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January 31, 2006

Holiday Inn Slips Into The Slope

condoNewYorkology's got the goods on the new Holiday Inn Express that's expected to be open by April of this year (we'll see about that). The location of the 90-room, 8-story building makes a lot of sense to old-school local blogger Amy Langfield:



Located on a semi-residential street pocked with auto repair shops, it's situated where the "slope" of Park Slope flattens out to meet the "Gowanus" of Gowanus Canal. A mere half block from the R subway line, it's a block and a half uphill to Park Slope's 5th Avenue, where the new shops and restaurants is turning this stretch into Brooklyn's new Smith Street. (CitySearch even has a "hot blocks" page dedicated to the area around 5th and Union.)

What do you think? Is this a win-win for the hotel and the hood?
Holiday Express to Open [NewYorkology] GMAP




Posted by Brownstoner at 9:38 AM | Comments (22)
Categories: Development

Comments

Does anybody ever wonder why the buildings next door have never fallen down?

Posted by: Anonymous at January 31, 2006 9:56 AM

It will be great for the Marriott to have some competition. Their rates are ridiculous. There is definitely demand for hotels -- especially when the in-laws come to visit. Gowanus sounds just about right for them, especially since we live in Bed-Stuy :)

Posted by: clinton hillbilly at January 31, 2006 9:57 AM

I have walked down that block hundreds of times over past 20 years day and night over the canal between PkSlope and CarGardens and never had any problem. But itt is very unattractive block of rundown tenements, noisy, and imagine could look very intimitating for out-of-towner to return to hotel at night.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 31, 2006 10:00 AM

I used to live one block from this location and agree with the previous poster - I never had any problems but it is pretty uninspiring visually and perhaps a little intimidating to people who don't know the area. (Are there still rottweilers trolling the vacant car lot on that block??)

Posted by: Anonymous at January 31, 2006 10:15 AM

it's great. it's wonderful. but if that part of Gowanus doesn't continue improving, my fear is that in a few years, the Holiday Inn will be renting rooms by the hour, if you know what I mean.

Posted by: chuck at January 31, 2006 10:27 AM

definitely. immediately upon the next economic downturn, this building will become a rent-by-the-hour joint for the skanky hookers that still patrol nevins street or a single-room-occ shelter for homeless and mentally ill.

talk about shoddy construction. i watched this thing go up. it was built of cardboard.

Posted by: adn at January 31, 2006 10:45 AM

Holiday Inn = ew, this block = ew. Kinda like the Howard Johnson's on the LES at Houston and Forsythe, minus the Manhattan location -- is Gowanus really a tourist destination? Or will this eventually be trumpeted as only blocks from Ratnerville? Right, so all those tourists coming to Brooklyn to see the Nets can sleep in the suburban chain atmosphere they're used to. Or so all those businesses in offices there can put up their out-of-town employees.

And as far as putting up the in-laws near Bed Stuy, what about Akwaaba? Much nicer atmosphere than a Holiday Inn, and much better rates than the Marriott!

Posted by: babs at January 31, 2006 12:06 PM

Maybe hoping cruise line customers - just short cab ride to RedHook piers.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 31, 2006 12:22 PM

There's a Brooklyn Motor Inn in Red Hook, just a few blocks from the upcoming Cruise Ship piers.
http://www.brooklynmotorinn.com/

Posted by: Anonymous at January 31, 2006 12:46 PM

I though the Brooklyn Motor Inn catered more to the by the hour set popping off the BQE or out of the Battery Tunnel.

Posted by: babs at January 31, 2006 1:16 PM

call it gowanus but I call this Park slope. this is only one and a half avenues from 5th avenue. there is a need for hotel rooms in brooklyn. do you think there is any place to build this in central park slope? this place is going to do great, the reason the marriot is expensive is its always booked, why lower the rates?

Posted by: Anonymous at January 31, 2006 2:26 PM

this address is so not Park Slope. To try and sell yourself as a hotel located in central Slope you have to be kidding me.

