Skip to Content
CityRealty Logo
Rooftop of 9 Orchard Street (DLJ Real Estate Capital) Rooftop of 9 Orchard Street (DLJ Real Estate Capital)
Spring hasn’t even sprung (it's literally snowing outside) but rooftop decks are blossoming on the Lower East Side. The LES is the epitome of cool and that coolness is about to experience a burst of warmth with the opening of four exciting hotels with rooftop decks. Soon you will be able to get a many different bird’s eye views from the top of these four hotels.
 
 
 
 
225 Bowery
Enlarge Image
225 Bowery
Enlarge Image
225 Bowery
Enlarge Image
225 Bowery
Enlarge Image
225 Bowery
Enlarge Image

Name: Sister City

Address: 225 Bowery

Floors / Room Count: 200 rooms, 10 floors

Architect: Atelier Ace

Developer: Omnia Group w/ North Wind Group

Opening Date: Fall 2018

Opening in late 2018, the Ace Hotel is converting the 10-story former Bowery Salvation Army building into a self-proclaimed, “experiment in essentialism”- also knowns as a 200-room micro, hostel-like hotel to compete with Airbnb. Dubbed Sister Hotel, its PR team had a lot of fun with their press release, comparing the upcoming hotel as being inspired by the, “functional perfection of Finnish saunas, Japanese bento boxes, rock-cut cliff dwellings of prehistory and John Cage’s 4’33” (sounds as though they might want to lay off the sake in the sauna).

The micro hotel is beautiful in its simple Scandinavian, “hygge,” minimalist design. Although the rooms are "efficient" (read small) there are some very nice common spaces, most notable a rooftop bar to spend time in.
 
 
 
 
9 Orchard-02
Enlarge Image
9 Orchard-022
Enlarge Image
9 Orchard-026
Enlarge Image
9 Orchard-028
Enlarge Image
9 Orchard-0232
Enlarge Image
9 Orchard-0233
Enlarge Image

Name: Nine Orchard Street / Jarmulowsky Bank Building Conversion

Address: 54 Canal Street / 9 Orchard Street

Floors / Room Count: 12 floors, 108 rooms

Architect: Studio Castellano

Developer: DLJ Real Estate Capital Partners

Opening Date: Unknown

Nine Orchard is a 12-story, 60,000 square foot historic renovation of the 1912 Beaux-Arts Jarmulowsky Bank building. The bank building was vacant for many years until 2011 when DLJ Real Estate Capital bought the building and the adjacent property. They are now converting it into an upscale, independent hotel in the original building with a 6-story addition on the side. There are very few public details about the project (most notably what hotel it will be) but there will definitely be a spectacular rooftop deck

The original building featured a massive tempietto (a small Renaissance temple) which rose 50 feet to a dome top encircled by eagles. The tempietto was destroyed in the 1990 renovation of the building.

The first floor of the 108-room hotel will include a restaurant and bar, the second floor will have a bar and lounge. The hotel will be on floors 3-12. There will be a stunning rooftop lounge on the top floor with the dramatic restoration of the crowned cupola.
 
 
 
 
185-Bowery
Enlarge Image
185-Bowery-2
Enlarge Image
185-Bowery-4
Enlarge Image
185-Bowery8
Enlarge Image

Name: citizenM Bowery

Address: 189 Bowery

Floors / Room Count: 10 floors, 200 rooms

Architect: Stephen B. Jacobs Group P.C. / Andi Pepper Interior Design

Developer: citizenM / Brack Capital Real Estate

Opening Date: Expected September 2018

The new citizenM Bowery is a 19-story, 100,000 square foot, 210 piece modular constructed hotel in the Bowery. When complete, it will be the tallest modular hotel in the world.

The entire building was built in Poland, packed and then shipped to New York. The modular construction dramatically lessens the time and disruptive impact of construction on the local neighborhood and traffic.

According to their website, the soon-to-open citizenM hotel will “breathe contemporary style with affordable luxury like no other in downtown.” citizenM boasts: 1 minute check in, free wifi always, 24 hour food and drinks, 0 cost for movies in their 300 stylish rooms.

Isaac Astrachan of SBJ Group, said “The 19th floor rooftop at CitizenM Bowery will be unparalleled as it will offer 360-degree views. Luckily, all of the neighboring buildings are lower than the hotel, and therefore the views are magnificent, from both the indoor bar/lounge portion as well as the exterior rooftop.”
 
 
 
 
Enlarge Image
Enlarge Image
Enlarge Image
Enlarge Image
Enlarge Image
Enlarge Image

Name: The Allen Hotel

Address: 140 Allen Street, 139 Orchard and 77-79 Rivington

Floors / Room Count: 16 floors, 90 rooms

Architect: Edward I. Mills Associates

Developer: Elk Investors with real estate tycoon Morris Moinian

Opening Date: Mid-2018

Although there is very little information about the Allen, there is definitely a hub of activity around the site. Real estate tycoon Morris Moinian teamed up with Elk Investors to purchase the 140 Allen Street property $30.75 million out of bankruptcy. Construction started on the site nearly a decade ago but it now seems destined to come back to life. According to city filings, the hotel will have 16 floors, 98 rooms and a rooftop deck with stunning views over the Lower East Side.
Lower East Side Hotel from top-left: 9 Orchard, The Allen Hotel, citizenM Bowery, Sister City,,
Contributing Writer Michelle Sinclair Colman Michelle writes children's books and also writes articles about architecture, design and real estate. Those two passions came together in Michelle's first children's book, "Urban Babies Wear Black." Michelle has a Master's degree in Sociology from the University of Minnesota and a Master's degree in the Cities Program from the London School of Economics.