Manhattan Hotels: Where Anything Goes

Haunted Hotel Wolcott?

Could it be possible that New York’s West 31st Street Hotel Wolcott – designed by John H. Duncan and built in 1904 and restored in 1975 by Scott Erlich – is haunted?  Whether it is or not, it’s quite the sight, boasting an ornate stonework exterior, limestone and brick, and a modernly-restored interior. While some of this could do with some work (the steel grates have turned a somewhat green hue over time), the restored lobby boasts crystal chandeliers, marble columns and ceiling colors coordinated to match its carpet.  Wood columns have replaced the marble, and artisan Felix Chavez has restored the plasterwork.

Renovation V Modernization

Still, even though there has been a great deal of (necessary) renovation, it has been Erlich’s intention from the start to keep everything to as much of its original look as possible.  It’s clearly a very special building; it’s been frequented by lots of interesting people, including Buddy Holly, Miles Davis and even titanic survivors! Every room is quite different, in style and even shape, boasting huge closets as was the day’s style, which is perhaps what lends it its eerie flavor.  Guests have reported seeing two little children playing at the top of the lobby stairwell or hearing a radio that’s not on.  But what’s great about these weird and wonderful things is that people don’t get scared when they experience them here as, according to Erlich, it’s “part of the charm.”  So much of New York happened in this building that makes it what it is today.  For example, Edith Wharton authored “The Fruit of the Tree” and Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia’s hosted his inaugural ball.

Back to Basics

Although the prices for a room are relatively inexpensive for a New York hotel these days (at $180), back in the day in 1904, a “room with a bath” was advertised for a mere $3 a night! It remains a quiet street, conveniently located close to the Empire State Building and Madison Square Park.  While some of the culture is missing from old times (the Opera House is no longer and the Theatre District has moved) it still has its tranquil feel.  Now Erlich is renovation the huge ballroom which has been the venue for Bon Appetit and GQ photo shoots.  He’s considering an upscale restaurant or bar now for the space.

NY Hotel with a Difference

What’s happening with other hotels in the area?  There are constantly new hotels being erected but somehow, one in particular, is suddenly garnering all the attention.  Perhaps it is because the 550,000 square foot building is to be erected in the Brooklyn Bridge Park.  Yes, actually inside the park. Being handled by Rogers Marvel Architects, the design will enable each floor to include some vegetation at the top so that the building ends up “blending” with the park.  As project architect Jonathan Marvel explained, “we didn't want the building to draw too much attention to itself. We wanted it to be a good neighbor.”

Indeed, it looks like that’s exactly what the building is going to be since the white limestone that will be used for the construction will reflect the changing sunlight so that people on ferries and drivers crossing the Brooklyn Bridge will see a building by the water changing with the light from the river that, in the late afternoon sun will burn brown and in the early morning will cool off.  The intention is for the building to really “respect the park,” so it will comprise natural finishes and wood-coated support columns.

So the next time you’re in the Manhattan area visiting and you don’t want to stay in one of the standard hotels, think about meeting up with some ghosts or ending your nightly stroll in the park in your bed!  Yes indeed, Manhattan really does have it all!

 

Building The Mall at Oyster Bay

Community leaders and other organizers are getting out the word that building a shopping mall in Oyster Bay, Long Island will bring great benefit to the community in Nassau County. And this would be just at the moment when it is needed most.

It is expected that building the mall will create as many as 3,000 construction jobs and an additional 2,000 permanent jobs.  New tax revenues will be generated, estimated to be about $50 million, a great boost to county and municipal budgets. Centrally located on a reclaimed industrial site and the only shopping center with immediate access to the Long Island Expressway, it seems clear that this mall will add significantly to the general economy of Nassau County.

When the mall at Oyster Bay is completed it will be the first such major shopping mall constructed on Long Island in over 40 years.

“By any criteria or economic metric, this is a project of strategic regional significance,” said Gary Lewi, a spokesman for the mall’s developer. The mall at Oyster Bay “is a shovel-ready, privately financed project with no need for any taxpayer funding.”

What’s New in Midtown Manhattan?

From Groceries to Banks

There’s quite a bit of excitement these days in Midtown Manhattan.  Two new institutions in particular are soon to be gracing the area.  Indeed, it won’t just be Brooklyn and Queens’ residents that can take advantage of Fairway Market since there will now be a branch in the Loew’s Multiplex Cinema shopping plaza on Second Avenue and 30^th Street, due to be constructed before the end of the year.

