Residential Conversion Under Way for the Problem-Plagued Lefferts Hotel!

Huge news for Clinton Hill: a developer just filed permits to convert the infamous Prince Lefferts Hotel into a seven-unit apartment building. The plans are for a “proposed alteration of an existing four-story… convert from S.R.O units to 7 residential dwelling units as per plans.” The plans do not call for any building additions. The architect on record is NYC-based DJLU Architect. A tipster sends word that the building sold but the sale has not yet shown up in public records. He also believes that the new buyer purchased the adjacent property, a brownstone, at 125 Lefferts Place. The tip checks out, considering that the same architect filed plans at No. 125 to convert the SRO units to six apartment units. (No. 125 had an entrance from the hotel through the basement, which added extra hotel rooms. The building was served with a full vacate order a few years ago.) The previous hotel owner, Moses Fried, was known for running a hotel plagued with problems, numerous building complaints, and DOB violations. The building’s just sat abandoned for several years, so this news is definitely welcome! GMAP