HotelChatter

Starting on the corner of Fifth Avenue, there is a branch of Capital One Bank, an Au Bon Pain, a Verizon store, and the headquarters of the Girl Scouts of America. There’s a small hair salon and a deli, and then the block gets into its main business: bits and pieces for the garment industry. There are bead shops, fake flower shops, and button shops. (A treasure chest for Project Runway hopefuls!)

The Strand is located in the middle of the block, but before we reached it at number 33, we noticed another new construction that looked like a hotel, a few doors down at number 21. A bit of Googling post-stroll revealed that this is a new Fairfield Inn, set to open in November.

There are few dining options near The Strand: a Baguette Express, and, across the street, an outpost of the famous Frankie and Johnnie’s Steakhouse. This one is in the former townhouse of stage and screen star John Barrymore. (Hmm, potential for Drew sightings at The Strand?)

Heading closer to Sixth Avenue, the block reverts back to its garment-industry roots: there are plenty of wholesalers selling ghastly “evening gowns,” a parking station, and a handful of dodgy-looking “DVD stores.”

Once you’re on Sixth Avenue, you can turn left to head to Herald Square, or right to walk towards Times Square.

Even though it has a rough-around-the-edges appearance, it’s a bustling block, and many of the buildings house fashion industry showrooms and offices—so there are always plenty of stylish lasses in heels strolling around. Will they help The Strand draw like-minded fashion folks to their lair? Hopefully we’ll find out when the hotel opens next month.