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Will Edition Hotels Get Scooped By The New York Times Hotel?

Where: W. 43rd Street [map], New York, ny, United States
December 23, 2009 at 10:40 AM | by | Comments (0)

News is out today that the old New York Times Building on 43rd Street will be turned into a massive entertainment complex, complete with luxury shops, a Bowlmor lanes bowling alley, nightclubs, restaurants and a high-end hotel smack dab in the middle of it all with an 11th floor sky lobby a la Mandarin Oriental.

The NY Times reports on the ambitious plans of owner/developer Lev Leviev, an Israeli billionaire:

Now Mr. Leviev is back with a partner and a new plan to turn the 15-story building, where printing presses once churned out newspapers, into a glamorous three-decker sandwich, with a vertical mall that includes luxury shops on the lower floors, along with exhibition space and a stylish bowling alley and nightclub surrounded by seven restaurants. A high-end hotel with as many as 379 rooms would sit in the middle, and 26 penthouse condominiums on top.

While the hotel and residence component will take a long time to open, the bowling alley could open as soon October 2010.

We have to say, part of us is skeptical--really, another hotel in New York?--and part of us is giddy. In the spirit of Christmas, we'll drop our skepticism and focus on the sugar plum fairies sprinkling giddiness around us.

If this hotel goes through, we fully expect a hotel built around a newspaper concept. The lobby bar should be called "The Lede," the top-floor restaurant should be called "Above the Fold." Room categories should be divvied up by "Who", "What", "When", "Where" and "How." Staffers should be called "Sources" and the concierges called "On Background." The spa should be named something like "Off the Record" and check-out should be, of course, called "The Deadline."

But if the New York Times Hotel (that's what we're calling it for now) does this, then they might have some competition, namely from Edition Hotels from Bill Marriott and Ian Schrager.

Details are still scant on this brand except that it will be high-end luxury but we always felt it had a newspapery vibe. After all, it's called Edition. But it's taking forever to open. Then again, perhaps, the New York Times building is the perfect place for an Edition Hotel to open? Bill and Ian, start making phone calls!

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