The building on the corner of Farwell and North Avenues is a beloved but complicated space. For decades it was home to Oriental Drugs, complete with a quirky Asian-themed lunch counter, but it has struggled to find the right new tenant ever since the Oriental shuttered in 1995.

After an incredible amount of research and traveling to New York, Chicago and Seattle, Tim Gokhman, owner of New Land Enterprises, has a solution.

"We believe only a food hall can come close to replicating the energy and vibe of Oriental Drugs," says Gokhman, "In researching the history of Oriental Drugs, I truly understood the visceral importance of that institution to the neighborhood. As a result, I realized that a single concept cannot be what Oriental Drugs was – a place that was so many things to so many people, offering a place for the community to engage."

The food hall will be aptly named Crossroads Collective and will feature six very different local restaurants in one large space. It is projected to open in the fall of 2018 and will be managed by Cordial Consulting, run by Justin Carlisle and Dan Frame.

"As for restaurants, we are open to ideas," says Gokhman. "We would like to have a mix of interesting proven and unproven concepts."

Crossroads will also feature smaller spaces for vendors, such as, possibly, a crepe, juice, hot chocolate or ice cream/custard place.

"Whatever it will be, it’ll be creative and thoughtful," says Gokhman.

Stay tuned to OnMilwaukee for more information and renderings when they become available.