Those looking to grab a drink along the Exchange Place waterfront will likely have another spot to do so very soon, as a new lounge in one of the neighborhood’s most prominent buildings looks like they are close to opening.
The drinks in question will likely start flowing shortly at 210 Hudson Street inside Mack-Cali’s sprawling Harborside property. The facility’s $75 million renovation is well underway and the company has kept themselves busy over the last year by acquiring several liquor licenses and transferring them to the property.
New signage at the building has clarified exactly where one of those licenses will be getting put to use. While no formal announcement has been made and Mack-Cali has not returned our inquiries into the matter, a business called Manny’s District Lounge is coming soon to the storefront next to the District Kitchen food marketplace.
Details about Manny’s District Lounge are scarce so far, but the space was completely gut renovated and will include a large bar, seating areas, billiards, and a ping pong table. In addition, art installations are currently going up inside the lounge, which looks like it will be accessible from both Harborside’s atrium and via the street level that includes a sidewalk seating area.
The opening of Manny’s District Lounge certainly softens the blow for those disappointed in the departure of Piggyback Bar, which closed last month after just two years in business. Piggyback had been the only place inside Harborside where one could grab a drink, as the bar portion of District Kitchen has yet to open.
It’s unclear if Manny’s District Lounge will serve food in addition to cocktails or what their hours would be. Much of the Harborside complex is closed on weekends, although there’s certainly a chance that a full-fledged lounge of this nature would buck that trend and open on Saturdays and Sundays.
It’s been an interesting year for Mack-Cali’s Harborside, which continues to quietly build momentum with the hope of transforming into what the company envisions to be a 24/7 entertainment destination. Fresh off Whole Foods moving their North American headquarters into the building, an official announcement about Manny’s District Lounge could be coming as soon as later this month.
