Runway 84 Restaurant

When you are charged with a re-imagining of an iconic concept, iconic owners and a somewhat infamous past, you work hard to preserve what was, what is and what will become.

Studying the lower east side red sauce joints beginning with the floor plan, a perimeter dining approach was achieved by introducing “gangster booths” along the two main walls in the dining room. Meant for family, large groups or just because you always wanted to have a view of the dining room and entertainment these lend to an old school approach to how patrons dined when Vegas was a horse town in the dessert and Frank Sinatra was known as little Frankie and the then new Italian America was making a mark in the restaurant world.

A lively concept, and one that is immersive needed to have a color palate and tactile spirit that evoked some of the old school supper club joints that made the lower portion of Manhattan cool and Las Vegas hot. Hues of green, gold and burgundy are combined with an elaborate multi layered walnut coffered ceiling that is reminiscent of a ballroom/piano lounge at the Sands. Authentic without being a cliche was achieved by designing all custom furniture and seating to represent four generations of dining while creating a sophisticated and chic spirit. The magic of creating a space where nothing matches is because it’s all a match on the purposeful selection of a rose wall covering matched with dark emerald green velvet banquettes. A circular mini lounge was created between the bar and dining room to serve double duty, both as a natural divider for the bar and dining but to also give a lush sense of intimacy in front of the stage reminiscent of a Vegas sneak joint where a Manhattan was more than an island. Martin Scorsese could have used this as a muse for any of his movie sets depicting a true step into the Italian American subculture that was just just gaining speed in 1882.

Step into the bar and above you is a vinyl stretch ceiling that is both an optical illusion and an excitement generator. What becomes of an already over scale 12 foot ceiling is now punctuated over head and the custom brass back bar and adornments are now part of the architecture enveloping your experience. Custom crystal chandeliers and brass art lights in a cacophony of light that is both intimate and sexy by design. The walls pay homage to the neighborhoods where inspiration and family are found. A touch of whimsy is also present here. Feeling more like a night out than a seat in a restaurant, we attempted to immerse the patron in a sea of colors, textures and light play. All as part of the fresh yet familiar vibe present in the four decades of existence.

Design: Bigtime Design
Architect: EAVBTD LLC
Photography: Craig Denis