Our second pick would be just around the corner at the new Balton building which has a massive lower footprint for commercial space on the corner of 127th Street and it too is located close to the express train exit. There are speculations on Whole Foods moving into developments that have not even been built yet so these two locations may be more of a sure bet in our opinion.
Not sure if its big enough, but 313-315 west 125th street does seem like the perfect location. Its within a 15 minute walk of columbia (both new and old campuses), the entire FDB cooridor, mt. Morris and the "high five" neighborhoods, and much of West Harlem, not to mention being right on several express train lines. Too much farther west and you lose mt. Morris/high five walkability, and too much farther east and you cant walk from columbia or West Harlem. I think even the smaller whole foods need 20,000 square foot so the challenge will be finding the space.
ReplyDeleteGG, Agreed, I like the cast iron building 313-315 West 125th street for all the reasons you mention. This is a beautiful building that would be a good home for WF (Whole Foods) both aesthetically and geographically. Also, from the buildings perspective, WF would be a dream tenant with resources to pay the rent and occupy a lot of square feet. Sorry to say, I believe it when I see it but is nice to dream.
ReplyDeleteThe Mink warehouse building on 126 st/Amsterdam Avenue has incredible ground floor interior space, a loading dock and is close to Columbia, A/D and 1 trains. Frontage is great for retail display.
ReplyDeleteThe rumor I've always heard is that there's a plan to convert the parking garage on 121st and St. Nicholas into condos and that Whole Foods would take the basement and ground floor. Or at least that's what a friend of the developer told me!
ReplyDeleteEither of these options would make me very happy.
ReplyDeleteMy bet is the site that Kimco sold last year on 125th and 8th?
ReplyDeleteThe ground floor of the mink building fits the bill even more nicely for all the same reasons. Walking/short distance from FDB corridor, Columbia, West Harlem and Mt. Morris park. The space is huge and is ready and waiting for exactly this tenant to anchor the new building once the zoning is changed to mixed use (think apartments, office buildings, commercial and community space) all anchored by whole foods. Sounds perfect, no?
ReplyDeleteMax, I really like the mink building as it reminds me of the puck building downtown, the only thing missing is a 125th street frontage which is an important component for a major retail in Harlem. My money is on a 125th street location of which there are many.
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