Harlem’s Victoria Theatre, 2 doors down from the Apollo on West 125th Street, in its day, was one of the largest and most ornate vaudeville theatres in New York City. Due to the building’s deteriorated condition, the Empire Development Corporation (EDC) held a competition for development feasibility which included a business case analysis. As architectural lead for the competition team, ours was the lone voice raised for restoring the 1917 Thomas Lamb designed historic theatre, rather than demolishing preferred by all other teams.

Working closely with Extell Development, the Victoria Tower project was conceived as a multi-use cultural, hotel and residential facility inserted within the exist-

ing historic theatre. Key historical decorative elements and spaces will be restored and re-programmed with new cultural uses in the theatre, the cultural base of the project. The through block original entrance will be transformed into the lobby as Arts Walk, an extension of the Studio Museum of Harlem, and Living Room Lounge visible from 125th Street. Community and visitors using the Living Room Lounge will add vitality and safety to the evening sidewalk experience. A glass residential and hotel tower will rise above the cultural base and house a grand ballroom, banquet hall and meeting rooms. Additional cultural venues include the Harlem Jazz Museum, a “Blue Note” type jazz club at the lower level, and the B.B. King Room.