Washington Heights’ Dandy Expansion

Construction of an expansion to Dandy, 5020 W. Vliet St. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

You’ve undoubtedly noticed a rather delicate construction project if you’ve traversed W. Vliet Street near Wick Playfield.

While business continues at Dandy, a vintage store and event venue, the husband-and-wife duo behind the enterprise is working to dramatically expand the building, 5016-5022 W. Vliet St.

Ryan and Jessica Day are adding a second story, which will house a residence for their family. The pocket parking lot at the corner of W. Vliet Street and N. 50th Place will become a green space for the event venue. A small addition to the first floor is also being added atop the parking lot.

Striegel-Agacki Studio is leading the design. According to permits filed with the Department of Neighborhood Services, Geoff’s Construction is serving as the general contractor on the project.

The 6,854-square-foot structure, according to permit and newspaper records, was built in 1921 as an automotive garage and dealership for George Heise and attracted a string of other tenants in the ensuing decades, including Clover Lane Dairy Co-op and, by the 1950s, Krueger Heating Company. Krueger eventually became Joyce Krueger Heating, with the Joyce family selling the property to the Days in 2017 for $150,000.

Dandy’s retail store focuses on “Midventurous Modern” Mid-Century furniture, fixtures and clothing. The couple finds most of the items within 20 miles of the city. It’s currently open Friday from noon to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

The event venue in the rear of the space includes a full bar with lots of exposed brick and truss work showing the building’s industrial past. It’s hosted plenty of weddings, including the Day’s.

While the Washington Heights neighborhood hasn’t seen a lot of new construction in recent years, several properties have seen substantial renovations and many new businesses have opened on W. Vliet Street. A new bar, Biersal, will soon open a few blocks to the west.

Photos