Essex Crossing has announced another big commercial tenant. The nearly 2-million sq.-ft. residential and retail complex on the former Seward Park redevelopment site will include a bowling alley/entertainment venue called Splitsville Lanes.
Currently, Splitsville operates facilities in Florida, Virginia, Massachusetts and Texas. Now they’ll establish a New York presence with a 17,000 sq.-ft. outpost on site 1 of Essex Crossing, located at the intersections of Ludlow and Broome streets. The company signed a 10-year deal. The new facility is being called a “bowling, dining and entertainment venue.” It will include 10 lanes.
In a press release, Andrew Katz of the Prusik Group (part of the development team) said, “We’re incredibly excited about Splitsville joining The Market Line at Essex Crossing. Throughout the planning process, the Lower East Side voiced strong support for a bowling alley and we made a commitment to deliver just that.”
Guy Revelle, partner at Splitsville Luxury Lanes, added, “Splitsville couldn’t be happier about bringing our brand to New York… The Lower East Side is a truly special place and we are excited to open our doors to the community.” The venue will offer all types of food, from typical bowling alley fare to sushi. The company touts the unique design of its bowling alleys. The lanes are split into clusters, allowing customers to socialize. The facility will be the only bowling alley/entertainment venue of its kind below 14th Street. It will be similar to Bowlmar Lanes, which shuttered its University Place location, and Brooklyn Bowl across the bridge in Williamsburg.
Splitsville Lanes is the second major commercial tenant announced by Essex Crossing. A 14-screen Regal movie theater will also be part of the project, located on an adjacent site on Essex Street. The overall development includes 1,000 apartments, a new Essex Street Market, a cultural facility to-be-named and an urban farm. Both attractions will be part of the first phase of construction, scheduled for completion in 2017.
