Uptown retail center will have national retail chain, local vendors and restaurant. The Department of Citywide Administrative Services sought approval for the disposition of Mart 125, the one-and-a-half story, 12,210-square-foot building, located at 260 West 125th Street across from the Apollo Theater. Mart 125 was originally built in the early 1980’s as a market for local Harlem vendors and businesses. Occupancy declined over the years and the building began to deteriorate. It is currently vacant.

DCAS would transfer Mart 125 to the New York City Economic Development Corporation for sale or long-term lease to a selected developer. The existing mezzanine in the building would be replaced by two new, internal floors, providing 10,000 sq.ft. each, and subdivided into smaller retail spaces ranging from 500 to 1,500 sq.ft. The revitalized Mart 125 would provide a total of 34,400 sq.ft. of retail space with the ground floor reserved for a national or regional retail chain and the third floor for restaurant use. (read more…)