ABOUT GOSPEL UPTOWN

Vision

The legacy of the First Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s was essentially cultural – an outpouring of writers, musicians and artists that established identity but left so many a “dream deferred”.

To date, the Second Harlem Renaissance – the housing and retail resurgence of the late 20th and early 21st century – has been essentially commercial, elevating property values but lacking the cultural and entertainment-based ascendance of its predecessor.

The founders of Gospel Uptown (“GU”) have envisioned a project that would bring together commercial and cultural assets into one dining destination. GU seeks to bring back the old – the entertainment excitement of an earlier era, and blend it with the new – a state-of-the-art sound stage centering a soul fusion restaurant in the heart of Harlem (“GU Harlem”). Throughout its history, Harlem has served as home and inspiration to generations of residents and visitors – artists, entrepreneurs, writers, politicians, musicians, and activists among them – engendering dynamic contributions as well as trailblazing ideals. This legacy is experiencing revival today. GU Harlem intends not only to create new opportunities for employment and creativity but to take the commercial resurgence of Harlem to new levels of culinary, cultural and spiritual expression.

The goal is to position GU to become the gospel music version of the Hard Rock Café. The vision of GU Harlem is uptown’s new hotspot, magnetizing tourists, church-goers and locals alike, becoming both spur and symbol of Harlem’s second Renaissance, and through its emphasis on community empowerment, to help redeem dreams long deferred.