Last month, the former Baton Rouge restaurant-townhouse at 458 West 145th Street (between Amsterdam and Convent) had another major price chop. Earlier in the year, the previous asking price of $1.1 million had been reduced to $999K after the building fell out of contract over the summer. The 4 story, 15 foot wide, 3,176 square foot, historic Hamilton Heights townhouse has now had almost 20% marked down with a current $800k asking. The infrastructure is all there but the main issue would be toning restaurant grade finishes for a single family home i.e. an industrial kitchen on the cellar floor and a full service oak bar above. The location is only a couple of blocks away from the 145th Street 1 train at Broadway or the quicker A,B,C,D trains a few more blocks in the other direction. Otherwise, it's Hamilton Heights and most residential.
It's a difficult setup to run a restaurant in. I believe the same couple that owns MoBay owns this place. Ate their once and the chef was on point. Sad to see a business leave the area but it was a hard sell. BTW - I believe, it had a great urban "garden" in the back.
ReplyDeleteSorry, but it looks like a bordello. Not that I would know first hand. . .
ReplyDeleteIf I had the dough I'd live there. Looking like a bordello would be a selling point to me but everybody doesn't have my sense of humor.:)
ReplyDeleteSo, if not a restaurant what DOES one make of that place, then? Some kind of old school cocktail lounge joint?
Is there any audience for that kind of thing around there?
There's certainly an audience for it, Vic--just a question of overhead vs. receipts. One of these happy days, reduced real estate values will meet rising incomes in Harlem, and we'll finally be able to sustain the bars and restaurants we deserve. We're getting there; but from what I've heard about the jernt that formerly occupied this space, we ain't there yet. It's a pity, such a great spot.
ReplyDeleteNeeds to be a restaurant. The area really needs a few more!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, there is a new restaurant/bar/cocktail lounge opening up on the corner of 141 and 8th avenue. I've seen the work happening over the past few months, and it's looking like they might be close to opening. It's taken a while I heard that they were having trouble with the liquor license being so close to PS 123.
ReplyDeleteIt will be nice to see if that one can survive.
The only other restaurant comperable in the area right now is Londel's--a fabulous place, but just slightly too over priced, I think, for the largest population in the area. It does, though, fill up on Sundays for a $30 all-you-can-eat brunch...
The area needs a retaurant that serves up american fare in the $9 - $15 / plate range.