Showing posts with label Andre Balazs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Andre Balazs. Show all posts

Monday, April 22, 2013

Noted



Bobby Williams was walking north along the East River yesterday... and he spotted this sea plane with a familiar-looking logo...



It is André Balazs' StndAIR ... The Standard Hotel's sea plane that will take you out to the Hamptons for ... $525 (one way) for the 45-minute flight. Regular service starts up again on May 24. Book your seats now! (Make your "Snakes on a Plane" jokes now!)





The service launched in 2011.

Monday, October 8, 2012

The Standard East Village debuts its new awning


The Standard East Village is currently undergoing some major renovations on Cooper Square ... some progress to report. A new awning with the hotel's usual upside-down logo... I believe this entrance will lead to the new cafe ... at least based on the plans the Standarders submitted to CB3 in April.

[Click on image to enlarge]


Thursday, April 12, 2012

Big changes in the works for the Standard East Village lobby, outdoor space; Café on the Bowery anyone?


The Standard East Village is on Monday night's CB3/SLA agenda... and, based on the documents on file at the CB3 website (PDF), some major alterations are in store for the hotel's public spaces on Cooper Square and East Fifth Street...

The documents clearly spell out the plans (click on the images to enlarge)...





A few highlights if you don't feeling like looking at the documents:

• The Hotel plans to close the second-floor bar/terrace to convert it to a guest room (with terrace). (If approved, then the change should eliminate this from happening.)

• The Hotel plans to expand the lobby and take over half of the current garden space that lines East Fifth Street. (They are requesting a service bar in this space.) There will also be a lobby garden (with soundproofing).

• The Hotel plans to introduce Café on the Bowery outside the front entrance. This space will run from Hettie Jones' home (the tenement the former Cooper Square incorporated into the hotel) to the northern property line. They'd like a liquor license for this outdoor space (transferring the one from the to-be-shuttered second-floor lounge).

• The Hotel would like to extend the hours of the current restaurant garden space from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. In exchange, the Hotel will add a "retractable soundproofed temporary enclosure" to use during those hours.

How will the neighbors respond? The meeting is Monday at 6:30 at the JASA/Green Residence, 200 East Fifth Street — right across the street from the hotel...

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

The Standard East Village's solution for making nice with neighbors: Outdoor ping-pong


André Balazs has been making the media rounds, discussing what a good neighbor the Standard East Village will be... As you know, the manager types at the former Cooper Square Hotel weren't so popular with nearby residents.

As Balazs told The Wall Street Journal: "It's a very residential community and they managed to make a design that pissed off the neighbors immediately. That's a mistake. That's not what we're going to be about."

Meanwhile, we heard from a few amused-horrified residents who passed along this link to a piece in UrbanDaddy yesterday about the new hotel's new restaurant. The Restaurant at the Standard East Village opens today. Aside from things like burgers ($15) and BLT turkey clubs ($12), the eatery sports an outdoor ping-pong table.

As only UrbanDaddy can do:

The vibe here: distinctly more laid-back than its MePa sibling. A little world wearier. Just a little readier to kick your ass and take your name at the patio ping-pong table that calls to you from among the wooden furniture and gardens.

We see you hustling the naive masses, lime-lingonberry-puree-infused cocktail in hand, in front of an awed crowd, giving a clinic on the art of topspin.

You know, keeping it low-key.

P.S. Here's the menu:

Monday, January 30, 2012

Andre Balazs really wants to be a good neighbor

[June 2009]

In The Wall Street Journal today, Andre Balazs shares more insights about his plans for the Cooper Square Hotel The Standard East Village.

To an excerpt!

You said the previous owners "miscalculated." What do you consider their biggest mistakes?

The way it was developed and built was completely misconceived in terms of its use as a public space and in terms of its relation to the neighborhood. It's a very residential community and they managed to make a design that pissed off the neighbors immediately. That's a mistake. That's not what we're going to be about.

We're going to reorient in a different direction. By mid-fall it'll be open differently, with an emphasis on public spaces. Good hotels are a center of their community, and you can't be the center of a community if the person next door to you can't sleep.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

André Balazs on his 'more quiet' Standard

Over at Grub Street today, Mara Siegler chats with hotelier André Balazs, who talks a bit about his latest property — the Cooper Square Hotel The Standard East Village. To the soundbites!

"It’s a more residential, more quiet — more introspective, if you will — Standard."

And!

"There will not be a nightclub, and the chef — we’re talking to a bunch of people now and it will be a very dramatic redesign of the space, but it won’t be a nightclub."

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Cheerful people who can walk and stand for a long period of time wanted for the The Standard East Village restaurant

One of our Twitter friends sent us this Craigslist ad posted yesterday afternoon... the "open call" is tomorrow from noon to 2 p.m. at the former Cooper Square Hotel...


