Project

Dream Downtown Hotel

In the 1960s Albert C. Ledner designed a pair of buildings in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood for the National Maritime Union, both punctuated appropriately by porthole-shaped windows. Dream Downtown Hotel is the second of the pair to be converted into a hotel—the Maritime Hotel opened about ten years ago—occupying the dramatically sloped piece on West 17th Street, now covered in a stainless steel skin, and a smaller volume on West 16th Street. Handel Architects found inspiration in the round windows and gave Dream Downtown some contemporary flair, inside and out. The architects answered some questions about the recently completed building.

17th Street reflective stainless steel façade with porthole windows (Photo: Bruce Damonte)

What were the circumstances of receiving the commission for this project?

After meeting the owner in a prior setting we received a call asking to meet on site within the hour. We did and were engaged to help them understand the property and its feasibility as a hotel. After that we were asked to compete in a short-list interview process for both the architecture and the interiors. We presented concepts for both exterior and interior design, and several of these concepts were well received. Some of the concepts, such as keeping the porthole windows, or creating a glass-bottom pool, were developed further. The client liked these design approaches, and we were engaged to do the entire project.

16th Street façade peels up at the ground level to form the hotel canopy (Photo: Bruce Damonte)

Can you describe your design process for the building?

As a starting point, we had a series of discussions with the owner about saving the building, even though we knew that it had to be altered dramatically to achieve their programmatic goals. We talked at length about saving the round, porthole windows, despite concerns that their reuse may not sufficiently distinguish their brand from the adjacent hotel, which used similarly shaped windows. The Dream brand is rooted in the overarching idea of being able to transport yourself somewhere else. We saw the round window as the “portal” for this to happen. We also wanted our intervention to connect with the deeper structure of the place while addressing the new conditions of the hotel program. The aspect of the existing building that was important for us to preserve was its “otherness,” its juxtaposition to everything around it, and that’s what we tried to preserve and amplify.

Marble Lane restaurant sunken dining room and bar (Photo: Bruce Damonte)

How does the completed building compare to the project as designed? Were there any dramatic changes between the two and/or lessons learned during construction?

It is one of those unique projects where the result is very close to the concept.

Lobby lounge with garden and teak framed lightwell to pool (Photo: Bruce Damonte)

How does the building compare to other projects in your office, be it the same or other building types?

Handel Architects has completed a wide variety of project types, from large-scale residential developments to small public projects. While our hospitality work has traditionally focused on the larger, more traditional hotel operators – we’ve done multiple projects for Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, and W, for example – we also love the opportunity to work with the boutique brands.

Pool terrace and acrylic bottom pool (Photo: Bruce Damonte)

Are there any new/upcoming projects in your office that this building’s design and construction has influenced?

You move ahead by doing and learning, so the unique research and invention for the design for Dream Downtown continues to be an impetus for our new work.

Email interview conducted by John Hill.

Building section looking west (Drawing: Handel Architects)

Ground floor plan (Drawing: Handel Architects)

Detail of canopy (Photo: Bruce Damonte)

Dream Downtown Hotel
2011
New York, NY

Client
Hampshire Hotels & Resorts
Vikram Chatwal Hotels

Architect
Handel Architects
New York, NY

Design Principal
Frank Fusaro, AIA

Project Manager/Architect
Elga Killinger, AIA

Project Team
Hung Yi Wang
Ade Herkarisma
Alan Noah Navarro
Jacqueline Ho
Yunhee Jeong
Luke Lu
Harshad Pillai
Rick Kearns
Jim Rhee
Alexandra Cuber
Danielle Chao
Noelia Ibanez
Slyvie Blondeau
Sang Mi Ji
Barack Pliskin
Vivek Ghimire
Rachel Salatel
Horaci Sanchez
John Banks
Chris Brown

Structural Engineer
Robert Silman Associates

MEP/FP Engineer
Thomas Polise Consulting Engineer

Landscape Architect
Handel Architects with Blondies Treehouse, Inc.

Lighting Designer
FOCUS Lighting, Inc.

Interior Designer
Handel Architects

Construction Manager
McGowan Builders, Inc.

Facade Consultant
Front, Inc.

Environmental Engineer
AKRF

Civil Engineer
Langan

Acoustics/AV/Telecomm/Security Consultant
Shen Milsom Wilke

Elevator Consultant
VDA

Kitchen Consultant
Jacobs Doland

Windows
Schuco USA

Doors/Storefront
Case Window and Door

Exterior Wall Systems/Cladding
A. Zahner

Wood Flooring
IJ Peiser & Sons, Inc.

Concrete Flooring
Ardex

Millwork/Countertops/Cabinetry & Interior Glass
Metropolitan Architectural Woodwork

Custom Furniture
Poltrona Frau Group Contract Division

Custom Lighting
John Pomp Studios

Custom Wood Tables
DeScience Laboratories

Custom Drapery
Angela Brown LTD

Drapery Fabrication
Bramson House

Interior Metalwork
Wainland's Inc.

Site Area
25,300 gsf

Building Area
184,700 gsf

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