Tag: Andre Balazs
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Does Anything Look Weird To You About This Room At the Standard Hollywood?
Because a lot should seem weird about this room at the Standard Hollywood, which isn't even a real room, but a re-construction of a room, assembled in the Standard's parking lot by a group of artists.
Yup. Apparently there's a citywide project, titled Art in the Parking Space, which inserts performances and installations into (you guessed it!) parking lots all over LA. And last week, it was the Standard's own parking lot that, according to one of the participating artists, "became a total hang-out spot."
Tova Carlin, Ania Diakoff and Katerina Llanes, dubbed their installation Sub-Standard (we could slip in a few jabs about the rooms here, but we'll try not to), and specifically intended for people to come, hang out, and "think about itinerancy and occupying space with their bodies."
Standard Hotels / Andre Balazs / Manhattan Hotels / Hotel Rebrandings / → All Tags
Andre Balazs Plans to Make Good with the Neighbors Around The Standard, East Village
Sorry, Andre is not quite sure what he wants to do with this space here.
While the Cooper Square Hotel is officially now the Standard Comma East Village, not much has changed. And it might be a while before things do as hotelier Andre Balazs told the Wall Street Journal that he was still figuring things out.
However, Andre does plan on making the hotel "cost-conscious" with rooms starting at about $190. Given that these rooms are incredibly small, we think that's a fair rate. He also new ideas for the hotel's public spaces--meaning the lobby and the restaurant and possibly that rooftop performance space we heart so much. But alas, no real plans for these areas seem to be shaping up.
However, Andre did get in a little dig to the guys who built Cooper Square--Greg Peck and Matt Moss. The two notoriously had a falling out during the construction of the hotel and needless to say, that probably affected the hotel's future. But another big problem for the hotel was how badly they pissed off the community before the hotel even opened. And here's where Andre puts in his two cents:
Hotel Rebrandings / Manhattan Hotels / Standard Hotels / Andre Balazs / → All Tags
The Cooper Square Hotel is Now Officially The Standard East Village
Just the other night we were perusing hotels in New York City on a couple of booking sites and lo and behold, look at what we saw--the Cooper Square Hotel is now officially rebranded as Andre Balazs Standard East Village.
We first got word of the hotel's Standardization back in October but now it looks like the transformation is complete, at least online. Not only do booking sites like Expedia and Kiwi Collection (pictured below) show the CSH as the Standard East Village, but when you visit Cooper Square's website, it redirects you to the Standard site.
Andre Balazs / London Hotels / Hotel News / Hotel Rumors / Hotel Hype / → All Tags
Andre Balazs' London Hotel Won't Be a Standard and Won't Open Until 2013
So yesterday when we learned that The Belgraves would be opening on January 16, we also came across some news about Andre Balazs' plans for a London hotel.
Last October, we scouted out an old fire station in Marylebone at Chiltern Street where Andre's London hotel was rumored to open. Back then our spy told us the building was not very big and that if indeed AB turns it into a hotel, it would be a very small one. We agreed it was too small for a Standard outpost but it might be a perfect spot for another sort of Mercer Hotel.
And indeed that's probably what will happen. TheStreet.com reports:
Standard Hotels / Andre Balazs / Manhattan Hotels / Hotel Rebrandings / Hotel News / Chelsea Handler / → All Tags
Andre Balazs Gets Closer to Turning Cooper Square into The Standard East Village
Confirming what we reported last month, sources tell Page Six that Andre Balazs will be turning the Cooper Square Hotel into another one of his Standard Hotels.
The paper reports that the deal will be finalized today and that Andre will rename the property The Standard East Village (but we're sure everyone will just call it Standard East.)
the 105-room hotel’s public spaces will be reconfigured, its rooms refurbished and its restaurants overhauled over the course of the next year.
Airport Hotels / Hotel Construction / Andre Balazs / Jaunted / → All Tags
Will This Be the Next Airport Hotel at JFK?
Yesterday while everyone was enjoying leisurely Sunday brunches and autumnal walks in the park, our sister site Jaunted was on a field trip...to the airport. No, they weren't flying anywhere, but checking out the architectural gem that is the old TWA Flight Center, a 1960s piece of history that now could become the latest hot airport hotel.
The building is on the National Register of Historic Places, so it's here to stay. Thing is, the Port Authority can't figure out what to do with it. Plans to turn it into fancy check-in area for JetBlue flights fizzled, as did ideas to make it a museum or simply preserve it as a shrine to retro air travel. They've got to turn a dollar on the place with all the renovations going into it, and thus it was discussed back in February that perhaps it should become a hotel.
