Hotels
April 25, 2008
Hotel Indigo Starts Construction, Gets New Neighbor
Looks like work has finally started on Karl Fischer's Hotel Indigo at 237 Duffield Street. Last October, a group of investors called V3 purchased the hotel site for $9.5 million with plans to build a 22-story, 164-room boutique hotel, originally planned to be completed by this year. Next door, a relatively new store has opened called YOUNGWORLD, which sells kidz clothes. Guess we can cross that site off our list for the potential Mac store.
Duffield Street Hotel Site Sells for $9.5 Mil [Brownstoner]
Sneakers Out, Minibars in at 237 Duffield Street [Brownstoner]
Young Tycoon to Open Downtown Hotel [Daily News]
April 22, 2008
Will the New Domino Include a Hotel?
It appears that CPC Resources is looking to turn part of the recently landmarked Domino Sugar Refinery into a hotel, according to recent filings with the Department of Buildings. Previous reports about the developer's plans for the structure have not included mention of a hotel, but a CPC filing that the DOB disapproved a couple of months ago shows that the firm wants at least part of the building—it's not clear how much—to be a hotel. The filing also says that the building will contain 306 dwelling units. CPC Resources declined to comment on the matter. In February CPC said it wanted to build residential units starting on the fifth floor of the landmark, which is supposed to sport a five-story glassy addition to its roof that the LPC has not been crazy about.
Closing Bell: LPC Still Not Buying Domino Plan [Brownstoner] DOB GMAP
More Domino Plans [Brownstoner]
Domino Sugar Factory Proposed Addition Revealed [Brownstoner]
Second Oro's Hotel To Be a (Nicky-less) Hilton Hybrid
When told that the two hotels inside the second Oro tower in Downtown Brooklyn (at right in the rendering) would be a Hilton brand, for selfish reasons we were kinda hoping one would be a Nicky-O, Nicky Hilton's so far unsuccessful attempt at the family business. But alas, news came today that they would be a Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites (yawn). According to a press release on Hotel News Resource: "The property will be a joint new build with Hilton Garden Inn and offer approximately 100 Homewood Suites guest suites, configured in a layered tower-style setting in the high-rise building. There will be separate Homewood Suites and Hilton Garden Inn lobbies on different floors, as well as separate elevators leading to each brand's guest rooms. The building's second tower will be private residences." Homewood Suites expects to break ground in September 2008, with an anticipated completion one year later, said the release. While the brand will be completing its 250th hotel later this year, this would be its first in Brooklyn. How are Oro condo owners next door are going to feel about this?
Homewood Suites' First NYC Hotel to be in Brooklyn [Hotel News Resource]
Oro 2 Still Shooting for Hotel Component, Says Attorney [Brownstoner]
April 21, 2008
W'Burg Warehouse On Market Again, for Lofts or Hotel?
That giant, early 1900s warehouse at 65 Hope Street, on the corner of Havemeyer, is on the market again—this time listed with Massey Knakal for $33 million with approved plans "to be converted into 92 residential condominiums and eleven parking spaces." In 2006, it sold for $26 million, and in 2005 it sold for $14 million. According to the listing, "The approved plans include amenities such as a gym, children's play room, theatre room, and personal storage spaces. The commercial zoning designation also allows and opportunity for a hotel conversion." At this rate, someone could buy it and put it back on the market again next year for $45 million!
Hope Street Bohemoth Sells for $26 Million [Brownstoner]
53-65 Hope Street Sells for $14 Million [Real Estate Weekly]
April 11, 2008
Oro 2 Still Shooting for Hotel Component, Says Attorney
According to the Department of Buildings, the current plans for the second Oro tower do not include a hotel, but the land use attorney for developer United Homes', Kenneth Fisher, who is also a former City Councilman, said two hotels are still very much a part of the plan. "The architects are working through issues with the Department of Buildings," he said. The DOB rejected an earlier plan for 38-story, 344,992-square-foot tower with 74 residential units and a hotel, and said the most current filing includes 35 stories, 235,382 square feet, 208 residential units and no hotel, according to a spokeswoman. Fisher said ultimately the first roughly 30 floors of the tower would be one or two hotels, and the top five to nine floors would be apartments. When asked if they've received financing, Fisher said, "That's an answer that may change any minute. But I would say that we're actively in negotiations with different financial institutions and we're anticipating that our financing will be in place very shortly." He said the hotelier is "a Hilton Family flag but it's not necessarily going to be a Hilton." Other Hilton brands include include Doubletree, Embassy Suites and Hampton. Or, maybe Nicky-O will give it another go.
April 8, 2008
Son of Oro Drops Condo-Hotel Plans and 100,000 S.F.?
