More tips have been coming in about the Lafayette Theatre site and it appears that demolition permits have recently been approved. Based on DOB permits filed in June, Number 2225 7th Avenue has the green light from the city to be demolished:
LINK. This is the church building at the center of the block in between 131st and 132nd Street and was the actual Lafayette Theatre before the facade had a makeover in 1990. As for the intact portion of the block on the south end, that building does not have any permits pending at this point so its fate is still unclear.
Our Bespoke reader mentioned they talked to the owner listed on the DOB permit and "she said they are putting up another church with apartments and retail space. Not sure if it includes the C-Town building; she didn’t answer that question, and the demolition permit didn’t mention it." Some of the rumors being circulated around involved a condo development but it is unclear if that is actually happening but one would imagine that it would be difficult for a church to build a new building without the aid of a developer.
Archival photo courtesy NYPL
Should also be noted that the building that is now the CTown on the south corner was once the legendary Connies Inn. in the basement A Harlem Staple during the 1920s prohibition period with such luminaries playing there such as Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, and Fletcher Henderson Real Harlem Lore: link: http://www.nycago.org/Organs/NYC/html/ConniesInn.html
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