When we were scouting out the future location of Les Ambassades second restaurant on Lenox last week, a reader mentioned that he thought the storefront at 331 Lenox seemed like it was ready to go based on the state of current renovations. The westside block of Lenox between 126th and 127th Street has quite a few shuttered shops but there's recent activity to be found at number 325 (which we assume is for Les Ambassades) and a new restaurant at 329-331 Lenox. Before anyone gets too excited about the latter, we dug up the DOB files for that particular location and the paperwork confirms that a Papa John's pizza chain will open at that space. It's at least progress and the block will be much better off with a couple of newly opened eateries instead of the locked up shops.
I'm wondering if it isn't going in right on 125th St--there is a storefront (on the south side between Mad/Park) undergoing renovation and the permit states that it's going to be a "dining establishment.
ReplyDeletePapa John’s an improvement over a shuttered shop? Um. . .
ReplyDelete@Sanou’s Mum:
ReplyDeleteRight now westside block of Lenox between 126th and 127th Street is like the Boulevard of Broken Dreams.
Nothing is open around there except for that perfume place which I suspect is just a front for something or other.
At long it isn't another Chinese place I'm happy.
What makes you think the perfume shop's a front? The fact that it doesn't get a ton of business? It seems like the same guy is there every day so I doubt his labor costs are significant. Who knows what the rent is. Maybe he has a relationship with the building owner? I wouldn't make wild assumptions that he's running drugs out of the store or whatever you're suggesting.
ReplyDeleteThe African store and the 99 cent store on the block have been there a while and seem to be doing just fine...
Wow a "Blvd of Broken Dreams" is comprised of one block (West side only) btwn 126th & 127th streets....kind of an empty comment. You say "Nothing is open around there", but we all know that there are in fact many many establishments "around there". Your comment seems biased.
ReplyDeletePapa John's? Fine by me as long as they deliver! ;)
ReplyDelete@D: Yeah, I am biased alright. I am biased against empty storefronts.
ReplyDeleteIn all the time he's been posting here, I ain't never seen any kind of "bias" from Vic. He's just sayin'--that block needs a little life. And he's right.
ReplyDeleteBut I got a strong feeling things are about to pick up on the west side of Lenox there. The crowd at the Rooster pm Sunday morning was unbelievable (and it was pretty darn packed at Chez Lucienne, too). All the foot traffic on that strip is bound to translate into something for the surrounding blocks.
Working Stiff I completely agree. This part of 125th is only starting to fulfill it's true potential. Marcus Saumelsson put in a massive amount of effort to get Red Rooster off the ground and although the true test will be to see how things are in a year from now, he has so far succeeded on all counts (much I am sure to the disdain of those chomping at the bit for him to fail).
ReplyDeleteWho knows what will happen with the empty lot on 125th & Lenox, but without a doubt, the more this corner and beyond continues to develop, the more valuable that plot of land will become.
Agreed, "Blvd of Broken Dreams" is a good description of this block for all the false starts, but for only one block, so maybe "Block of Broken Dreams", and only for now. And I agree, with all the success on the east side of Lenox it is only a matter of time that the west side of Lenox will get some of the action.
ReplyDeleteAs for the location of Les Ambassades #2, it must be no coincidence that Marcus Samuelsson was a long time customer of Les Ambassades #1, and now they are opening a new location almost directly opposite. I would not be surprised if Marcus Samuelsson encouraged Les Ambassades to open a second location on upper Lenox. That’s my conspiracy theory.
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to the summer with alfresco dining on both sides of Lenox with Sylvias, Red rooster, Chez Lucienne and now Les Ambassades with their tables and umbrellas cheering up the Avenue and many new visitors experiencing central Harlem.
ReplyDeleteSorry But... Do we really need a Papa John's close to 5 star dining???
ReplyDeleteCardboard pizza that you can buy at a supermarket tastes better than Papa John's!!
Pizza chains just seem so non-New York. You can get good if not great pizza at any slice joint. This ain't Iowa.
ReplyDelete@Westsider: which false starts?
ReplyDeleteD. The most glaring false start is the newish building on the SW corner of 127th and Lenox with retail space that has remained shuttered since being built.
ReplyDeleteWestsider. I've passed by that place a few times and have never even noticed it...when was that building constructed?
ReplyDeleteD, I'm guessing the building on SW Lenox and 127th has been there for approx 4 years.
ReplyDelete