In March of 1997, Amerimar purchased 1623 Walnut Street. Simultaneously with closing, Amerimar entered into a lease agreement with with Le Colonial, a French Vietnamese restaurant with successful locations in both New York City and Chicago. Although Le Colonial was a non-credit tenant, Amerimar was comfortable entering into this lease because the improvements the tenant was planning to make to the property (approximately $1.5 million) and the long-term strategic location of the property. It is in the heart of "Restaurant Row" on Walnut Street in downtown Philadelphia next to Brasserie Perrier, the restaurant by the world-renowned chef, Georges Perrier. In 2001, Philadelphia restaurateur, Stephen Starr, owner of The Continental, Buddakan, Tangerine, The Blue Angel, POD and Morimoto, took over Le Colonial’s lease. He turned it into a high-end Cuban restaurant with well-known chef Douglas Rodriguez, of New York's Chicama and Patria. The restaurant is now called Alma de Cuba, "the soul of Cuba." In February of 2004, the property was sold for a significant profit.