And it’s going to be big too.  Measuring at 42,000 square feet, Midtown Manhattan shoppers will be faced with two glass elevators as well as two extra wide ones, taking them to the lower level market, tempting them with traditional, organic and specialty foods at competitive prices.

Fairway Market really is a store with a difference.  The lead merchants are real foodie Rock Stars who come out on Saturdays, showering customers with top tastes; answering questions and getting excited about different foods.  There is Steven Jenkins, Tony Maltese, Benny Lanfranco, Robert Ivers who serve fresh shrimp salad; whip up a tomato sauce for the store’s fresh ravioli; and demystify the secrets of coffee roasting.  This is definitely something midtowners have to look forward to.

Then, for the more serious Midtown Manhattan residents, looking for a highly reputable commercial community bank, they will be pleased to learn that Community National Bank recently opened a 2,4000 square foot full-service branch at 12 East 52nd Street (between Madison and Fifth Avenues).  Given that it is the fastest-growing commercial community in the NY tri-state area, it is likely to be a welcome addition to the Midtown Manhattan region.

The bank’s opening should not come as too much of a surprise, since the Community National Bank has recently enjoyed success throughout Nassau, Suffolk and Queens Counties.  Services that will be offered will include free web banking; cash management services; remote deposit capture and ATM 24-hour accessibility.  It is expected that this bank will have a hugely positively impact on the area’s businesses, boosting development as a commercial banking partner, given the fact that it already has a reputation for being a well-managed $500-million asset bank.

So next time you find yourself in Midtown Manhattan, look out for both the Fairway Market and the Community National Bank and see how – or if – it has changed the face of the region.

 

Hip Hop Hall of Fame Museum Graces Midtown Manhattan

Midtown Manhattan is about to be graced by the presence of the Hip Hop Hall of Fame Museum. The Hip Hop Hall of Fame Awards television show was created by New Yorker, James 'JT' Thompson. In addition, the Museum area will boast: an arcade; concert lounge; community and corporate rooms; a gift shop; marquee and television studios. In its entirety, it will be known as the Hip Hop Museum and Educational Complex.

Location, Location, Location

This new location for the Hip Hop Hall of Fame Museum is perfect for both international and local tourists who enjoy Hip Hope Music as well as its culture, entertainment and art. Although plans have not been finalized yet, according to Bobby Fisher, the company’s business development manager, meetings are taking place to complete acquisition and development budgets for its funding.  It is expected that it will take between a year-and-a-half to two years to complete the construction. Nonetheless, even before that final date of construction, there is set to be an official unveiling this summer, coinciding with the Hip Hop Hall of Fame All Star Benefit Concert event. As well, there will be a national road show in which major corporate advertisers and category sponsors for the exhibits etc. will be met.

More Jobs for Midtowners

The other great news about the Hip Hop Hall of Fame for midtowners, is that it is due to provide up to 300 jobs and other such opportunities, along with educational endeavors and outreach programs for youth and families.  The city’s socio-economic impact is anticipated at reaching more than $350 million in its first three years, attracting 650,000 visitors, commerce, city revenues, etc. per year.

Educating the City’s Kids

In addition, the museum is set to mentor more than 20,000 NYC public school children annually, in conjunction with the children’s mascot, B-Boy Scratch & Friends, organizing special field trips to the complex. 

So it looks like the Hip Hop Hall of Fame’s move to midtown Manhattan is going to be an incredible enhancement for the city of New York.



 

Midtown Manhattan: Peaceful Plazas?

Midtown Manhattan in the heart of NYC is not exactly best-known for its lazy walkways and peaceful pedestrian plazas.  But the city wants that to change.  With that in mind, there are plans to construct a promenade  to connect six areas through crosswalks, thus linking 51^st to 57^th Streets between Sixth and Seventh Avenues.  The idea is that ultimately, a pedestrian plaza spanning a quarter-of-a-mile via building lobbies.  While doing this, according to NYC lawyer, Jonathan C Reiter, the Department of Transport will set up stop signs in the middle of blocks, as well as crosswalks and speed bumps in an attempt to enhance pedestrian safety.

Driver Distress

But while these plans may indeed help pedestrian safety in the city, drivers are stressing that they will worsen traffic.  However, since the Tri-State Transportation Campaign identified the most dangerous roads in the area and thus put forward the implementation of safety measures, it seems safety has to take a front seat, even if this distressing to drivers.

Environment Meets NYC’s Streets

But maybe there is a solution for these concerned drivers.  The bike-sharing program is being planned for NYC for July which will definitely be good news for traffic in the area.  It’s a great idea, and for sure good for the environment – cycling is definitely better than driving – but one of the concerns of New Yorkers is the placement of the bikes. 

