288 Lark Wine & Tap Now Open On Lark Street

September 6, 2019

The new 288 Lark Wine & Tap was officially welcomed to Lark Street on Wednesday with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The wine bar’s menu focuses on pastas and Mediterranean dishes, and features both wine and whiskey chocolate pairings. Ownership purchased the vacant building at 288 Lark Street in 2017 and recently completed renovations. New doors, windows, exterior lighting and signage was supported by the City of Albany Small Business Facade Improvement Program. Its hours are Tues. – Thurs. from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Sat. from 4 p.m. – midnight.

Since implementation began the Small Business Façade Improvement Program have been tremendously successful. When all current awarded applicants’ renovations are completed the total investment leveraged is anticipated to be more than $750,000. To date nearly 30 City of Albany businesses throughout 10 different Albany neighborhoods and commercial districts have received matching grant awards to support owners’ reinvestments into their properties. The program is made possible by the City of Albany Capital Resource Corporation and the Albany Community Development Agency and it’s administered by Capitalize Albany Corporation.

The program is not only designed to support and provide critical assistance to small businesses citywide — the program encourages new investment in City of Albany identified Neighborhood Strategy Areas and the creation of low barrier to entry level jobs for City of Albany and Capital Region residents. In an effort to increase employment opportunities for local residents the City of Albany’s office of Youth & Workforce Services has been available to work with awarded applicants on identifying localized talent for their expanding small businesses. The program’s latest funding window opened on May 7 and closed on June 6, concluding the program’s third round.