Harlem USA
A True Harlem Success

In spring 2000, Harlem USA became a catalyst for the success of Harlem's current Commercial Renaissance. Located at the intersection of 125th Street and Frederick Douglas Boulevard, the 27,000 square foot retail and entertainment complex is comprised of a six-level building which includes two retail levels; a basement level; a two-story theater; and New York Sports Club, a full-service health and fitness facility on the rooftop.

The 20,000 sq. ft. lobby of the Magic Johnson Theatre is surrounded with glass, so that visitors may look out over the street. The building's glass walls allow tenants to animate their windows using large-scale graphics. Even the Disney Store made the decision to open a 6,000 sq. ft. retail outlet in New York City, which is larger than the company's average 4,300 sq. ft. store. Perhaps the success of Harlem USA is most evident by the 500 full and part-time jobs it has created. This kind of retail development symbolizes the dramatic restoration taking place on the streets of Harlem and a departure from the socio-economic lull that has plagued the community for the last decade.

Historically, Harlem had been known as one of the most influential African-American communities in the nation. Despite its contributions to the jazz era and having been the home of such Harlem Renaissance authors as Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, and Zora Neale Hurston, the heartbeat of Harlem soon became faint after World War II. The once vibrant area began to lose its’ zeal, and as its residents moved into the suburbs, poverty, drug use, and crime began to rise.

The increase in population, as well as a renewed focus of restoring Harlem to its prominence in the past 10 years, stems from the economic boom that has revived all of Manhattan. In planning Harlem USA, the developers wanted to create a place that would add more excitement and interest to an already vibrant street as well as give Harlem residents a place to shop in their own area. Research showed that 70% of the shopping done by Harlem residents took place outside of the neighborhood due to an insufficient retail presence, representing lost revenue of over $1.5 billion. With so many residents living in such a small area, the income per square mile was relatively high. In an effort to bring that income back into the community Harlem USA was developed by New York-based Grid Properties Inc. and the Gotham Organization, in conjunction with the Commonwealth Local Development Corp., which is an affiliate of the Harlem Commonwealth Council.

In the early stages of planning Harlem USA, the developers called on New York-based Skidmore, Owings & Merrill to design a space that would reflect the dynamics of Harlem. New York-based Simmons Design Group also contributed to the project's design. Planning began in 1992 and was the result of a vision shared between Drew Greenwald, president of Grid Properties, and Barbara Norris, president of Commonwealth Local Development Corp. The two believed that the area was underserved, but the project could be a success with high-quality tenants coming into a high-quality neighborhood which would be the driving force of the success of Harlem USA.

A win-win for retailers and the community alike, Harlem USA has given retailers access to a market of 400,000 residents at a lower per-square-foot cost than other parts of Manhattan and the community can reach the brands they know and love right in their own neighborhood, adding to the vitality of the area. Harlem has a new heartbeat and 125th is now a bustling urban street scene with a setting that is neither artificial nor unnatural.

Other Harlem USA Facts:

• Chase Manhattan Bank, which financed the project, said it was the largest real estate development in any of the federally designated Empowerment Zones around the country, as well as the largest investment by Chase Community Development Corp.
• Government funds financed only a small portion of Harlem USA
• Harlem USA draws from a market of an estimated 500,000 residents of Upper Manhattan, and more than 1 million tourists who visit the neighborhood annually.