Café Olé
Location: 126 South Warren Street Trenton NJClient: Café OléStatus: Completed
Architect: Moya ArchitectsDesign: Frank X. Moya AIA LEED
Type: COMMERCIAL - Hospitality
A significant transformation in Trenton’s South Warren Historic District was the city’s first specialty coffeehouse and social hub. Part of the city’s renaissance, it won many city, state and regional awards for its design and impact on downtown redevelopment efforts.
The 2,000 SF space had been used for a pizzeria before with all the serving areas located deep in the rear of the interior next to a prepping kitchen facing an alleyway. It was dark and uninspiring. As Trenton first coffee bar, the goal was to create a new space with a sense of casual elegance. However, the limited budget meant having to keep many features in place while using new finishes to create a transformative experience. The serving area was moved towards the front with the most comfortable seating to enhance the sense of busy activity, while additional seating was set in the back for the busy lunch hour overflow. This allow for continued service without the place looking empty. The kitchen remained in its original location as did the two awkwardly placed toilets. A sweeping curved wall was built to hide the toilets and squeeze an office. A portion of the original dropped ceiling was refurbished in the rear to control noise. Tile inserts and carpeting were added to the existing floor to create spatial variations and patch new construction. A wooden trellis was added to the façade to align the entrance with the street line.
