Here's What's New—and Still on the Horizon—on Harlem's Rapidly-Transforming 125th Street
- 7 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
A wave of new buildings and businesses continues to transform Harlem's 125th Street.
Glossy high-rises like the 28-story Renaissance New York Harlem Hotel, which opened in 2023, have already significantly altered the skyline.
Major retailers that arrived the following year, including Trader Joe's, Sephora and Target, are behind the jaw-dropping changes at street level.
More recently, the Studio Museum in Harlem returned to the iconic thoroughfare in a bigger, more modern home.
And now the full-scale renovation of the legendary Apollo Theater is underway, bringing with it an expanded lobby featuring a new cafe and bar when it reopens later this year.
To track the latest shifts, TCU has been taking periodic walks down 125th Street between Fifth Avenue and Broadway.
Here are the most notable recent openings, plus what's still on the horizon, from east to west:
2031 Fifth Ave at 125th St
Theater soft opening: 2026
This massive 21-story mixed-use property is set to be the new home of the National Black Theatre, founded in 1968 at the same address. The residential part of the building, known as Ray Harlem (2035 Fifth Avenue), is already open. A Club Pilates is coming to the storefront at 9 E 125th Street in March 2026.
5 W 125th St between Fifth and Lenox Aves
Opened October 2024
This new food delivery concept with more than a dozen locations across the city allows customers to order from a variety of restaurants run by top chefs, including Food Network star Bobby Flay (Bobby Flay Steak) and Harlem's own Marcus Samuelsson (Streetbird).
17 W 125th St between Fifth and Lenox Aves
Opened March 2024
The Cajun-style seafood boil chain now has a location on 125th Street.
27 W 125th St between Fifth and Lenox Aves
Opened February 2025
The NYC-based smash burger chain, founded five years ago, is now in Harlem.
60 W 125th St between Fifth and Lenox Aves
Opened August 2024
This 4,500-square-foot restaurant from the team behind Ponty Bistro and Renaissance Harlem is serving up steak (dry age New York strip) and seafood (Chilean sea bass with garlic spinach) on the ground floor of a modern development just east of Lenox Avenue.
60 W 125th St between Fifth and Lenox Aves
Opened September 2025
This new location of the chicken wing chain offers streamlined takeout and delivery, plus in-store dining.
66 W 125th St between Fifth and Lenox Aves
Opening March 2026
This upstart hot chicken chain—with two locations in New Jersey and two in Manhattan—is betting on Harlem with its fifth spot.
100 W 125th St between Lenox Ave and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd
Opened November 2023
The fast fashion chain shut the doors to its old location at 125 W 125th Street in August 2023, reopening a few months later across the street—right next to Whole Foods.
121 W 125th St between Lenox Ave and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd
Openings: Sephora and Trader Joe's opened in July 2024, Target debuted in October 2024
Long in the works, the glossy new home of the National Urban League welcomed an impressive list of major retailers in 2024, including Trader Joe's, Target, and Sephora. The Urban Civil Rights Museum in Harlem is set to open in the same building sometime in 2026.
124 W 125th St between Lenox Ave and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd
Opened February 2024
The fast-growing chain, originally from Louisiana, is known for its simplified menu focused on chicken fingers, Texas toast, crinkle fries—and the must-have signature Cane's sauce.
130 W 125th St between Lenox Ave and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd
Opened Winter 2024
The ubiquitous Chinese food spot opened in a single-story building that was once a Burger King.
144 W 125th St between Lenox Ave and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd
Opened November 15, 2025
After a seven-year wait, the Studio Museum in Harlem debuted its modern new home designed by David Adjaye. First up: an exhibition featuring the light sculptures of Tom Lloyd. Stop by the Studio Cafe, run by Harlem's Settepani, for a coffee and the Studio Store for unique gifts.
219 W 125th St between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. and Frederick Douglass Blvd
Opened June 2025
This small bakery known for creative cupcakes in flavors like red velvet, carrot and Oreo has moved from Lenox Avenue to a prime location on Harlem's main strip.
222 W 125th St between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. and Frederick Douglass Blvd
Opened December 2023
The British sneaker and sportswear chain has joined other newcomers like Nike and Snipes on 125th Street.
233 W 125th St between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. and Frederick Douglass Blvds
Opened August 2023
Decorated with Harlem Renaissance-themed touches, this new 211-room hotel owned by Marriot includes the Victoria Restaurant and a piano bar on the fifth-floor lobby.
233 W 125th St between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. and Frederick Douglass Blvds
Opened February 2024
Two new flexible performance spaces run by the Apollo Theater are open in the historic Thomas Lamb-designed Victoria Theater directly under the Renaissance New York Harlem Hotel.
248 W 125th St between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. and Frederick Douglass Blvds
Opened October 2023
Harlem's first licensed cannabis shop, which most of you greeted with open arms, is located directly across the street from the Apollo.
253 W 125th St between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. and Frederick Douglass Blvds
Reopening Summer 2026
Now covered in scaffolding, Harlem's crown jewel closed for major renovations in July 2025. Construction on the theater, soundstage, and expanded lobby—complete with a new cafe and bar—is expected to last for about 12 months. In the meantime, programming continues down the block at The Apollo Stages at The Victoria.
254 W 125th St between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. and Frederick Douglass Blvds
Opened March 2024
This rapidly-expanding Nashville-style hot chicken chain—investors include Drake and Samuel L. Jackson—is just down the block from the Chick-fil-A that opened a few years ago.
313-315 W 125th St between Frederick Douglass Blvd and St. Nicholas Ave
Opened June 2025
The Popeyes that stood on the corner of 125th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue has moved a few doors east and is now next to a new Burger King.
321 W 125th St and St. Nicholas Ave
Opened March 2025
The fast-casual chain has opened in the corner space that used to be Popeyes.
412 W 126th St between Morningside and Amsterdam Aves
Opened October 2025
Located a block north of 125th Street, this new boutique hotel from the Hilton brand includes 139 rooms and a jewel-like lobby bar. Still to come: a seasonal backyard pool and a ground-floor restaurant.
362 W 125th St between St. Nicholas and Morningside Aves
Opened December 2025
This New Jersey-based gym recently opened in the sleek 12-story condo known as Eleven Hancock.
600 W 125th St and Broadway
Completed 2025
Columbia University's new 34-story residential building, designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop, offers housing for graduate students and faculty. McDonald's, which used to occupy the entire corner, returned to the ground level of the new building in April 2025.
Apparently, Club Pilates is gonna open another location at 125th!
Thanks for updating us. I can’t wait for Target to open. I love all of the options we’ll have available. I was forced to move here for safety reasons. Thank God I found my home here because there was no peace where I was living in since the 80’s (I was born here though on 103rd and 2nd) here in East Harlem further downtown. God is good. He gave me a new home where I can have greater peace and safety here in Harlem still. I am so grateful. There is a reason why I found this apartment not any other first. I belong beside the people I know and love! God bless our community. Please pray we get al…
Too many corporate shops. Would love more mom and pop shops with creativity / personality - cafes, diners, a book shop, more healthy food options. Also agree with better gyms and work-out spaces.
We need better workout gyms
You forgot the Raising Canes chicken fingers joint!