The Observer is not sure which is worse: a Tommy Hilfiger-themed hotel or just another blasé Marriott. The fashion designer had planned to tranform the Madison Square icon into a red-white-and-blue boutique hotel before he backed out. A plan to turn the landmark into condos already failed, but the owners have found a new buyer who still wants a hotel overlooking Shake Shack.
This will not be any old Marriott, though, The Journal reports. The MetLife clocktower is becoming an Editions Hotel, a brand led by none other than the very public Ian Schrager.
The lodging giant signed a contract earlier this month to pay $165 million to Africa Israel USA for the property, according to people familiar with the matter.
Marriott is likely targeting the site for its stylish Edition Hotel line, hoping to build fresh momentum for Edition after the brand stumbled coming out of the gate, some people in the hotel industry say.
The Bethesda, Md., company announced Edition in 2007 with hotelier Ian Schrager as a partner. It predicted then it would open 100 Edition hotels over 10 years. So far, there is one in Istanbul and one in Honolulu.
Meanwhile, another article in The Journal reveals that Steve Ross and HFZ Capital are closer to taking over the teetering One Madison. The two developers had been sparring over control of the property, but they have since teamed up and hope to win out at an auction to take place in December.
