Harlem experiencing a restaurant renaissance

Nation's Restaurant News, Sept 18, 2006 by Sonya Moore

New York -- With abandoned warehouses scattered throughout and the Riverside Drive viaduct suspended above, a multiblock area along 12th Avenue here in West Harlem hardly seems like the home of a trendy new restaurant row.

Nevertheless, restaurateurs are hoping that ongoing development plans will help turn this Upper West Side neighborhood into Manhattan's next dining destination.

Columbia University's plans to expand its campus and the city's efforts to develop the Harlem Piers between 125th and 135th streets are expected to breathe new life into the area, operators say.

Syracuse, N.Y.-based Dinosaur Bar-b-que launched its New York location at 131st Street between 12th Avenue and Broadway in December 2004, and other restaurants are expecting to open in the near future.

"I knew that the area was developing into the next Meatpacking District," said Erik Ceres, co-owner of Alma Thai Latin Cuisine, which will be one of three restaurants opening in a two-story former freight house at 12th Avenue and 135th Street. Besides Alma, the building also will house a duplex pizzeria and bar and a third, as-yet-undetermined restaurant.

Ceres said Columbia has plans to develop buildings in the immediate vicinity. At the same time, he said, "there's [going to be] a ferry/water taxi service a block behind our building and a pedestrian park and a pier that the city is building."

Ceres, who also co-owns Mamajuana Cafe in Inwood and Billy's Original Barbecue in Washington Heights, said Alma would occupy 6,000 square feet of space and include a lounge upstairs and a dining area downstairs. It will feature a Thai-theme decor and serve fusion-style cuisine.

Ceres characterized it as being similar in style to Spice Market or Buddakan, and "very upscale, very trendy."

Peter Skyllas, who owns the property, said that the three restaurateurs renting from him all opted to be duplexes. "That was the first thing that came out of their mouths," he said.

When Skyllas bought the property at 701 W. 135th St. two years ago, he had planned to locate his plumbing business in the building and rent out the rest. However, his plans changed when he received a strong response from advertisements he had placed for the location. He purchased the building for $325,000 and currently is renting out space for about $35 to $50 per square foot.

Because of the demand, Skyllas said it was more feasible to lease the whole building out to restaurants.

"I think it makes a good spot," Skyllas said. "There's the parking, and it's a little quiet, so if people want to stay out late it's not really disturbing anyone."

When Skyllas first acquired the 20,933-square-foot building, it was in bad condition with a burnt and collapsed roof, he said. Drug users and dealers occupied the open space and left behind trash and other refuse.

"We took out 30 containers of garbage debris picked up from the neighborhood drug addicts," Skyllas said. "You couldn't even come within 10 feet of the building."

Another building located at 697 W. 133rd St., across the street from a Fairway supermarket, also is being developed.

Formerly an auto mechanic shop, the property is being transformed into the Hudson River Cafe, an American cuisine-style restaurant with a focus on seafood. The cafe is scheduled to open later this year.

The 4,000-square-foot location has two stories with a patio on the first floor and an outdoor terrace on the second.

Max Pina, co-owner with Hamlet Peralta of Hudson River Cafe, said they were looking into ways to take advantage of the riverside view while increasing the dining area by maximizing use of outdoor space. Gas pipes running underneath the terrace would provide heat. Eventually, the owners plan to add a removable enclosure for both the patio and the terrace to allow for year-round dining.

"We've been looking at the place for a long time," Pina said, adding that the location also would be favorable for attracting customers because of its proximity to Riverside Drive and the West Side Highway.

La-Verna Fountain, a spokeswoman for Columbia University, said that while the area is not primarily residential and is zoned for manufacturing, there remains a great deal of untapped potential.

Columbia University's long-term expansion project calls for the development of 18 acres extending from 133rd Street to 125th Street and from Broadway to 12th Avenue.

While some of the development will include property already owned by the university, Columbia also plans to acquire new space.

Maritta Dunn, chairwoman for the Harlem Piers Economic Development and Waterfront for Manhattan's Community Board 9 said plans to develop the waterfront have been in the works for years. "Technically, it was supposed to have opened last year," Dunn said. Now the plan is to have the piers open in the spring of 2007.

"Many years ago there was a plan for the 125th street piers." Dunn continued. "In that plan there was a call to make 12th Avenue a restaurant row and that was when we still had the meat packing district there.... What is happening now is 30 years old."