So here are the answers that have been given so far: there will be around four dozen bike stations along the West Side of Manhattan, including: Broadway (east side); Columbus Circle to Pennsylvania Station. Then there will also be smaller stations on sidewalks including the southeast corner of Eight Avenue and 41^st Street in front of The New York Times Building, as well as parks, like Hudson River Park. Cyclists will have the option of taking out a yearly membership (for approximately $100) and be given a key, or to pay on a one-time basis at kiosks.

Perhaps once the pedestrian plazas are introduced in Manhattan, the addition of cyclists will limit the amount of drivers and thus the traffic situation in the city will remain the same (or even improve) but certainly not get any worse.  That is at least the hope for the Big Apple.

Cheapest Manhattan Pizza

What is the cheapest pizza to be found in Manhattan?  One dollar isn’t exactly expensive, but if a slice can be found for less than a dollar, then that has to be a real bargain.  Well, now, the midtown Manhattan New Yorker can just cruise along Sixth Avenue amidst 37^th and 38^th Streets and indeed pay a mere 75 cents for a slice of pizza. 

Origins of Cheap Slices

So how did the pizza at 2 Bros. Pizza eatery get so cheap? Well, it started off with a nice neighborly brawl.  Sixth Avenue Pizza dropped their slices to 79 cents and thus 2 Bros. Pizza right next door had to respond in kind, offering their pizza slice for 75 cents too.  Not wanting to let this go, Sixth Avenue Pizza dropped the four additional cents to stay competitive.  According to the manager of that store Mohit Kumar, the aim now is for “maximum sale, minimum profit.”

Since so many Pizza places in the area already offer a slice for $1, there had to be something in these Pizza stores – the managers felt – that would draw in the clientele.  And that is exactly what has happened.  Although it seems that while these stores are competing nicely, they’re making practically zero profit on each slice, resulting in just the customers being the winners.

Thankfully neither Pizza store owner has any plan to further decrease the already ridiculously low price.  At least, that’s what they’re claiming.

One might want to keep frequenting these pizza joints though since the New York Pizza Department no longer exists. It has been replaced by the Plaza Mexican Grill on the corner of Chittenden Avenue and High Street.  Here, there are no pizzas in sight; this is a restaurant offering Mexican food.  And it’s a little pricier than the above Pizza eateries, with prices starting at $1.50 for chips and salsa to $6.99 for a taco salad or burrito.

7-Eleven Going All Out

It’s not like there is a shortage of 7-Eleven Inc. franchises in the Manhattan area.  But apparently that doesn’t bother the huge corporation that is expecting to open a further 14 stores (in addition to the 12 it has already) in 2012 in Chelsea, Greenwich Village, Midtown and the Upper East Side.  According to the company’s VP of real estate, Dan Porter, the reason is obvious: “between the number of folks living in Manhattan, coupled with the worker population, there's significant demand and opportunity.”

Manhattan’s Poor

This all seems very nice from a business perspective.  But shouldn’t we try to step aside for a bit and be kinder?  Given that over 16 percent of individuals have income below the poverty line, wouldn’t it be better and kinder for the hugely successful 7-Eleven chain spends a little of its profits on donating to the needy in society?  Well, research actually shows that one can hardly criticize 7-Eleven in this area since its corporate social responsibility program in Malaysia successfully raised RM26,220 from donation boxes placed at its outlets.  This particular recent charity drive was held in aid of the National Kidney Foundation of Malaysia (NKF).  In addition, a staggering 1,315 7-Eleven stores throughout America participated in the "Spare A Change, Save A Life" donation drive that took place last November.  NFK’s CEO Chua Hong Wee said, “NFK is grateful to 7-Eleven's kind support in this meaningful charity drive; the funds will definitely help ease the burden of our kidney patients.  All the support and kindness shown have enabled NKF to continue to do what we do best, providing dialysis care to poor kidney patients and also educating the public on kidney care.”

7-Eleven Cares

So it’s all about karma and it probably thus should be welcomed that 7-Eleven is doing so well in the world of corporatism and capitalism.  Rather than be bitter about this corporation’s success, one should be supporting it. It’s all very well bemoaning these large companies and complaining they are running out other companies as Tweeter Hyun Kim did recently by Tweeting, “Support your local bodega before it gets taken over by 7-Eleven or is forced to close by 7-Eleven,” but at the end of the day, we should be congratulating and encouraging the company to continue what it’s doing as it is clearly helping those in need in a huge way.