Fulton Mall Arby's To Open Later This Month
After months of renovation and back-and-forth with the Landmarks Preservation Commission, Arby’s is set to open later this month in the former Gage & Tollner space at 372 Fulton Street in the Fulton Mall, reports The Brooklyn Eagle. And speaking of Landmarks, the paper provides some details of what it was like for the un-Landmarky…
After months of renovation and back-and-forth with the Landmarks Preservation Commission, Arby’s is set to open later this month in the former Gage & Tollner space at 372 Fulton Street in the Fulton Mall, reports The Brooklyn Eagle. And speaking of Landmarks, the paper provides some details of what it was like for the un-Landmarky chain restaurant to fit into the landmarked space. I think [Landmarks] were totally correct in what they asked for, said Sheryl Pinner, one of the architects on the project. I’m sure they would have preferred an elegant white tablecloth restaruant, the way it once was, but the area’s changed.” Roast beef fans can look forward to a soft opening for the restaurant on January 21.
Arby’s Designer Liked Working with Landmarks [Brooklyn Eagle]
LPC Gives Arby’s Go-Ahead for Historic Fulton Mall Space [Brownstoner]
Fulton Mall Arby’s Revealed [Brownstoner]
LPC Sends Arby’s Back to the Prep Station [Brownstoner]
Arby’s Planning to Take Gage & Tollner Space [Brownstoner]
Rumor: Fast Food for Gage & Tollner Space [Brownstoner]
I wasn’t comparing TGIF and G&T, merely recounting the history of the building, which was for rent for a long time. If someone wanted to open a white tablecloth restaurant, all they had to do was sign a lease. I guess those restaurateurs lacked the vision of BH76. Their loss; Arby’s gain (maybe).
this is a godsend…warm roast beef w/cheese here I come!!
The Marriott is like that? Huh. Now that I spend way more time in the Heights than usual, I’ll try to devise an excuse to see that in person.
I just love that Arby’s needs a “soft opening.” Like they’ve never opened an Arby’s before. “Ohhh… the roast beef goes between the two pieces of bread. I had it backwards. Good thing this wasn’t a publicized launch. Imagine if the critics were here!”
Montrose, I think people from Brooklyn Heights did go to Gage & Tollner. I had dinner there often and saw people I knew. But the restaurant made their money mostly at lunch. It was the place for the politicians and lawyers and lobbyists to eat and shmooze. The last time I had lunch there I spotted the Bishop of the LI diocese and the Boro President and other local movers and shakers. That was the kind of place it was. Then, about five or so years ago, the Marriott opened and its Archive Restaurant pulled away a large portion of the lunch crowd. It has lunch specials, inexpensive drinks, and is easy to get to by cab unlike Gage and Tollner. This is what lead to the older reaturant’s demise. It did good business until then and the last owner updated the kitchen and put a lot of money into it. I used to talk to him about the restaurant and the business and dealings with the Landmarks Commission. He more or less knew it was curtains for a good year prior to the closing. A shame because it was a substantial restaurants with a professional wait staff who had been in the business for years. I don’t wish to be accused of being a snob but one naturally mourns the evolution of such a place into an Arby’s although I totally agree that it is far better than having a vacant storefront. Arby’s seems to be taking care of the space, the ground floor at least, I believe the rest of building is vacant, and contributing to the life and activity of the street.
You cannot compare TGI with G&T. G&T closed so long ago — long before all the new downtown residents; there were not that many of us then. And the Marriott was not the tourist spot it is now.
The interior is landmarked. Arby’s had to maintain the interior decor, and ended up spending much more money than they usually do to make sure original detail is not destroyed or damaged, while doing what Arby’s needs done in order to operate.
Hey, I’d rather someone did a white table restaurant, too. The last incarnation of Gage and Tollner had valet parking around the corner, got a permit to allow cabs and customers to pull up to the door and use streets usually off-limits to passenger cars, and had an excellent menu by a famous chef. Brooklyn Heights and other surrounding upscale neighborhoods still did not support it, and it closed. If you can’t get support by the economic and foodie elite, then instead of waiting for Fulton St to morph into the next upscale Miracle Mile, which I hope never happens, tweak it, work within Landmark’s very fussy standards, and let Arby’s give it a go. Like I said, better them than a mouldering abandoned building, which could have burst pipes or a fire one night, and be gone the next day, a worse loss than slinging cheap roast beef sandwiches.
I thought the interior was also landmarked? I’m glad it’s open and all but it breaks my heart to look at now. Now it’s just a nice looking food chain restaurant. Nothing special.
I don’t think Ms. Pinner, who I do not know, needs to live anywhere near here to know that a TGIFriday’s and Gage & Tollner failed at this location in recent years. That’s some pretty good market information.
Horsey sauce, baby!