New Barney's Building Open For Business, But Not Barney's

The first business has opened in the new Barney's New York building on the corner of Oak Street and State Street.  But it's not Barney's that's open -- it's Citibank.

The bank moved from its old digs next to the Esquire Theater on Oak Street on January 15th, and opened its doors in the new location on the 20th.  The lobby has that new bank smell, but the bank as a whole is much smaller than the old location.

It's nice to see an oft-overlooked segment of North State Street getting some attention, but to tell the truth we're worried about the future of Oak Street with festering cavity that is the Esquire becoming a polyp on the retail scene there.  But then again, we should just have faith that something will happen with the property eventually.  After all, a watched boil never pops.

New Barney's building to open in January

While we're still in mourning over the loss of Papa Milano's, it's worth noting that its replacement is getting ready to open for business.

The new Barney's New York building bounded by Rush, Oak, State, and Walton streets is complete on the exterior, with the exception of the first-floor facade and sidewalks.  But around the corner on the State Street side, things are moving more quickly.

Citibank will relocate its Oak Street branch to the new building in January.  The Oak Street bank inside the historic (yet rat-infested) Esquire Theater will close on January 15 and re-open in the Barney's building on the 20th.

Does this mean things will move forward with the redevelopment of the Esquire?  Who can say.  So far, any development large enough to be economically viable has been shot down.  Hopefully some compromise will be reached before the building deteriorates enough that it needs to be torn down.