The first permits are up for a hotel at 131 32nd Street in Brooklyn’s Greenwood neighborhood, which will be designed by Michael Kang. The project is being developed by Qui Lai Liu, and is located immediately to the west of Greenwood Cemetery, just to the south of Gowanus.
131 32nd Street aerial, via Google Maps
The DOB filings indicate that 131 32nd Street will stand six stories, with 20,987 square feet split between 74 hotel rooms; the building lacks any zoning diagrams or renderings, but it is likely that its form will be severely basic.
Michael Kang’s website has additional images of his hospitality portfolio, and if the firm’s past work is any indication, 131 32nd Street will be a take on the Soviet-chic style of development. Kang has been responsible for the design of several hotels in the outer boroughs, each of which seemingly look to Sarajevo’s bombed-out Mojmilo Olympic Village for inspiration.
While the Cold War look is apparently gaining traction within the hotel development community, it does not add to the fabric of the city; indeed, Soviet-style aesthetics are typically withdrawn from the street-wall, creating buildings that are isolated from adjacent structures and the urbanity of the surrounding neighborhood, as well.
Greenwood may be relatively isolated, but it does enjoy proximity to Costco’s Brooklyn location; despite the convenience to big-box retail, the site’s potential will likely go under-utilized. Still, the new hotel will be an improvement over the current warehouse.
No completion date for 131 32nd Street has been announced.
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Just what we need….Yet, another Hotel in this area! Why couldn’t it be a shopping center? This so sucks!