By: Scott Roth
New York City retail developer Jack Menashe is at it once again with his latest vision of a 163-year-old former Episcopalian Church. In 1983, the church was transformed to Limelight, a raucous nightclub attracting the likes of Burt Reynolds and Eddie Murphy. The club faced scrutiny from the Giuliani administration and later re-opened as Avalon. In 2007, Avalon closed its doors and sat at the corner of 20th street and 6th avenue unoccupied and destined for destruction. Manashe, a former patron of Limelight when it was a club, came across the property and made it a temporary store.
I opened a temporary shop here (Limelight) in early 2009. I put a small 8.5 x 11 sign outside, and there were lines around the corner. We were averaging 5,000 customers a day in a dark, dreary space. I knew the building offered something special. The architecture, history and maze-like layout presented a formula for something great. I traveled to London for inspiration … and came back with the concept for Limelight Marketplace.
- Jack Menashe (center) accompanied by his wife and daughter
Realizing the site was more than just a decrepit church/club, he decided to take on the task of making the structure a multi-retail structure. After a $15 million dollar overhaul, Limelight Marketplace was born. The developer describes it as:
It’s a shopping experience. A place where consumers can get lost, explore and at the same time find everything they need from hair highlights to organic food. In terms of the specific Limelight location, I have retail in my blood, and this particular space jumped out as the spot I wanted to re-create and introduce as the next generation of shopping in New York City. And, while we’ll have entertainment, we’re nothing like Limelight from the former days. We’re a family-friendly locale with amazing brands, who’ve all come together to create this new vision.
- The Limelight Marketplace – Grand Opening
The brightly lit marketplace has everything from trendy clothing to a delicious desserts. Recently some Campus Socialites had the opportunity to take a visit, here’s their thoughts:
“The inside of Limelight Marketplace exceeded my expectations from its exterior appearance. It’s 3 floors of awesomeness; it felt like I was in a wonderland. I liked how a lot of the merchandise was not common brand names; a lot of it was original. My favorite part was the brocade showroom. “ –Amber
Another Campus Socialite remarks on a tasty experience, “I can’t stop thinking about the Ferrero Rocher flavored gelato I had with pieces of the chocolate in it- so good!” –Jessica
Check it out for yourselves – even your parents will be enticed to return to their former party scene.
