowed in the village. NEVER.
I suggest writing to Borough President Stringer since the community board is useless.
Those retail spaces have been vacant since the late 1960s'!
ReplyDeleteWell. Time for change. Who owns these spaces? Probably a church who refuses to develop in order to keep the area poor and their congregations praying and thus giving to the church.
ReplyDeleteDOB records shows Row Plaza Associates as the owners-whatever that means. The top floors are being used as rentals.
ReplyDeleteThis isn't a conspiracy. The housing density is just relatively low in the immediate surroundings. Striver's Row, 138th westward to the park, and the new buildings for two blocks south on FDB are mostly 3-story townhouses. There's only so many businesses that a housing density like that can support.
ReplyDeletePark slope has even a lower housing density. And guess what? Businesses everywhere. Believe me, there are many property owners who want to keep the area blighted because it serves their own interests. The city needs to grab these landmarked properties and sell to developers who would be obligated to restore within historical guidelines. Period!
ReplyDeleteWow, where are we living! the anchor buildings on 138th and 139th are owned by one man, a long time resident of Harlem. The buildings belong to him, and it is his business and his alone to do what he chooses with them. HARLEM IS NOT FOR SALE TO YOU HATERS, who want to make everything look perfect in your eyes so that developers and owners can sell for more money, and taxes can continue to go up. This used to be a nice quiet area, now everyone has put a dollar sign on every square foot. IF YOU DO NOT LIKE WHAT YOU SEE- GO AWAY..... If you want Disney Land, WELL TAKE YOURSELF AND THE KIDS THERE. This owner is not breaking any NY Laws.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know the owner of this building. I restore brownstones and small buildings in the neighborhood. I would love to be able to restore this to its former glory.
ReplyDeleteI do the same thing as Joseph. Let's star a bidding war!
ReplyDelete