The city's first gay boutique hotel, replete with a 10,000-square-foot new dance club, will be coming to Hell's Kitchen if developers have their way.
Ian Reiser, head of Parkview Developers, and his business and life partner, Mati Weiderpass, want to convert a building on 42nd Street and 10th Ave. into a 123-room hotel, which aside from the major dance club will also include a spa, restaurant, café and stores, according to the Daily News.
The renovations at 508 W. 42nd Street are expect to cost at least $20 million.
"It's going to be called 'The Out N.Y.C.' Like, 'Come out! Let's go out and play!'" Reiser told the paper of his pet project.
Such an establishment is a marketer's dream, considering the massive number of gays and lesbians in the city and their propensity to travel more than straight people.
Until now, hotel operators, originally targeting their design to straight couples, have adapted to make their accommodations and services more gay friendly. Reiser's concept is revolutionary.
The proposal would thus provide access to a huge untapped market – and the amenities outlined in the plan would likely attract travelers and non-travelers alike. Reiser wants to incorporate a 10,000-square-foot, 750-customer dance club. He and his partner are collaborating with kingpins in the gay nightlife scene to develop it.
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The Business Licenses and Permits Committee of Community Board 4 has already approved the development, and the complete board votes in two weeks, reports the News. That final OK may be a crucial step in getting construction underway.
Most residents in the area eagerly anticipate the vitality such a project would bring to the neighborhood.
"I think it's a great idea," 20-year-old April Schoenfeld told the News. "It will add a lot of color and spice to the area."
