Stephen Rex Brown Andre Balazs explains his plans for the remodeled Standard East Village.The famed hotelier Andre Balazs pitched his plans for the remodeled Standard East Village to East Fifth Street residents on Thursday night, explaining that the Cooper Square Hotel’s layout on the bottom two floors was a key factor in its bankruptcy.
The owner of the recently renamed 21-story hotel intends to reorient the main floors to the west by creating an outdoor dining area that faces the Bowery, as well as a new lobby.
“The hotel failed,” said Mr. Balazs. “We bought it from bankruptcy. One reason was that the public spaces didn’t work.”
The rearrangement would also, he added, reduce the noise that angered neighbors, some of whom have windows that abut the hotel. Read more…
