Harlem's 125th Street is revived with a flurry of new developments

­2014 will be the year for ground breaking ceremonies for the "most commercial projects on 125th St." slated for completion in 2015 and 2016. From Columbia University on the west to FDR Dr. on the east, Harlem's 125th St. is on the move with major redevelopment - the likes of which we have not seen in Harlem ever before. Today's changes will bridge the gap between old and new since many of the upcoming redevelopments require the restoration of neighborhood landmarks such as the Victoria Theater and Corn Exchange. Right now, there are over a dozen large and small projects in either the planning or execution stages in Harlem on 125th St. itself and the immediate surrounding area. With new developments and retail sales strong, national retailers without a presence on 125th St. are looking at opportunities. Interest is on the upswing as 125th St. becomes a new urban shopping destination focused on transportation hubs rather than the parking lot type venues. Here is a look at some of the most exciting projects that people are talking about: • The redevelopment of the heart of the Factory District of Manhattanville between Columbia University's McKim Meade and White campus is underway with a new 17-acre, $7 billion expansion under construction. • On three acres of contiguous property fronting on West 125th, 126th, 127th and 128th Sts. Janus Property LLC is building one the most important master-planned economic and urban revitalization projects in the heart of Manhattanville. It totals almost a million s/f of commercial, tech, value-added manufacturing and retail space. This includes the development of former Taystee Bakery Complex located between 125th and 126th Sts. and Morningside and Amsterdam Aves. into Create@Harlem Green which will have commercial and industrial space for "tenants from creative industries." • Ian Bruce Eichner of Continuum Company paid Vornado Realty Trust $66 million for the vacant site at 1800 Park Ave. - the southwest corner of East 125th St. The project, slated to be the tallest building in Harlem at 32 stories, features a residential component of 690,000 s/f with 600 apartments over a 70,000 s/f retail podium with parking. • Artimus Construction, a Harlem developer, has purchased the Corn Exchange Building at the northeast corner of 125th and Park Ave. They plan to add five stories to the classically constructed base to create 31,000 s/f of space, including 9,000 s/f of retail on the bottom two levels with office space above. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2014. • Danforth Development Partners' major renovation project at 235-237 West 125th St. includes two, 26-story towers built above the historic Victoria Theater. The restoration of the theater will include overhauling its historic theater, lobby, façade and marquee. The towers call for 230 apartments with half of them affordable; a 210-room hotel with a ballroom; and a four-story base with 27,000 s/f of retail and 25,000 s/f of cultural space to house the Classical Theater of Harlem, Jazz Mobile, the Apollo Theater Foundation and Harlem Arts Alliance. • At 301 West 125th St., a new retail complex is 90% leased out with Party City, Blink Fitness, Joes Crab Shack and the recent opening of DSW Shoes. • At 261-267 W. 125th St. Red Lobster opened this fall, anchoring a new $14 million retail project next door to the Apollo Theater being developed by Grid Properties and the Gotham Org. in conjunction with the Harlem Commonwealth Council. The seafood chain has leased 9,500 s/f on two levels for a 300-seat restaurant. Designed by BLT Architects, the 28,000 s/f project, sits diagonally across Eighth Ave. from the trio's earlier entertainment and retail complex, Harlem USA. • At 121 West 125th St. a 400,000 s/f development by the Hudson Companies and BRP will include a 71,000 s/f headquarters and conference center for the National Urban League, along with a civil rights museum, retail, residential rentals and parking. • At the corner of Lenox Ave. and 125th St., Jeff Sutton is developing a site to house a 39,000 s/f Whole Foods, Burlington Coat Factory and American Eagle. • At 5 West 125th St. next to Applebees a new five story, 125,000 s/f, mixed-use retail-and-office building will be developed by the Feil Org. • At 51 East 125th St. (the Raymond Building), a new 20,000 s/f of office and retail expected to open this summer. • The Richmond Group Development's East Harlem Cultural and Commercial Development Project at 200 East 125th St. completed its first phase with 800 residential units and one commercial unit of 5,806 s/f. Holley Drakeford is a sales manager at Giscombe Realty Group, LLC, Harlem, N.Y.