The historic building has been a TGI Friday’s, an Arby’s and, most recently, Ladies and Gents. (Chad Rachman/New York Post)
This historic Downtown Brooklyn space isn’t pretty in pink, officials say.
As if being replaced by a TGI Fridays — and then an Arby’s — wasn’t bad enough, a landmarked Fulton Street brownstone that for more than a century hosted the legendary Gage & Tollner restaurant now has hot pink walls, thanks to a schlock jewelry store that recently started inhabiting the space.
And the Landmark Preservation Commission isn’t pleased about what happened to the 119-year-old site— which still features the restaurant’s original gas-lit chandeliers.
Inspectors last week served the operators of Ladies and Gents discount jewelry store with a notice informing them that they illegally installed silky pink partitions a few inches away from the buildings historic walls.
They were told on Aug. 18 they must apply within 20 days to the Commission for permits to keep the partitions or risk be fined up to $5,000 and then potentially additional penalties of up to $250 a day that the temporary paneling remains. Sources said the city wants the partitions removed.
Joseph Chirico, who ran Gage & Tollner before closing the upscale eatery in 2004, told The Post he walked by the building a few weeks ago and was sick to his stomach over the changes.
“I was very upset that a lot of the history was gone — it’s so sad,” said Chirico, who also owns the Marco Polo Ristorante in Carroll Gardens.
He restored the Fulton Street building to its original elegance in 1995 but said he closed Gage & Tollner nine years later because the area’s driving restrictions made it difficult for many longtime customers to get there.
Besides having its first floor now covered in pink, a huge pink flag with the Ladies and Gent’s emblem hangs above the building’s original revolving front door. An outdated Arby’s sign also hangs along the building’s front as do signs announcing handbags can be purchased inside for only $20. A nail salon and a tattoo parlor occupy the building’s upper floors.
“They’ve basically desecrated this once-beautiful building,” said Lauren Meehan, 42, of Park Slope. “The city has talked about getting all the 99 cent and cheap stores out of Downtown Brooklyn and replacing them with upscale businesses, but the exact opposite happened here.”
Messages left with Ladies and Gents’ owners were not returned, but workers there said the business has done very well financially since opening a few months ago.
“We get a lot of neighborhood people,” said one worker.
Despite selling the building, Chirico still holds the restaurant’s naming rights and someday hopes to re-open at another Brooklyn location and have his son run it.
“It broke my heart to close it,” he said.
In its heyday, Gage & Tollner served Hollywood stars like Jimmy Durante and Mae West signature dishes like Beef Wellington. The restaurant was opened by Charles Gage in 1879 at 303 Fulton S. In 1880, Eugene Tollner joined him as a partner, and they named the place after themselves. They relocated to the current building in 1892.