For the new Crosby Street Hotel in New York, its British owners set out to bring the proud tradition of its independent hotel group, maintaining its high standards while giving the project a uniquely American spin. The hotel is in an 85,000-sq.-ft., 11-story building with 86 guest rooms.
Design and sustainability were clear objectives from the start. “You can’t take three-star goals and put them on a five-star project,” said Paul Taylor, president of architectural firm Stonehill & Taylor, New York. “The hotel attracts clients in the entertainment, fashion, and creative fields, as well as leisure travelers who like to be around those people.” Out-of-town hoteliers and other professionals also frequent the hotel while conducting business in New York.
The design taps the essence of a quintessential SoHo loft in a neighborhood known for its eclectic mix of galleries, fine restaurants, and upscale retail shops. Yet space-planning modules spell out the signature characteristics that must remain the same across the hotel group’s properties, including the overall approach to the bathrooms.
The bathroom fittings fall squarely within that consistency directive. The Geberit (Des Plaines, IL) concealed tank and carrier system, matched with a Duravit (Hornberg, Germany) Happy D wall-mounted toilet, is a standard specification component for guest rooms and public restrooms. The dual-flush Geberit model, which flushes at 0.8 gpf (3 lpf) or 1.6 gpf (6 lpf), serves the sustainability objectives of the U.S. market.
“It happened to coincide with the fact that this was undertaken as a LEED Gold project,” said Taylor.
