Gene Kaufman Architects begins development on two New York hotels

This week, Gene Kaufman Architect breaks ground on a new Broadway theater-themed independent hotel, the lead project for new boutique hotel brand. The 211-room, 27-floor hotel is located in Hell’s Kitchen near Times Square, with proximity to more than a dozen theaters. The Rockwell Group is handling the hotel’s interior design, with concepts still under development.  

The Hell's Kitchen property has interiors
designed by the Rockwell Group

Hotel amenities span top to bottom and include a 27th-floor rooftop bar, a lounge and terrace on the 2nd floor, a rear garden on the first floor and a bar and lounge located at cellar level.

“I embrace the challenge of helping launch a new hotel brand, an exciting undertaking that requires a thoughtful and deliberate approach from a design standpoint," Gene Kaufman, founder and principal of Gene Kaufman Architect, said in a statement. "The aesthetics are critical in setting the structural and design tones for the brand, particularly as it seeks to establish itself against the backdrop of the colorful theater scene it calls home.”

Adjacent to the theater district, Hell's Kitchen has long been home of some of New York’s theaters and arts organizations, with pre- and post-theater crowds from Broadway, tourists from Times Square and workers from nearby offices frequenting the vibrant neighborhood.

In addition to the aforementioned project, Gene Kaufman Architect also began work on a 510-key hotel at 140 West 24th Street in Chelsea. The 141,874-square-foot Hyatt Place hotel is being developed by Sam Chang’s McSam Hotel Group, GKA’s largest client.

Located in “Silicon Alley,” with proximity to the Fashion Institute of Technology, hundreds of Chelsea art galleries and a variety of tourist attractions, the hotel’s exterior will include a brick façade, consistent with the masonry work prevalent throughout the neighborhood.  

The ground level entrance will have a covered arcade space leading into a first-floor lobby and breakfast/bar area. The second floor will include a dining space and open terrace. Four elevators will transport guests to all floors, each of which houses 12 rooms. The new hotel will have restaurant and lounge space as well as business and fitness centers.

“Chelsea shows no sign of losing its attraction for both visitors and residents alike," Kaufman said in a statement. "The demand for hotel rooms continues to grow in order to accommodate the number of tourists wishing to stay in this vibrant neighborhood."