LPC Sends Arby's Back to the Prep Station
“It might be a square peg in a round hole, but there must be a solution that evokes it better,” said Landmarks Preservation Chairman Robert Tierney at yesterday’s hearing on Arby’s proposed design for the interior landmarked space at 374 Fulton Street that used to house the historic Gage & Tollner restaurant. A majority (six)…
“It might be a square peg in a round hole, but there must be a solution that evokes it better,” said Landmarks Preservation Chairman Robert Tierney at yesterday’s hearing on Arby’s proposed design for the interior landmarked space at 374 Fulton Street that used to house the historic Gage & Tollner restaurant. A majority (six) of the LPC commissioners voted to send the Arby’s team back to the drawing board, taking particular exception to their plans for a light-colored floor and the size and structure of the booths and ordering counter; in addition, the commissioners didn’t care for the proposed removal of a portion of the mirrored arcade and the addition of certain illuminated signs. Clearly the franchisee who wants to make this work is going to have to break further away from the standard Arby’s aesthetic and “look at something more customized,” in the words of Commissioner Roberta Washington.
Arby’s Planning to Take Gage & Tollner Space [Brownstoner]
Rumor: Fast Food for Gage & Tollner Space [Brownstoner]
I agree with bklynite.I have been disappointed and angered for decades by the squandering of Brooklyn’s once elegant downtown shopping and entertainment center. But the times do seem to be changing.Those huge apartment buildings on Schermerhorn and Bridge St. will fill up. The new hotels too.The crowds on Fulton look to me to be more and more diverse.The new upscale Brooklyn Fare market on once desolate Schermerhorn seems to be doing well with a growing clientele.
I always thought Lugar’s should have opened a downtown outpost there but now with Morton’s its too late. Quality restaurants have been pulling people to the furthest reaches of Red Hook, Vinegar Hill, Bed Sty, East Williamsburg etc.I have no doubt that a new, quality Gage & Tollner would be a success today.
The What – seriously just stop a second……..
You post here everyday – so clearly you find something interesting (if not intellegent) about the comments section (and the commenters)
and yet you INSIST on calling people names and otherwise being an a$$ – for example you said regarding the Banco Popular/G&T thing:
“I knew at lease one Retarded Asshead would say that! I Banked at this location in 1981 and I tried to get a Student Loan here also. Sam ether your memory is bad or you are a POSER! It’s not what you “think” Sam!!!”
So in one paragraph you impled that many people here are retarted, Assheads (whatever that is) and you implied that Sam is a “Poser” (whatever that means)
YET YOU WERE TOTALLY 100% WRONG! – so rather then offering a legitimate apology or something similar – your only response is –
“Naw it was next door, just got confirmation from a old friend. I did too much weed back then. ”
Now seriously, I know you have a schtick to uphold but come on dude, if you want to be a part of the club (and your constant posting indicates you badly do) – then once in awhile try to just tone down the rhetoric and insults.
“ou’re totally off your rocker What. Banco Popular was on the corner.”
Naw it was next door, just got confirmation from a old friend. I did too much weed back then.
The What
Someday this war is gonna end..
I also don’t see why Arby’s would go to the trouble. There are other locations available within shouting distance of G&T. A franchise’s identity is tied to their branding and sense of familiarity, through their architecture and logos, as well as their food, and the wonderful charm of G&T’s authentic high Victorian interior seems to be like lipstick on a pig. Given that, I was surprised that TGIF didn’t work there, as their decor was a knock off and dumbing down of the same Victorian ambiance.
I would really like to see something better there, but I wouldn’t want the building to end up empty for years, deteriorating, either. Perhaps Arby’s could be a stop gap, until something better is a surety. I hope the LPC keeps their feet to the fire in keeping up standards, and doesn’t let them change or remove that which is important to the original interior. I’m glad the LPC is on it, and they, as an entity, are extremely important to this city. Slowly, but surely, they are losing the “elitist” label. I know Roberta Washington, and she is hardly an elitist. Having standards is not elitist.
BH76 is right What, the reason the restaurant interior is so perfectly preserved is because it was always a restaurant -ever since the gaslight days. That’s why it was landmarked, it is very rare.
I do remember the Banco Popular nearby now that you mentioned it. But no, this was always Gage and Tollner until TGIF’s took over.
What PWNED yet again. Who’s the poseur now????
Gage and Tollner’s began when Charles Gage opened an “eating house” at 303 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, in 1879. In 1880, Eugene Tollner joined him and the restaurant became known as Gage and Tollner’s in 1882. The restaurant moved to 372-374 Fulton Street in 1892. [2]
It attracted customers like Diamond Jim Brady, Jimmy Durante and Mae West. In the 1980s it was bought by Peter Aschkenasy who brought in famed chef Edna Lewis. She helped “transform” the restaurant by adding her famed Southern cuisine, such as cornbread, catfish and a “legendary she-crab soup.” [3] Joseph Chirico, who owned the restaurant since 1995, made the hard decision to close the restaurant since “the business was dragging every day.”
Shortly after it closed, T.G.I. Friday’s moved in. [4] T.G.I. Friday’s vacated the space in 2007 and the space currently is unoccupied. As of March 2009, an Arby’s franchise is looking to move in, pending approval by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. [5]
you’re totally off your rocker What. Banco Popular was on the corner.
Gage and Tollner was run for decades and decades from b4 you were born -family run-and they lived upstairs.
They sold but still operated under that name under couple different owners until TGIF took over the space.
perfect spot for a soul food joint, or a steakhouse, or, oh, gage & TOLLNER! : )