Hotel News / Andre Balazs / Klaus Ortlieb / Standard Hotels / Manhattan Hotels / Hotel Hype / → All Tags
If The Cooper Square Hotel Turned Into A Standard, What Would It Look Like?
We've heard rumblings that Cooper Square Hotel will probably turn into a Standard Hotel now that hottie hotelier Andre Balazs owns the place. AB's involvement with the hotel was already public knowledge when his signature was discovered on some liquor license documents back in September.
Now, after the initial shock waves have settled, we're starting to wonder: what exactly is in store for this bizarre, overlooked hotel located in Manhattan's thriving East Village? Though only two miles from the Standard, the crowds here differ greatly from those of the Meatpacking District. But will the hotel, under the new Balazs regime, adapt?
Celebrity Scoop / Hotel Rumors / Andre Balazs / Chelsea Handler / Hot Hotelier News / → All Tags
Andre and Chelsea Again...Handler, Not The Hotel
UPDATE, 10.11.11: While DNAInfo.com quoted Balazs as saying that they aren't going to turn the Cooper Square into another Standard, we are hearing the exact opposite now: The Cooper Square will be a Standard Hotel. We're furiously chasing down more leads and we promise more detes to come.
So hottie hotelier Andre Balazs had the good sense to pass on scooping up the Chelsea Hotel but there's one Chelsea he's still holding onto--our fave Jersery girl, Chelsea Handler.
The twosome were spotted in Beverly Hills this week doing the usual schmoopie thing but looking mighty good doing it.
Meanwhile, back in New York it looks like Balazs' plans for taking over the Cooper Square Hotel are going swimmingly. DNAInfo.com has a detailed report from a community liquor license meeting and it seems like most of the residents are pleased with his takeover, provided that he doesn't turn the space into another Standard.
Hotel News / Andre Balazs / Manhattan Hotels / Hote Liquor Licenses / Hotel Ownership / → All Tags
Andre Balazs Now Owns Three Hotels In NYC (That We Know Of)
Well, we can't say we're surprised. Exactly a month after first speculating on Andre Balazs' possible takeover (thanks to a well-informed tipster) of the Cooper Square Hotel, we now have proof—in the form of a liquor license. What is it with liquor licenses today?
An East Village blogger by the name of EV Grieve published the above scan, which surfaced at a community board meeting last Monday. Can we all breathe a collective sigh of relief? There's one piece of the hotel puzzle solved.
Celebrity Scoop / Manhattan Hotels / Standard Hotels / Lindsay Lohan / Andre Balazs / → All Tags
Guess Who Was Causing A Bloody Racket At The Top Of The Standard?
It's not an entirely flattering photo of dear ol' Lindsay's back—but it's not an entirely flattering story about her either. The rumor, according to Hollywood Life is that hotel-lover Lindsay Lohan threw a full cocktail glass at a photographer while attending a V Magazine bash at the Standard's penthouse bar, Top of the Standard.
The photographer in question, @Jasper Rischen, is now feeling the heat as conflicting variations of the story arise. Did Lohan actually throw the glass? Or was it knocked over? Did a woman actually fall on the broken glass and slice her arm open? How many french fries were tossed? So many questions, so little time.
Manhattan Hotels / Andre Balazs / Hotel Employees / → All Tags
The Mercer Hotel Recollects The September 11 Attacks
The view downtown from Soho, without the Twin Towers of course
This weekend is not like other weekends. Why? Because it's the tenth anniversary of the tragic events of September 11, 2001 and that means everything from heightened terror alerts to large memorial services to front page news around the world. As New York prepares, the personal tales of those who survived the World Trade Center are being re-told, and it's important to remember that it wasn't just the towers that fell, but also surrounding buildings such as the Marriott World Trade Center.
With lower Manhattan crippled and locals evacuated from their homes, hotels outside of Ground Zero rose to the occasion, helping with accommodations, supplies and even toiletries, as we've learned from the personal recollections of a concierge at The Mercer Hotel.
Hotel News / Andre Balazs / Standard Hotels / Hotel Rumors / → All Tags
Is Andre Balazs Busy Taking Over The Cooper Square Hotel?
It's only been eight months since the last Cooper Square Hotel scandal, involving a potential buyout by Grand Hotels. Now, a new rumor is circulating that Andre "Boom Boom" Balazs is looking to take over the property as soon as September 1.
An anonymous tipster alerted us to the takeover earlier today via email, and—in the context of all that has come before it—we don't find it entirely out of the question. After reports in June that Balazs was looking to partner up for a new hotel at JFK airport, we at least know he's looking outside the Standard bubble.
Oh, and the hotel's response to the rumor? "No comment."
