The New York Post announces that the 2-level retail building to be built at the empty lot adjacent to the Apollo has secured an anchor retailer for 9,500-square-foot of its floor space. Seafood chain Red Lobster has signed up for a 300-seat restaurant which will guarantee the progress of the development apparently now called Harlem USA II at 261-267 West 125th Street. The Post article mentions the new name of the development but a quick look at the Grid Properties site shows that the moniker One-2-Five Live was attached to this building at one time:
LINK. This $14 million project has a total of 28,000 square feet of which Red Lobster will a have 1,500-square-foot of ground floor presence. Read more in the New York Post:
LINK
Tremendous news. A big name restaurant that will draw a lot of business (locals and tourists) and create jobs.
ReplyDelete@Chris: If this goes thru, this would bring plenty of that all-important (at least to my way of thinking) night-time foot traffic to the nabe.
ReplyDeleteWe still need a lot more pure entertainment spots there. As of now only Magic Johnson's Theater and Harlem Lanes operate on a 7 day a week basis.
Agreed Vic-Vega...Harlem Lanes should consider making some of those needed changes to their delivery of services in the advent of this added foot traffic.Harlem Lanes has so much potential and could really reap the rewards of all this coming change. I'm really rooting for them.
ReplyDeleteRed Lobster? People actually think this would be good for the neighborhood? Let's keep the suburban strip mall in suburbia. Big box stores/restaurants promise lots of jobs etc but end up destroying the community by driving out smaller business that can't compete with the scale of larger operations. Plus, I don't think tourists will be coming uptown to go to a red lobster....
ReplyDeleteGuest, I really think Red Lobster will have a minimal impact on existing eateries. 125th is already pretty much devoid of anything that would be deemed a competitor to Red Rooster. Plus it is a family friendly place, of which there are hardly any in Harlem. As for the tourists, there are plenty who already visit Harlem alone (without having to come uptown). I think this is a win win situation.
ReplyDeletechris, I totally agree with you. red lobster will be busy throughout the day, and evening hours will add much life to 125th St. after the majority of businesses close @7pm. also, tourists on buses that go to shows at the apollo will have an obvious place to dine/have a drink before or after the show...as harlemites the red rooster is ingrained in our heads, but not everyone knows about the celebrated red rooster or necessarily would want to go there to eat. although i have never been to a red lobster, i know neighbors who do travel to the bronx & yonkers for their red lobster fill.
Delete"Plus it is a family friendly place, of which there are hardly any in Harlem"
DeleteHuh? I'm completely baffled by this statement. Almost every business in Harlem is "family friendly" by any reasonable definition of the term. There are families with kids everywhere you go in Harlem. Even the bars are accomodating to the stroller-set!
Not all. Family friendly to me means taking your kid somewhere without having to worry about pissing somebody off. The only places I can think of in Harlem for that is the IHOP and Applebee's and possibly Harlem Tavern.
DeleteI think a Red Lobster would do very well. It is a great business move and it will be great for 125th and the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteI am curious, though, why only a 2-story building. Not that I desire skyscrapers along 125th but given the new zoning it is surprising that a developer with a vacant lot would stop at only 2 stories.
Chris, I agree .... I'm not a huge fan of Red Lobster but these places do well in tourist areas likes Times Square. Besides,it's always chain stores that anchor developments because an independent restaurant can't be an anchor. All over Manhattan, the big cross streets (think 23rd, 34th, 57th, etc) are dominated by chain restaurants not independent restaurants. We need more evening foot traffic on 125th street, so I'm supportive of whatever brings this.
ReplyDeleteOh, man, I won't have to go to Times Square for their cheesy biscuits anymore!
ReplyDeleteA Red Lobster has the advandges of being a relatively inexpensive family eatery.
ReplyDeleteIts not like there are lots of places like that in the area.
Tourists aside, the place could do great with just traffic from the locals.
I expect a Red Lobster on 125th will do the kind of business the new I Hop on Lexington and 126th was doing when we visited. In a word: booming. This is the type of restaurant Harlemites love. Good luck getting a seat!
ReplyDeleteI totally would love smaller restaurant but let's be honest. This is 125th street. You don't see a small italian restaurant on Times Square because no small restaurant could afford it. Only big box restaurants like apple bee's and red lobster could both be affordable to the public and actually afford the rent. I personally think an Olive Garden where Pier 2110/Gospel Uptown used to reside would be an apt solution for the space if no other restaurant can use it. Then you have the smaller boutique restaurants on the avenues rounding out the group for a varied experience everyone in Harlem can enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI expect Red Lobster to do very well, and will have good synergy with the Apollo and it’s patrons, along with the many Harlemites who no doubt will frequent this Red Lobster. I also hope this will encourage more dining options along 125th. Where 125th is now depressing after dark, 125th could be alive with restaurants. In short, this could not just be a win win, but the start of a new era for 125th.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was an architecture student at CCNY, one of our studio projects was to design a performing arts center with educational and community elements etc. for this site. Having seen everyone's designs, what's actually being built is horribly depressing.
ReplyDeleteyou are so right on the money gc. there are so many other really fantastic things that could be there. i too am depressed by the thought of another fast food joint. yuck!
ReplyDelete@ gc - I agree! This design is atrocious.
ReplyDelete