NEW YORK CITY-A new hotel, apartments, retail and cultural spaceare all part of a $143-million plan to bring a mix of commercialuses to Harlem’s storied 125^th Street corridor. AfterEmpire State Development approved DanforthDevelopment Partners plan to construct more than 300,000square feet above the historic Victoria Theater in July, thedeveloper has tapped architect Ariel Aufgang todesign the project with a special focus on preservation andprogress.

“The whole idea of developing this mixed-use structure is thatwe are trying to make a destination for the community and forpeople from outside the community,” Aufgang tells GlobeSt.com. “Itwill be the center of attention.”

The project – which will rise midway between the New York StateOffice Building and the Apollo Theater – involves the constructiontwo 26-story towers, a hotel and an apartment building, will beconstructed above the historic Victoria Theater, whose original1917 terra cotta facade and ornate lobby will be restored. The twotowers, a 210-room hotel and a 230-unit apartment tower, will havea combined 360,000 square feet of space.