It appears that the second Oro tower (construction site at right) has dropped plans to use part of its building as a condo-hotel and more than 100,000 square feet from the total size of the building, according to recent Department of Buildings filings. Earlier this year, plans were rejected for a 38-story, 344,992-square-foot tower with 74 residential units and a hotel, which sources said would be a condo-hotel. Owners of condo-hotel units generally get hotel-like amenities and supposedly generate income on their property while they were away. Unlike the controversial Trump SoHo condo-hotel, in a manufacturing district, owners in this area could live in their units year-round because the area is zoned for residential. But a Department of Buildings spokeswoman said yesterday new plans are being considered that include a more modest 35 stories, 235,382 square feet, 208 residential units and no hotel, which was the original program filed. All of this might explain why there's been little activity at the construction site since last summer. Meanwhile, it looks like the windows over at the first Oro (left) could use some touching up. UPDATE: Ken Fisher writes in in the comments section: "I'm the developer's land use counsel. Neither he, the architect or I have any idea what this post is based on. A bunch of different designs have been filed with the DOB at various times, but there hasn't been any recent change to drop 100,000 sq. ft. and it is still proceeding as a mixed use building, about 3/4 hotel and the rest residential."
What's Up with Oro Part Deux? [Brownstoner]
Owners of Condo-Hotel Units Unhappy [WSJ]
March 31, 2008
Plan for 3rd Ave Hotel Brings Gowanus Total to 7
This is getting kind of crazy. Fencing's recently gone up around a few old warehouses on 3rd Avenue in Gowanus, and what it means is that there's yet another hotel planned for the neighborhood. A firm called GF55 Partners is designing a Fairfield Inn between Douglass and Butler streets. According to the GF55 website, it'll be 9 stories and have 134 rooms. DOB records confirm those plans, and the city's issued demolition permits for the existing buildings. With the Holiday Inn Express on Union, the Comfort Inn on Butler, Hotel Le Bleu on 4th Ave., an under-construction hotel on the corner of President and 3rd, and two other hotels planned for President, Gowanus is going to be swimming in hotel rooms. (See map of Gowanus hotel-mania on the jump.) A few folks have left comments when we've broken news of other planned hotels saying the owners are banking on the area's who-knows-when rezone to residential so they can convert the properties to condos. We don't know whether that would actually be possible or likely. For now, though, it would appear that Gowanus is fixing to have one of highest—if not the highest—concentrations of hotels in Brooklyn.
Some New Action on Gowanus' Hotel Row [Brownstoner] GMAP
Developer Plans Two Hotels on One Gowanus Block [Brownstoner]
Continue reading "Plan for 3rd Ave Hotel Brings Gowanus Total to 7"
March 27, 2008
From Cars to Mini-Fridges on Tillary
One of the last prime spots for development in Downtown Brooklyn has been snatched up. Magna Hospitality Group, owner of Brooklyn's Comfort Inn and Holiday Inn Express, this month spent $10.8 million on property at the corner of Tillary Street and Flatbush Extension best known to long-time Brooklynites as the former Pepper & Potter car dealership. Michael Armstrong, a rep for broker Ingram & Hebron, who represented the Potter family in the sale, said the hotel would have roughly 120 rooms over 47,000 square feet. The new hotel, which the Brooklyn Eagle reported will be a Hampton Inn, may (or may not) have some competition: Down the block, Oro Part Deux submitted an application (which was disapproved) last month for a 38-story tower with 376 hotel rooms and 74 apartments. And according to the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, more than 2,000 rooms are in some stage of development nearby, though many of those rooms are in a different class, renting at boutique prices, than the less-expensive Hampton Inn chain. While business travelers are more willing to pay high room rates, tourists (an increasing population in Brooklyn) tend to look for discounts, and could be even more encouraged to visit if rooms were less expensive. How do you think Magna will fare?
What's Up with Oro Part Deux? [Brownstoner]
NY Sun: Downtown Brooklyn is Booming [Brownstoner]
March 13, 2008
Some New Action on Gowanus' Hotel Row
The Gowanus Hotel Row, President Street between 3rd and 4th avenues, is starting to take shape. On the corner of 3rd, workers are building a four-story hotel at what seems like lightening speed. The DOB permit for the job was issued in December, and work on the project only seriously got under way in mid-January. The rumor mill says this one's going to be a budget chain with around 50 rooms, though that chit-chat hasn't been substantiated. Further down the block, meanwhile, the DOB issued a permit for the demolition of the old warehouse at 551 President, one of two buildings on the street developer SAI Hospitality plans to knock down in order to put up a couple hotels. At 551 President, SAI said it wants to build a 120-room facility.
Permit Issued For First President Street Hotel [Brownstoner] GMAP DOB
Developer Plans Two Hotels on One Gowanus Block [Brownstoner] GMAP DOB
February 5, 2008
Nu, Nu Thing at the Smith: Boymelgreen Passes Baton
The long-delayed opening of the new boutique hotel inside Boymelgreen Development’s condo at Smith and Atlantic is going to be put off just a little bit longer. According to a report in last week’s Sun, Pennsylvania-based Hersha Hospitality Trust purchased a "condominium interest" in the 93-room hotel for $17.24 million and is going to spend another $6 million rehabbing finishing the property; Hersha expects to open the hotel in the third quarter and will change its name from “The Smith” to “The Nu.” (When we last inquired about the property, both the hotel and condo portions were supposedly going to open in January—can any contract holders tell us what’s going on with closings?) Hersha’s many hotels in New York City include three Manhattan Hampton Inns.
City's Hospitality Industry Inspires Cautious Optimism [NY Sun]
New Developer To Finish Hotel [Brooklyn Eagle]
Update on the Smith: Retail, Move-Ins Coming [Brownstoner] GMAP