It's nice to see that some of the larger vacant buildings are being repurposed instead of just laying empty and dormant. There is a no bigger eyesore in the Watervliet/Latham area than the old Kmart building at 195 Troy Schenectady Road.

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Paul Dimm who is the owner and chef of the new restaurant called The Scarlet Knife plans to take over the old Kmart building next to Vent Fitness in Latham/Watervliet according to Albany Business Review.

What Does He Plan to do With the Space?

Dimm says that he is planning on having an open kitchen as the focal point of the large indoor dining room. The main restaurant area should hold about three hundred seats and occupy about fifteen thousand square feet. There is also be a dessert room that will seat up to thirty-five people. This room will take dessert only reservations but will also serve dinner guests. There will also be a full pastry kitchen and is on the hunt for a pastry chef.

3T Architects
3T Architects
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Dimm will Pay Homage to the Old Kmart

He said that the outdoor patio will give the restaurant an additional four thousand square feet. Dimm will name the outdoor patio area "the garden center" as a little wink to the Kmart garden center that once existed in that space. He plans on having plants and greenery throughout.

3T Architechs
3T Architechs
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What Can We Expect When the Restaurant Opens?

Dimm says you can expect a modern ambiance with floating and open ceilings above the bar and dining room. There will also be a wine cellar and plenty of windows.

Dimm said of the initial reaction of patrons:

When you arrive, it's just not going to be like arriving at a different restaurant. You're going to go in and be like, 'Oh my gosh, all this stuff's going on.

Heartwrenching Look at Beloved Capital Region Concert Venue Before Demolition

The Starlite Music Theater opened in 1957 and was a popular venue located in Latham. There were many acts that passed through the Starlite until 1997. It was a 3,000 seat theater in the round. In the 1980s I saw Belinda Carlisle of the Go Gos at the Starlite Music Theater. Kenny Rogers, The Monkees, Weird Al Yankovic, Jonny Cash, Run DMC, Diana Ross, and more graced the stage. The Starlite closed its doors in 1998 and laid dormant for years. Then in December of 2012, the Starlite was demolished. Here are pictures of the venue in the summer of 2012 before it was leveled.

Eerie Look at Things Left Behind at the Abandoned Sunset Lanes in Colonie

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