How a West 8th Street block transformed itself

Thanks in part to low-cost retail space, the West Eighth Street block between Fifth and Sixth avenues continues to ride an upswing. The New York Post reported that the block, previously home to a bunch of shoe stores, tattoo parlors and head shops for “tobacco” products, has new retail and nightclub tenants as well as rising residential rents.

A group of food and drink purveyors have opened up shop in the past year, such as the gourmet chicken finger eatery Sticky’s Finger Joint and Amelie wine bar.  But more recently, the nightclub Pink Elephant, formerly on 27th Street, made its Eighth Street debut.

And according to the Post, a new venue linked to the Mulberry Project cocktail lounge project is slated to come to the block. Also, the Marlton House hotel will be converted into a 120-room, Persian-style boutique hotel, run by the team behind the Bowery and Jane hotels. It’s slated to open by year’s end.

As for apartments, rents and occupancy have risen steadily over the past few years. The Post wrote that vacancy rates on the block come in at 1 percent or less. [Post] — Zachary Kussin