Hospitality Design - December 2013 - 81

hospitality rescues cities now
The decline of the American city-particularly
in the Midwest and Rust Belt-is a phenomenon
that started in the mid-20th century; steel and
automotive factories shut down and families fled
to the suburbs. But dynamic hospitality offerings
in cities like Cleveland-where Le Méridien will
plant its flag in Millionaire's Row with an artfilled, 206-room property in 2016 that is part of
an adaptive re-use conversion project-prove not
all hope is lost on the urban front.
Last summer, Detroit filed for bankruptcy,
but that hasn't stopped developers the Roxbury
Group from converting the historic David
Whitney Building-originally designed by
Daniel Burnham in 1915-into a mixed-use
facility that will be anchored by an Aloft
hotel. "The Aloft is an exciting addition to
Detroit's community because it's a product
that doesn't exist in the market right now. As
a select-service, trendy hotel, it will attract
different clientele than the full-service Westin
or Marriott already downtown," says Heather
McKeon, interiors director of locally based
Kraemer Design Group, which is handling
the architecture and interiors of the hotel. "It's
specifically appealing to the younger generation,
who will see the presence of the Aloft brand as
an indication of 'coolness,' as in: 'Wow, Detroit
has an Aloft? There must be a lot of great stuff
for young people to do there'-which there is."
McKeon is quick to point out that the
transformation of the building "from an
unoccupied silent reminder of some of the
hardships our city has faced, into a vibrant
gateway to the now bustling downtown is a huge
win for the entire community." Proximity to the
entertainment district, she believes, will allow
visitors to experience Detroit as locals do, while
a four-story atrium lobby with terracotta details
that harken back to its past provide visual allure.
"But to be clear, you can't just build a hotel and
hope that people will come. The demand has to
already be there, which it is in Detroit, and that's
what's going to make this a success," she says.
The biggest inspiration, perhaps, can be
observed in Asbury Park. The New Jersey beach
town best known for boardwalk amusements
and jumpstarting Bruce Springsteen's career
began its descent into poverty in the 1970s.
Thanks to the Smith, downtown thrives again.
In 2006, the local branding and design firm
recognized that no one was coming to Asbury
Park, and so they figured out a way to attract
visitors: open a tavern named Brickwall. Porta,
a pizzeria, followed in 2011, and projects director
Mark Hinchliffe says, "That's when we began
to see the path for us: building exceptional

restaurants." The Smith's arrival in Asbury
Park was opportune, as no one else was taking
such culinary risks downtown, points out Jim
Watt, chief architect and designer. "At that time
my partners decided to move down here and
thought Asbury Park was a wonderful urban
oasis surrounded by shore town suburbia. They
were drawn to it for its edginess and its potential
as an urban center on the shore. Although it had
fallen on some really hard times, the thought
was that this place can be incredibly special."
After the arrival of Brickwall, now there
are galleries, clothing stores, and a recording
studio in a downtown that once played second
fiddle to the waterfront. This year, the Smith
opened its third restaurant in Asbury Park, a
vegan restaurant called Goldie's, swathed in
wood and flaunting a woven ceiling that evokes
the sensuality of curves. Pascal & Sabine, a
French restaurant set in a condo building, is
slated to open this month. "We took the palette
from the colors of The Red Balloon and how
the director created emotion," says Hinchliffe.
"The dueling inspiration is the artwork of Paolo
Ventura, which feels like a memory you are
remembering." As project leader Dallas Hlatky
says, "There's a richness between the food and
the space, and you have an amazing view of
the Jersey Shore and this beautiful townscape
below." Just a few decades ago, it would have
been hard to imagine.

1
2

1. Goldie's, Smith's
Asbury Park vegan
restaurant with a woven
ceiling feature. (Photo
by Kaitlin Kall)

2. A rendering of the
Aloft, coming to Detroit
in 2014.

"I truly appreciate the movement towards sustainable design,
especially using reclaimed wood, natural textures, and locally
sourced materials. I particularly love spaces that have been
repurposed to create a new use for buildings with past lives.
Some of my favorites are the James in New York-with its
wall made out of typewriter keys-or La Soupe Populaire in
Berlin, which converted a former brewery into a modernist
restaurant with revolving art exhibits."
Thomas Schoos
Schoos Design

hospitalitydesign.com December 2013

081

http://www.hospitalitydesign.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Hospitality Design - December 2013