Today's July 19th date marks the official one month period before the Harlem Aloft Hotel opens. We walked by the sister hotel (at 124th and FDB/8th Avenue) to the W Hotel chain and noticed that facade progress has continued with the addition of the cornices to the lower levels (click to enlarge) but windows are still missing with only four week to go. Maybe the unfinished units will be the 44 Apex condos that will be up for sale? Technically nobody has to live in them until the majority of the units get sold so that part of the building might not have to be done for the August 19th debut. Then there's the interior spaces, the lobby, XYZ Lounge, lighting, electrical, baths and soft finishes. Still sounds like a lot to make happen in a short amount of time but it will surely happen somehow. Read all Aloft related past post: LINK. Photo by Ulysses
Monday, July 19, 2010
☞ INTRODUCING: Aloft has One Month to Go
Today's July 19th date marks the official one month period before the Harlem Aloft Hotel opens. We walked by the sister hotel (at 124th and FDB/8th Avenue) to the W Hotel chain and noticed that facade progress has continued with the addition of the cornices to the lower levels (click to enlarge) but windows are still missing with only four week to go. Maybe the unfinished units will be the 44 Apex condos that will be up for sale? Technically nobody has to live in them until the majority of the units get sold so that part of the building might not have to be done for the August 19th debut. Then there's the interior spaces, the lobby, XYZ Lounge, lighting, electrical, baths and soft finishes. Still sounds like a lot to make happen in a short amount of time but it will surely happen somehow. Read all Aloft related past post: LINK. Photo by Ulysses
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I stayed in the Aloft at Portland last week specifically to learn more about what to expect on FDB. It had more contemporary styling than an ordinary hotel room and the lobby was full of nice nooks and places to sit. I'd stay there again.
ReplyDeleteReally looking forward to this opening. Will be a game changer for the neighborhood for sure.
ReplyDeleteLets hope it actually gets enough business to be profitable.
ReplyDeleteAs much as they can charge. It being New York City, probably starting at $150-$300 for a standard double, depending on the time of the year.
ReplyDeleteI imagine graduation time would have a demand, but trying hard to see how they could get 300 bucks a night to stay in Harem right now. Its come a long way, but its hard to believe they could charge downtown rates.
ReplyDeleteWould put money on it being around $200 per night. Location, access to transport and high-end hotel facilities would make this an attractive proposition. The Jacob Javitz Center is easily within reach of this place also. They would do well to target conventions at the JJC.
ReplyDeleteWell Chris, I can say this much..... that is what they are going to have to charge, and with reasonable turnover in order to stay in business. Lets hope it all comes to fruition.
ReplyDeleteIndeed. Anybody know what is happening with the Hyatt? What the next steps are? I wonder if they will be watching closely to see how Aloft fares in the few weeks after opening.
ReplyDeleteYou bet they are.......Nothing is cast in stone with that development right now. I think most investors wether it is the hyatt or prospective apt/townhouse buyers are in a circling pattern waiting and watching to see what the next few months brings with the economy and demand.
ReplyDeleteMy understanding is the "Hyatt" project needs to start construction by the end of this year in order to retain the tax-exempt bond funding. That should represent a fairly strong incentive to get going, but who knows these days.
ReplyDeleteThere's also been some activity, as reported by Harlem Bespoke, at the large parcel btwn 5th and Lenox that crosses from 125th to 126th streets. This project actually has a completion date of Aug 2012...any updates on this development?
ReplyDeleteNoticed some work being done on the intersection at 125th & Lenox. Looks like they are renovating the island area. Nice to see some dollars being spent around there.
ReplyDeleteWith the amount of European and Asian tourists who stay in Harlem's B&Bs, I'm sure this hotel will prosper. Why all the negativity? Why live up here if you think this way?
ReplyDeleteBeing realistic does not equal being negative. Well, ok, maybe sometimes.
ReplyDeleteSome tourists choose B&Bs because they want neither a sterile hotel nor the price.
I am so sick of this opinion that anyone who questions or tries to be realistic about challenges Harlem faces is being negative.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the B & B people are likely not the same population that would consider the Aloft experience. This remains a sketchy part of town to say the least. I think there will be challenges. Hard to know what will happen.
ReplyDeleteRealistic observations about Harlem challenge the fantasy object "HARLEM," which is being developed to enable selling through packaging. As I observe, I find this ironic, because actual change is certainly possible. But only if a larger number of people see the actualities and get to work.
hear, hear..... The sooner we get off the illusion that the next big box retailer or coffee shop is going to address the real issues facing Harlem the better. The reality is that the w hotel alone increases the room volume in harlem significantly. It would take many B&B's to even come close to what the W has to turn over on a consistent basis day in and day out to keep them in business. Harlem has to offer more than than just convenient transportation down the west side of manhattan. It's one thing to bus tourists in to walk by the apollo and to eat at sylvias, its another to have them walking around the neighborhood at all hours. And although that would be a good thing, to get more people on the street, I do not know if it would be a charming selling feature.
ReplyDeleteThe neighborhood where Aloft will end up has lots of live entertainment to offer in walking distance even if you leave The Apollo out of it.
ReplyDeleteSo its not like there's nothing to recommed the area.
Which is why I say accept and love Harlem for what is is, not for what you want it to be. Otherwise you will not be happy here. To quote the late great Sam Cooke, " A change is gonna come" But not quickly.
ReplyDeleteI would just add that from what I have experienced, European tourists tend to have a much more positive and open-minded conception of Harlem than a lot of folks in the U.S. -- locals included.
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