The Buccini/Pollin Group, Hidrock Properties and Hilton Hotels & Resorts today announced the opening of the 310-suite Embassy Suites by Hilton New York – Midtown Manhattan in New York. BPGS Construction oversaw entitlement and construction of the project, and PM Hotel Group performed technical services during programming, design and construction and manages the newly opened hotel. CAMPION PLATT Interiors was selected to design the hotel’s public areas, while HVS Design was responsible for the guest suite and corridor designs, and PPA provided the architectural plans.
BPG was intrigued by the opportunity to build New York City’s only Embassy Suites by Hilton hotel in an irreplaceable location. While New York City has witnessed an explosion of new select-service hotels on the fringes of the city’s business and residential districts, the Embassy Suites’ core location, unique and differentiated brand, all-suites configuration, multiple F&B options and 39-story design set this project apart. Located between 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue on 37th Street, the hotel has great access to uptown, downtown, the city’s most important transportation hubs, and crucially, Midtown South’s busy office submarket. Finding a site that could accommodate the Embassy Suites brand, regardless of location, was also paramount.
The 37th Street site is block-through, providing for access to both 36th and 37th Streets, and the requisite width and depth to accommodate an all-suite configuration. The Embassy Suites brand is known as a category killer, meaning that it dominates its segment – the all-suite format. Each suite comes with much more space than traditional hotels, especially the newer, economy projects being built on the fringes of the city. The Embassy Suites brand is also highly differentiated through its value proposition – a complimentary, cooked to order breakfast and hosted evening reception – in addition to providing a selection of a la carte dining and bar options. Finally, BPG was motived by the potential to build a 39-story building when much of the surrounding neighborhood is approximately 20 stories tall, providing stunning views of Manhattan.
“BPG believes that if we hired a typical commercial hotel designer, we would get a typical commercial hotel design,” said Dave Pollin, BPG co-founder. “Many travelers today can’t tell the difference between a hotel located in Cleveland or one in Canberra due to ‘generic hotel aesthetic blur.’ We hired Campion Platt to set the tone and lead the design team due to his NY experience and sensibilities; they were apparent at our very first meeting. Campion grasps the city at its DNA level, including a deep historical understanding of the Garment District. We sensed that Campion also shared our belief that the people who work and live in the neighborhood, especially the generations that preceded us, create what make it special today. Campion also is brilliant at adding memorable, irreverent and witty design flourishes to commercial spaces that need to function efficiently and be resilient for decades.”
Located at the crossroads of New York City – Herald Square and the bright lights of Broadway – the 39-story Embassy Suites by Hilton New York – Midtown Manhattan hotel is the place to see and be seen. With a glass façade offering supreme views of the iconic New York City skyline, the hotel is surrounded by Ernst & Young, IPG and Morgan Stanley and only a quick walk to Times Square, the Empire State Building and 5th Avenue shopping. Penn Station and Grand Central Terminal are both steps away, easily connecting the hotel to LaGuardia, JFK and Newark airports and Amtrak’s NE Corridor.
The hotel’s 310 studio suites are elegant spaces consisting of sophisticated, custom finishes. Many feature semi-private living areas with an oversized sofa seating area, some contain balconies, and all provide sweeping city views. Suites provide complimentary WiFi, two 42-inch HDTVs, spacious work area, mini-fridge, microwave and coffeemaker. Luxury bath amenities and spa-like showers make the bathroom experience unique in New York.
The Embassy Suites resides in New York’s famed Garment District, the nexus of American Fashion. The Garment District serves as the creative hub of the apparel industry and is a destination for wholesale buyers, designers, stylists, retailers, students, shoppers and fashionistas around the world.
With three bespoke food and beverage concepts, including one of Manhattan’s most coveted outdoor bar and function spaces, the Embassy Suites New York – Midtown Manhattan invites the community and hotel guests to enjoy a drink from its seasonal cocktail program developed by local mixologist and distiller, Allen Katz. SkyLawn, the hotel’s innovative outdoor venue, can host events for up to 300 people. The Heist Bar & Lounge intrigues guests by celebrating the greatest jewel heists in history through inventive cocktails while paying homage to New York’s famed Diamond District. The eclectic fare ranges from deviled eggs three ways to “The Heist” burger, served “with all the crown jewels.” The Farm Café on the third floor features a relaxing, sun-filled room for all day dining set against lacquered barn wood and tiered landscaped terraces. All hotel guests enjoy complimentary, cooked-to-order breakfast and evening cocktail reception daily at the Embassy Lounge.
BPG, Hidrock and the Embassy Suites development team engaged Campion Platt, one of NY’s most renowned interior designers, to envision and create an authentic New York design that captures the energy and innovation of the Garment District. From the loading dock’s glass wall, movie-projection system, to the soaring three-story lobby “water column,” to the hotel’s lobby “jewel box,” a playful homage to New York’s famed diamond dealers, the interiors feature multiple surprising features inspired by the fashion industry. The cool metallic and colored glass interiors are balanced with richly textured textiles and set against a quirky blend of commissioned art in partnership with Voltz Clarke.
About PM Hotel Group
PM Hotel Group is a Top 20 Third-Party Hotel Management Company. This award-winning organization operates full-service and select-service hotels in the Hilton, Marriott, and IHG systems as well as internationally notable independent hotels. PM Hotel Group provides expert leadership in all aspects of hotel operations, including development, technical services, marketing, accounting, and pre-opening. The company manages more than 40 hotel and development projects, comprised of more than 9,000 rooms, throughout the United States. Based in Washington, D.C., PM Hotel Group has participated in the development and acquisition/renovation of dozens of hotels with a market capitalization in excess of $2 billion. PM Hotel Group is an approved management company for all leading hotel brands.
About The Buccini/Pollin Group
The Buccini/Pollin Group, Inc. (Buccini/Pollin) is a privately held, integrated, real estate acquisition, development and management company with offices in Washington DC, Wilmington, and Philadelphia. Buccini/Pollin has developed and acquired hotel, office, residential, retail, and parking properties throughout the United States. Buccini/Pollin has acquired, developed and owns real estate assets having a value in excess of $4.0 billion, including over 40 hotels, 7 million square feet of office and retail space, 15 major residential communities and multiple entertainment venues, such as Talen Energy Stadium, home of the Philadelphia Union Major League Soccer team. The principals of Buccini/Pollin, along with PM Hotel Group (hotel operating company), BPG Real Estate Services (office property management and leasing), ResideBPG (residential property management and leasing), BPGS Construction (construction management), oversee all aspects of project acquisition, finance, development, construction, leasing, operations, and disposition for its portfolio properties. The Buccini/Pollin Group has over 3,500 employees in 15 states.