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December 13, 2007

Developer Plans Two Hotels on One Gowanus Block

presidentstreethotelplans.jpg
We noticed an interesting transaction while digging through property records recently: A hotel developer had purchased an old warehouse on President Street between 3rd and 4th avenues for $4.8 million. Could it be? Another hotel in Gowanus? As it turns out, that’s not the case—SAI Hospitality, which has built a bunch of hotels around the city (like the La Quinta Inn near JFK), is planning to build not one, but two hotels on President Street. “We’re building a 105-room hotel at 529 President and a 120-room hotel at 551 President,” says Raj Bhagia, one of SAI’s principals. Bhagia says that SAI is going to develop higher-end properties than some of the others nearby (by this we assume he means Union Street’s Holiday Inn Express and Butler Street’s Comfort Inn) and hopes to lure an operator like Hilton. The firm intends to begin construction on the buildings within the next six months. SAI’s plans are independent of the rumored hotel planned for the same block, on the corner of 3rd Avenue. If all the hotels get built it’ll mean there are three on President Street alone and six all together in Greater Gowanus (counting Le Bleu). Gowanus: Brooklyn’s home away from home?
Another Gowanus Hotel Takes Shape [Brownstoner] GMAP GMAP




Posted by Gabby at 9:22 AM | Comments (19)
Categories: Gowanus, Hotels

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Comments

These people are nuts - Unless of course they are trying to get around the non-residential zoning for the area, to later convert to condos. If that is the case they are friggin genius.

Posted by: guest at December 13, 2007 9:32 AM

I think that's it, 9:32.

Posted by: guest at December 13, 2007 9:34 AM

Of course, raising the FAR or allowing residential use would result in far more interesting buildings.

Until that time happens, the Gowanus area is going to be nothing but dilapidated warehouses, grandfathered apartment buildings, a few retail buildings, and McSam style hotels.

Posted by: Polemicist at December 13, 2007 9:34 AM

Brownfields.

I'd like to see how they get this cleaned up quickly to build a hotel.

Then again, if you can build a condo on an oil field in Greenpoint......

Posted by: guest at December 13, 2007 9:44 AM

Yadda, yadda...Gowanus is dirty...Gowanus is light industrial...Gowanus will never change...developers are greedy/idiots/insane...yadda, yadda.

Heard it all before, like a broken record.

Posted by: guest at December 13, 2007 10:17 AM

This is an outrage! Gowanus must remain an abandoned toxic wasteland, so that several dozen factory workers can keeep their jobs!

Posted by: guest at December 13, 2007 10:25 AM

As much as I'd like to see this part of Gowanus developed - this is a ridiculous amount of hotel rooms in a not so attractive area - I am of the end-run around zoning theory.

Posted by: guest at December 13, 2007 10:42 AM

Who is going to finance this construction???

FSRG

Posted by: guest at December 13, 2007 10:43 AM

Quote me now ... Gowanus is going to be the Brooklyn version of Manhattan's "MePa District" by 2017.

New Union Hall music venue, hotels, bars already there.

Please check this post in 10 years to confirm.

Posted by: Mr Joist at December 13, 2007 10:45 AM

6 hotels, I going to start a tour guide company or even better an escort service. the wheels are turning.

Posted by: guest at December 13, 2007 10:47 AM

With all these new hotels, I think we need a nice, new, blue "Food, Lodging" sign under the "Hamilton Avenue" exit sign on the BQE. In 5 years, Gowanus will be the hippest truckstop on any interstate highway in the nation.

Posted by: slopefarm at December 13, 2007 11:12 AM

gowanus will be what red hook always wanted to be. it's in a perfect location to thrive as a "business center" of sorts for CG, CH, PS, PH, AY.

Posted by: guest at December 13, 2007 11:16 AM

"Gowanus is going to be the Brooklyn version of Manhattan's "MePa District" by 2017."

Nope. Too far from Jersey.

Posted by: guest at December 13, 2007 11:29 AM

LAME.. THIS IS ACROSS THE STREET FROM MY HOUSE. I'M NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.........

Posted by: owner12 at December 13, 2007 12:23 PM

Gowanus will soon feel like one of those god forsaken areas off interstate highways that are all cheap hotels and gas stations. - Hotels have no street level businesses so add NOTHING and detract much from the vitality of a neighborhood - architecture tends to be completely shoddy, and often they have parking lots or driveways in front or on the side to make them even more ugly. Depressing. Why do all the shit developers come here? Almost makes me long for Trump - aghhh I just gagged. Forget I wrote that.

Posted by: guest at December 13, 2007 1:12 PM

and I'm sure adding over 200 toilets to this block will really help our sewage overflow problem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: owner12 at December 13, 2007 1:35 PM

You wrote: "Gowanus is going to be the Brooklyn version of Manhattan's "MePa District" by 2017."

Nope. Too far from Jersey.


But much closer for guido Strong Island douchebags & guido Staten Island douchebags & guido Bayridge douchebags.

Posted by: guest at December 13, 2007 3:11 PM

I really dont see the whole meat packing thing happening. It would be nice to have some activity so that people could walk back and forth from cobble hill/carroll gardens and park slope and have things to do in between.

Posted by: Santa at December 13, 2007 3:17 PM

I love the sewage system. It's beautiful!

Posted by: guest at December 13, 2007 5:27 PM

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