Harlem historic storefronts have been disappearing rather quickly in the past three years. These are actually businesses that have been around for 60 or 70 years but were never landmarked or protected in any way. For some reason, local politics tend to get into the landlord disputes with the business owners but fail to protect the actual sites themselves. Having an establishment like Lenox Lounge made an official landmark on the outside and the interior would have kept it preserved as has a historic site no matter what new business comes along. At the end of the day, if folks are really concerned about keeping culture intact, the bigger picture would be to save the sites for future generations in Harlem and not make it about taking sides with businesses disputes.
I agree! How can we help lobby for this and prevent more loss? I believe many people would support, if someone would lead and explain how to help.
ReplyDeleteGentrification is doing this. Keep the gentrifiers out!
ReplyDeleteThat does not make sense. Most of these places went out of business on their own. Population loss in Harlem had hurt businesses and the new people arriving are bringing back money into the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteWe need to help the owners and managers do better business planning so they continue to thrive. If a lease is running out, plan around that. If the clientele is changing, plan around that. Its 2013, and there are good resources available to help with solid business plans.
ReplyDeleteIt's all about money and people not sticking together to save Harlem now a days you have to be rich to live in Harlem or NYC
ReplyDeleteThe new owners of Minton's could have easily restored the old sign instead of the glitzy, shallow new one.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that any born and raised Harlemite allowed for a place like the Lenox Lounge to close without a rally, protest ,march or charity event to save this location makes me wonder what happen to the Harlem Pride I hear so much about?
ReplyDeleteI do not know where you have been, but each and every day even before the genterfication began in Harlem and since I returned to Harlem after military services in 1994, there has always been a group of people fighting all politians, landlords and the many other establishment that now call harlem there own. We went to board meetings, the landmark and preservation agency not only to get landmark status for Lenox Lounge but also for the liberation bookstore. So if you really want to known. We have put out flyers for people to attend rallies, community board meeting and the such, but if you dont owe and have some type of connection then you are screwed.
ReplyDeleteThen please not be anonymous and let everyone know for clearly not much has happened.
ReplyDeleteIt is tragic to see these photographs of what is lost and I agree with Ulysses, many Harlemites new and old (me included) value these establishments and are saddened by their loss, but did not manage to save them with some kind of Landmarking effort. On a positive note, it is great to see Red Rooster and the new Mintons with a nod to Harlem history. I think in M &G could be brought back if it was done right, maybe I should go into the restaurant business.
ReplyDeleteWhy did'nt they restore Minton's sign ??
ReplyDeleteMaybe, Rick, for the same reason they now require men to wear jackets while listening to jazz as well charging a $90 minimum per person. Maybe they don't want a connection to the past. Or maybe that want a connection to the segregated Cotton Club past but in this case the segregation is economic.
ReplyDeleteAnybody actually been to Mintons and got hit with the 90 dollar minimum or seen folk turned away cause of the Dress code curious is its just on the web site or actually being practiced
ReplyDeleteI don't expect they'll get big crowds at those prices and "rules."
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