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After a winter of renovations, a long-neglected but potentially gracious building at 292 Bedford is showing signs of life.

Elaborate new windows and panelling have replaced graffitied plywood boards, and a couple of boutiques are already moving into the building’s secondary retail spaces.

Originally a bank, the long-shuttered corner space at the intersection of Bedford and Grand will soon open as Witlof, a Flemish brasserie operated by Ivan Kohut — owner of the hugely popular Radagast Hall just a few streets away.

 

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An old rendering of 292 Bedford, via leasing agents Lee & Associates

While the apartments on the upper floors of the building appear to have been well-occupied for many years, the main ground floor space of 292 Bedford sat surprisingly vacant for decades. An LLC purchased the building for $6,000,000 last May from Brooklyn landlord George Wanat, who — according to the Brooklyn Eagle — paid a mere $22,600 for the building in 1976.

292 Bedford opened originally as a private bank owned by a Ladislaw W. Schwenk. But Schwenk didn’t turn out to be a very good banker. In 1914, the state closed down his operation and arrested him for taking thousands of dollars in deposits after learning that his bank was insolvent.

After Schwenk’s departure, the building housed various businesses over the decades and most recently served as storage space.

 

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Photo of a dilapidated 292 Bedford in 2006 by Greg Snodgrass for PropertyShark

Witlof’s interior renovation is being overseen by John McCormick, a designer who also owns two Brooklyn restaurants: St. Mazie in Williamsburg and Cafe Moto in Bushwick. From the outside, it appears that the restaurant’s style will have an early-20th-century flavor — the gold-leafed typeface on the upper glass is distinctly Art Deco. The red and gold color scheme of the awnings and lower panels suggests a Germanic influence.

We’re looking forward to getting inside.

 

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The entrance to the apartments has been spruced up with new paint and a new door.

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Jewelry store Dirty Hands opened two weeks ago, the owner told us when we stopped by.

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Above and below, 292 Bedford under construction in May

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