THE STANDARD, EAST VILLAGE is seeking experienced Servers, Bartenders, Barbacks, Bussers and Hosts for all shifts in our Restaurant.

Candidates must have experience in high volume restaurants, and steady work history.

About you:

• You have superb communication skills.

• You have a cheerful and outgoing personality.

• You have a sincere desire to serve guests

• You know how to be discreet.

• You are organized and can multi-task without breaking a sweat.

• You thrive in a stylish, fast-paced environment.

• You can walk and stand for a long period of time.

• You have knowledge of Micros.

• You have permission to work in the United States.

We seek highly social and confident individuals capable of relating to our fashion & media-based clientele and who will flourish in our hip, artistic, fast-paced, downtown environment. Our ideal candidate is experienced, reliable, upbeat and friendly; can handle pressure well; and thrives in a high volume, high energy environment.

To be considered please come to 25 Cooper Sq. Wednesday December 21st between 12-2pm to fill out an application and meet some of the team.

About us:
André Balazs Properties is a collection of innovative hotels and residences that provide distinctive experiences for today's traveler with discerning, confident tastes. Visionary hotelier André Balazs has conceived of a new generation of classic properties — soulful and utterly original — that have been established as unrivalled market leaders in the United States. Each is united not only by a carefully considered sense of place, but an unwavering commitment to detail, atmosphere and pioneering design.

Friday, December 2, 2011

Oh, on second thought, André Balazs only paid $67.5 million for the Cooper Square Hotel

And not the $91 million that was previously reported. This news comes via Roland Li at the International Business Times. Read it here.

Meanwhile, Goggla notes the end of the mural (Balazsification) on the side of the former Cooper Square Hotel... now called The Dradnats Standard East Village


The Shepard Fairey mural went up in April 2010.

Meanwhile, some fallout...

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

'Don't you think that André Balazs knows what's going in at the empty lot next door?'


Well you probably know that André Balazs bought the Cooper Square Hotel and is turning the joint into The Standard East Village.

So we were having an email exchange with an EV Grieve regular who was trying to sound upbeat about the sale. Maybe it won't be so bad, he or she tried. They said it will be "a more mellow alternative" to the bumping-and-grinding off the High Line, right?

Of course, you have to say those kinds of things now to appease the Community Board, neighbors, etc.

Then the reader said, or wrote: Don't you think that André Balazs knows what's going in at the empty lot next door?

Now that's an interesting question. Earlier this year, despite an outpouring of support for 35 Cooper Square, developer Arun Bhatia had the historic structure demolished to make way for whatever he has planned for the lot adjacent to the hotel off Sixth Street.

Bhatia hasn't said what's coming to the space. Most people assume it will be some condo/hotel/dorm complex with chain-store retail on the ground-floor and some nonprofit or community facility for good (tax) measure.

Anyway, as The Wall Street Journal reported earlier in the fall, Balazs bought the Cooper Square Hotel for $90 million.

If you're putting out that much for the property, then you'll gonna want to know what your new neighbor will be.... some day.

Meanwhile, if André, "Stan" or anyone wants to send us a note to the tipline with any renderings or plans for the empty lot...

[Photo by Shawn Chittle.]

Monday, November 21, 2011

The Standard East Village makes it official; plus the Trilby sign is gone


On Friday morning, Page Six reported that André Balazs was ready to turn the Cooper Square Hotel into The Standard East Village.

Later on Friday, The Standard made it official on its website via a post by "Stan D’Arde," the "perennial voice of The Standard Hotels." Here's what "Stan" had to say ...

Let’s cut straight to the point. I know you have been hearing rumors that we at The Standard Hotels were bringing you, our Stan D’esirably loyal family, another property in New York City to call your own. Well, I’m here today to squash all those rumors and to give you the facts straight from the Stan’s mouth…

WE ARE VERY PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE 5TH ADDITION TO OUR STANDARD FAMILY WITH THE STANDARD, EAST VILLAGE!

There. I said it, and there’s no turning back.

Since you’re already part of our family, you know how very unique all of the siblings are. The Standard Hotels in Hollywood, Downtown LA, Miami and New York are each special in their own way, and this latest property already fits right in.

Don’t get too excited though! Unlike The Standard, New York, this Eastside counterpart, located on the corner of East 5th Street and Bowery at Cooper Square, is going to be a more mellow alternative to all the boom in your Westside room. Spanning 21 floors with 145 rooms offering stunning cityscape views, The Standard, East Village will offer you all the spacious comforts and high ‘standards’ to which you’ve grown accustomed.