Posted by: anonymous at January 31, 2006 2:32 PM

The Marriott has rooms available tonight, I just checked. That said, I think their rates have something to do with the lack of competition in the area -- but I wouldn't consider this in the area -- if you're staying at the Marriott for the courts or downtown, or even Wall St., this isn't the same thing.

And tourists don't know where one neighborhood ends and another begins -- look at the Soho Suites Hotel on Rivington between the Bowery and Chrystie. But I just don't see the attraction, from a tourist's point of view, of Park Slope (this is a good thing!).

And, yes, I know how much of NYC's economy depends on tourism, etc., etc., but I wouldn't want to live around that part of the economy and luckily I don't have to.

Posted by: babs at January 31, 2006 3:16 PM

I think this is going to be more of an inlaw and "kicked out spouse" hotel than something for Manhattan tourists.

Posted by: David at January 31, 2006 4:01 PM

If it underprices the outrageous rates of midtown and downtown hotels, budget tourists will be there.
Saving $50 a night on hotel will appeal to plenty of folks (as saving $2m on brownstone lured househunters from Village or UWS).

Posted by: Anonymous at January 31, 2006 4:35 PM

I do like the kicked-out spouse idea. That way, Daddy can still be close to his darlings who've stayed with Mommy in Park Slope, and he'll also be closer to the other action that goes on around there (or further south as recently discussed).

But even for $50 a night will tourists put up with a subway ride to Times Square -- or will they spend their savings on cabs? Or maybe the tour bus will pick them up every day. Yech.

Posted by: babs at January 31, 2006 4:45 PM

i think its a perfect location for a motel. i think every out-of-town tourist (in-law or no) should see the local g-slope wonders, including the gowanus canal drawbridge, the angry dogs of holy land auto, the hess station, and the breakfasts at college diner. not to mention the south brooklyn casket company's warehouse and brooklynbretta around the corner!

Posted by: the golden bear at January 31, 2006 6:46 PM

I used to park my car here; this used to be the cheapest lot in "Park Slope" - $125/month! But it was scary at night; once I found a ladies half-emptied purse on the sidewalk there and there are often drug dealers. I think this block needs to be cleaned up a lot more before it becomes a viable locale for tourists, unless one enjoys passing used car lots and warehouses (oh, and let's not forget the bodegas on the corner for a late night snack!)

Posted by: Monica Estrada at January 31, 2006 7:42 PM

The developers exceeded the height limit imposed on them by the BSA, but they were successful in obtaining approval for the final construction, nonetheless.

The variance granted by the BSA appears to precede subsequent denials of variance requests in the Gowanus area.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 31, 2006 9:51 PM

Soon we will give them a run for their money. We are opening B&B on 5th ave. and 4th street,in a nice brickstone. Hopefully by the summer.
Stay tune.

Posted by: developerxx at January 31, 2006 10:51 PM

also, "the smith" is supposed to have four floors of hotel at the corner of Atlantic & Smith. Now THAT's a good location for tourists. Hell, I think the Greyline bus goes right by it.

Posted by: chuck at February 2, 2006 3:14 AM

The commenters that wonder about whether there's a need for a hotel in this area have clearly never called all 8 or so Brooklyn B&B's trying to find room on weekends for parents/inlaws- those places are often completely booked, and it's a pain. Also I live 1 block from this Holiday Inn, and all the B&B's are much farther so I think it's great for visitors with family in this area. While the block has its drawbacks (yes the guard dogs are still there, some buildings are scarily tilted backwards, and the car guys are not thrilled when you take one of the parking spots they like to use for their business)... there's also a great drum shop with the nicest guys inside, and the corner has the subway, pizza, spoken word cafe/ live music, and maria's mexican restaurant. it's convenient for visitors, and better than tearing down nice architecture to put a high rise in a more "central slope" locale. even if there is an economic downturn, there are so many people living in nearby neighborhoods that have guests, and even gowanus is changing...and it's a heavily trafficked area. i don't see this turning into a sketchy hourly hotel.

Posted by: Amy at February 2, 2006 2:24 PM

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