Two Hotels, Both by Kaufman, Slated for Schermerhorn

Demolition for The Hub is not the only interesting thing happening on Schermerhorn Street in Downtown Brooklyn. Two empty lots are showing signs of life, and it looks like both will be hotels. The first lot, on the corner of Nevins and Schermerhorn, has signage up for a “Nevins Street Hotel” project. The DOB approved plans for a 12-story, 182-unit building last year before the site sold this January. Permits approved just last month maintain the twelve stories and the architect, Gene Kaufman. The developer on record is New York City-based firm Barone Management; the ETA is April of 2014. And over at 300 Schermerhorn Street, right between Nevins and Bond, a Holiday Inn is definitely confirmed. DOB renewed permits for a 14-story, 247-unit hotel this summer, but we weren’t sure if plans for the Holiday Inn still stood. Believe it or not, Gene Kaufman is listed as the architect on record for that hotel, too! Here’s the only rendering for those plans. The Mehta family, which paid $11 million for the lot in 2007, is still the developer and plans to finish construction by December 2014. A reader, who sent the photograph above, wonders, “Is this long-zombified block soon going to be breathing with life again? I hope so.” Click through for pics of the Holiday Inn site.
Downtown Development Site Sells [Brownstoner]
Permits Renewed at Stalled Schermerhorn Hotel Site [Brownstoner]