Over the next year, we’ll be refurbishing the rooms, revamping the restaurant and reimagining the public spaces to make everything perfect for you. Oh, and when I say I’ll be “working”, I mean I’ll be at the bar sipping my martini, pointing at things and telling people where another bar should probably belong.

We’re really excited to be moving into the hood with old friends like Creative Time and The New Museum and to meet all the new friends waiting for us. We know we’ll see you there, so keep checking back for updates. I’ll be keeping you posted every step of the way.

xoxo
Stan

xoxo right back atcha Stan!

Meanwhile, there are already a few noticeable changes. Or at least one.

Like! Remember the Trilby hitchin' post that workers installed last July?


Gone!


Friday, November 18, 2011

Prepare to welcome The Standard East Village


Page Six has the following news today (via Eater):

André Balazs is turning the Cooper Square Hotel into The Standard East Village. Sources say the high-flying hotelier’s deal to buy the beleaguered East Fifth Street Cooper Square gem will close today. Sources added that, under Balazs and his partners, the 105-room hotel's public spaces will be reconfigured, its rooms refurbished and its restaurants overhauled over the course of the next year. The property will be The Standard's more "intimate and residential" location than its boisterous site straddling the High Line...

And, in an exclusive, we have obtained The Standard's plans for renovations right here... Not yet confirmed for authenticity...

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

The Cooper Square Hotel gets the OK to be Balazsed

As we noted, hotelier Andre Balazs is taking over the troubled Cooper Square Hotel. And last night, Balazs was at the CB3/SLA meeting to seek a transfer of the Coop's liquor license to his Standard chain.

A shame we missed it. Heard it was some good theater. Per Jetty-Jane Connor's report at Eater, one resident in favor of the transfer said, "We have the option to choose between badly managed nightlife or well managed nightlife, and I firmly believe having an upscale, well-managed establishment will be an improvement to this neighborhood."

The CB3/SLA committee didn't seem to mind that any this may very well turn into the Meatpacking District East. (Or maybe it already has.) The transfer received the committee's unanimous approval.

Here's DNAinfo's recap from the meeting.

[Balazs image via]

Monday, September 19, 2011

What are the chances that Andre Balazs shows up for tonight's CB3/SLA meeting?

On Friday, we pointed out that famed hotelier Andre Balazs is taking over the Cooper Square Hotel. Tonight, the Coop appears before the CB3/SLA committee for a liquor license transfer.

A reader asks, "What are the chances that Andre Balazs shows up for the meeting?"

Hmm, haven't thought about it.

On one hand, it would certainly be a neighborly gesture. Show up and make a good-faith appearance. Share what his plans are. Meet the neighbors. Show that he's just one of the guys. Say nice things to Susan Stetzer.

But, in reality, isn't this what minions are for? You really think someone as busy and powerful and Chelsea Handler dating as Andre Balazs is really going to show up for a community board meeting?

(Keith McNally showed up for a Community Board 2 meeting last year. But he just owns restaurants, not hotels.)

Regardless, keep an eye out for him. Here's what he looks like:


Oops! Sorry. That's my 1977 Topps card of Richie Zisk.

Here is Andre on the left with Jordan Catalano Jared Leto from the other week:

[Via]

Friday, September 16, 2011

Andre Balazs prepping to take over the Cooper Square Hotel


Last month, Hotel Chatter heard that hotelier Andre "Boom Boom" Balazs was taking over the troubled Cooper Square Hotel. As soon as now.

On Monday, the CB3/SLA committee holds its monthly funfest. And on the agenda: Cooper Square Hotel (CooperAB LLC) with a liquor license transfer.

According to CB3 documents (PDF):


There's Andre's name right there as the hotel's principal.

Anyway, as Curbed has noted the hotel has been on the block — with an asking price upwards of $80 million.

Brief Balazs background: Among other properties, he owns The Standard in the Meatpacking District. The hotel features the Boom Boom Room, or Top of the Standard, which likely has the toughest door policy in the city.

Anyway, what's all this mean for the Cooper and the neighborhood? Maybe nothing. Or, uh, full-frontal nudity.

But really. Per Guest of a Guest:

"Does this mean the east side is going to see the likes of the Boom Boom Room and Le Bain nightlife crowd? Le Bain was a prime and hot spot for Fashion Week parties last year and mostly this year's as well. After Balazs re-opened the Boom Boom room as a private club, Le Bain was positioned to pick up the pieces of the Boom Boom room's former existence. But it didn't quite fill the void.

"Will that happen with the Cooper Square Hotel? Certainly the top floor Cooper Square Hotel has the ability to be crafted as a replica of the Boom Boom room's fun palace. Could Balazs recreate the magic?"

Backsiders, get ready to give Andre a proper East Village welcome!