Renaissance Development, a joint venture of Albanese Development Corporation in Garden City and Castagna Realty, Inc., has just signed the Viking Culinary Arts Center as a tenant at the recently renovated 855 Franklin Avenue in Garden City.

The center will provide a bridge between the professional chef and home chef, offering everything from beginner to advanced cooking classes, professional quality cookware, condiments and utensils as well as personal appearances and book signings by some of the most renowned chefs.

The 7,250-square-foot facility is a combination teaching kitchen, theater-style demonstration kitchen and culinary equipment store introduced by the Viking Range Corporation, manufacturer of commercial appliances and kitchenware for the home. There are two other centers in Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee. The Franklin Avenue facility is the corporation's first eastern seaboard location.

Russell Matthews, executive vice president of the Albanese Development Corporation, said, "We're delighted the Viking Culinary Arts Center has decided to make 855 Franklin Avenue its first-ever location in the east. We believe Viking's choice and that of the other fine tenants the property attracted, to locate its Culinary Arts Center on Franklin Avenue is the fulfillment of the village's Business Planning Coalition's strategic vision to bring the most prominent names in the home furnishings industry to Garden City.

"The cachet of tenants that have recently adopted Franklin Avenue addresses is re-establishing the street itself as an in-town pedestrian corridor and a destination location for high-end retail and consumer services. We expect that Viking's reputation as a leader in the home furnishings sector will act as a magnet in continuing to attract leading home and interiors-related brand names to Franklin Avenue, giving the street substantial prominence in the regional shopping market," Matthews said.

Renaissance Development acquired 855 Franklin Avenue back in 1998 and transformed the then-vacant A&S Department Store building into a Class A office and retail property. Viking now joins the offices of Smith Barney, M&T Bank and a 20,000-square-foot New York Sports Club facility. Currently, a 5,000-square-foot corner space remains available at this address.

Joe Sherman, president and CEO of Viking Culinary Arts Centers, said, "We look forward to a bright future in Garden City. The location provides the Viking Culinary Arts Center with a unique and very desirable combination of clientele that fit the Viking customer profile and an easily accessible prime location in a neighborhood of other high-end retailers."

Matthews said the center will generate tremendous excitement within Garden City and the facility's concept is thoroughly unique and yet blends in perfectly with the surrounding area. "There is a King's gourmet supermarket just across the street from Viking, perfect for picking up the fresh ingredients needed to create a just-learned recipe," he said.

"Waterzooi, a very popular fine restaurant in the neighborhood, will likely find its chefs in demand to give demonstrations and teach classes at the center. And best of all, the Viking Culinary Arts Center will become a gathering point for area corporations, community organizations and citizens who wish to host cooking classes as an entertaining part of their business meetings, team-building programs, fund-raising efforts or family celebrations."

Albanese Development Corporation is a privately held real estate development company founded in 1949 and based in Garden City. For more than 50 years, the company has developed and managed numerous residential, commercial and mixed-use projects.

Castagna Realty, Co. is also a privately held real estate company, celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2002. Founded as a masonry contracting company, the business grew to become a general contracting construction firm specializing in major municipal projects while evolving into a real estate development company. Its flagship operation, Americana Manhasset shopping center, first opened in 1956 and now consists of a collection of international shops, including Giorgio Armani and Tiffany & Co.