The On the Ave hotel on 77th street and Broadway has gotten an upgrade and is rebranding itself as a “Roaring 20’s” themed hotel, with an imported French elevator from the 1920’s, an original fireplace, and a hotel bar that will serve Upper West Side Old-Fashioneds and Strawberry Fields Brambles. The hotel is now a part of a chain called NYLO, which has added its branding to the outside of the building. Another illuminated sign on the front of the building gradually changes colors.
We haven’t heard of any complaints about the signs yet, although we know that Upper West Siders aren’t always fans of big illuminated signs.
The lobby is still under renovation, but is expected to reopen early next month (people on Tripadvisor have complained about the lobby construction, and apparently some workers have been picketing outside). The bar is set to open next weekend. Fodor’s got an early peek at the new hotel:
“In addition to the 285 rooms there are 33 suites. Some offer views of the Hudson River and Central Park via private balconies. A palette of light colors is paired with vibrant hues: for example, a bright-blue throw pillow on a cream wing-backed chair, or lime-green and sky-blue drawers. Works from local artists are hung on the walls and all furnishings are custom-made.
As the first hotel in the States to offer Monscierge—a digital concierge that recommends what locals like in terms of entertainment, food, drink, and shopping—guests can have expert guidance at their fingertips. For another live-like-a-local perk, guests can easily order room service from Seamless and Delivery apps, which delivers meals from neighborhood institutions.
There are three options for noshing and imbibing within the hotel: LOCL Bar (Prohibition Era cocktails in a speakeasy-themed bar), Serafina (Northern Italian cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner plus a sidewalk cafe), RedFarm (described as Greenmarket meets Chinese food).”
Thanks to Gavan for the photos.
A perfect example of what’s not the Upper West Side.
Jerry – every time the West Side Rag reports on something new or something changing you complain. Life doesn’t stay the same, neighborhoods don’t stay the same. They have been changing and shifting for years – every single one of them. In this case, nothing is being knocked down – a new hotel is going in place of an old hotel with some pretty cool features, a new bar and an assortment of good restaurants. And I’m sure this place can can co-exist with places like the Emerald Inn just fine. Further, the great thing about the UWS is there are lots of different people here, with lots of different wants/needs/interests. That’s what I like about it.
So having said that…maybe the Upper West Side isn’t for you anymore? Ever think about that?
Its the residents that pay the taxes to support the city services that many corporations who are enjoying big tax breaks enjoy. Resident have a right to expect that their residential area will remain residential and that commercial properties will be good neighbors.
The lighted sign is ugly and out of character for the building.
Jerry keep it up and please stay in the ighborhood.
I can’t wait to have this glowing in my bedroom window…
I’m not a fan of the glowing sign on the side of the building but a good hotel in the area offering decent places for a drink or meal isn’t a bad thing.
Re: Jaime
I agree with you except for this part below : The UWS is one of the most boring , homogeneous neighborhoods in the city !!
“Further, the great thing about the UWS is there are lots of different people here, with lots of different wants/needs/interests. That’s what I like about it. “
So you claim the UWS is one of the most “boring”and “homogenous” neighborhoods in the city!
REALLY ? HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO THE UPPER EAST SIDE WEST OF LEXINGTON (FIFTH, MADISON, PARK) WITH THEIR STREET-AFTER-STREET OF DEAD-LOOKING BRICK-AND-STONE SUPER-EXPENSIVE CO-OPS OR THEIR SIDE STREETS FILLED WITH EQUALLY UNIFORM DEAD-FEELING TOWNHOUSES …ALL WITH ABSOLUTELY ZERO STREET LIFE WHERE IT IS ACTUALLY SCARY TO BE ON SOME BLOCKS AFTER 10:00 P.M.?
Read Jane Jacobs’ “The Death and Life of Great American Cities” to understand what a neighborhood needs to be alive. It’s DIVERSITY of built environment, DIVERSITY of people, DIVERSITY of retail establishments, DIVERSITY of streetscape, etc.
AND GUESS WHAT? THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THE UWS HAS…even in the Lincoln Square area, admittedly the part most changed from the old days. Even there, between W. 60th and W. 79th, there is DIVERSITY of every type. Or study the constant stream of customers entgering and exiting Trader Joe’s or Fairway to see the most amazingly fascinating collection of human beings anywhere in Manhattan except perhaps for the East Village / Lower East Side areas.
Yes, the UWS has a few new tall glass/metal buildings which may or may not fit in with their surroundings all that well. BUT THEY ARE STILL SURROUNDED BY THE OLDER FUNKY-ER STREET SCENE THAT IS, AND HOPEFULLY ALWAYS WILL BE, THE UWS.
To alter that old line about New York City—“if you are bored on the Upper West Side it’s not the Upper West Side’s fault…it’s yours!”
I do not live there, but personally, I think the Upper East Side west of Lex is the most elegant lovely area of the City.
What I do “hate” is the intolerable some people speak on this site that does not conform to their uber liberal extremists views of the world and city.
Can you stop shouting? Thanks.
Are they replacing the sushi place with the bar? I’m trying to figure out where that’s going in. At any rate, I’m definitely excited for RedFarm.
Any local architectual historians know what year the building was built? Is “Roaring 20’s” even a legit possibility? (doess it matter?)
I must say that the “Roaring 20’s” theme is an interesting idea, but then the NYLO sign and the “monceirge” seems to fit as much as the Jay-Z soundtrack made sense in Luhrmann’s film version of “The Great Gatsby.” That said, points for creative drink names and look forward to seeing the imported elevator.
CB7 members take note: when member of the public who were also resodentia neighbors of the hotel were fighting the new outdoor deck and bar the Hotel promised it was just for its customers now the Hotel wants to be a “Roaring Twenties” destination bar. Ain’t it grand when corporation get to say and do what ever they want and residents get the shaft. Think about this the next time a corporation tells your board that even though it is hard to beleive they will be really really good neighbors!
its a bar , on a roof. who cares? Isnt this why why live in the city? for activity and life?
It is not the CB’s jurisdiction to tell a legal business what they can and cannot do because a few nosey bodies have nothing better to do with their pathetic lives.
If the only way they could get it approved (again, they shouldnt need CB approval) was to lie, then more power to them.
and you Pedestrian you sound like you would be happier in a CAR in suburbia.
So lying to a public body to get what you want is ok by you? Well DC may be the place for you.
Is it really the case that anyone who disagrees with you must move out of the city? You must have a rough time in NYC. So many opinions so few moving vans.
I was making an exagerated point.
The TRUTH is that CB’s roll is supposed to be merely advisory.
However, the State of New York Liquor Authority has ceded way to much control to them. The CBs are abusing the power by enforcing over the top rules on small businesses (like bars and restuarants) that materially affect their business OR as in this case try and block a legal business from actually opening, when they have done everything right and have not affected your (miserable) quality of life.