The Collective has filed plans for a 150-unit co-living project at the vacant site of the historic Slave Theater.
The project, at 1215 Fulton Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant, will span about 239,000 square feet and stand 10 stories tall, according to plans the British co-living company filed with the Department of Buildings. It could open in early 2022, Brownstoner reported.
The Collective purchased the site in March for $32.5 million and said it planned to construct a co-living building at the property. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment but said in a statement at the time that it was “committed to honoring the rich history of the Slave Theater” and would develop its proposal with “a commitment to ensuring a positive impact for the neighborhood and the people living in it.”
Judge John Phillips (Credit: Facebook)
The theater debuted in 1914 as The Regent. Judge John Phillips re-opened it as the Slave Theater in 1984 and it became known as a hub for activists including the Rev. Al Sharpton prior to its closure in 1998, according to Curbed. After Phillips died in 2008, it got caught up in an ownership dispute that involved accusations of back taxes, revenge and elder abuse.
The property changed owners multiple times in the ensuing years and was fully demolished by 2016, despite several attempts to landmark the property.
The Collective previously acquired the Paper Factory Hotel in Long Island City for $58 million, which it plans to convert into a “short stay” co-living facility. It also announced it would build a 500-unit co-living building in East Williamsburg at 555 Broadway last fall.