BRP Corp. says Harlem Renaissance cannot be saved

The developer plans to demolish the building and build 134 apartments

Harlem Renaissance Casino and Ballroom
Harlem Renaissance Casino and Ballroom

BRP Corp. delivered the news to Harlem’s Community Board 10 landmarks committee last night that the Renaissance Casino and Ballroom cannot be saved, much to the chagrin of activists who have tried stave off the destruction of the historic facade.

Meredith Marshall, managing partner of BRP Corp., told the board that two men were injured, one suffering a broken leg, during the company’s site inspection in August, the New York Daily News reported.

BRP purchased the long-vacant structure from Abyssinian Development Corporation for $15 million last April and is planning to demolish the Renaissance and build 134 apartments, with 20 percent at affordable rates.

“We hate to be the bearer of bad news,” she said. “We can’t gloss over the safety factor.”

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Residents and preservation activists were dismayed by the news and said that a crime is taking place.

The Renaissance is a Ragtime-era theater that once had 900 seats and hosted concerts and events. [NYDN] — Tess Hofmann