Moxy Lower East Side

Stonehill Taylor, Lightstone Group

Short description

The Moxy Lower East Side is a vibrant lifestyle hotel situated at the historic intersection of Broome and Bowery. Occupying a 16-story tower, the architectural design of Moxy Lower East Side is a collaboration between Stonehill Taylor and Lightstone. At Moxy Lower East Side, a restrained, modern exterior honors its immediate context— with interiors that feed the curiosity and dazzle the eye, layering references to the Lower East Side’s eclectic social history with the vibrancy of today. In the Lower East Side, where cobblestone streets and historic buildings edge up against the city’s more contemporary developments, Moxy respects its surroundings while still standing out as a destination. To that end, Stonehill Taylor conceived a wedding-cake-on-a-base-style massing with a modern facade.

The first six floors conform to the heights of the traditional six-story mercantile and tenement buildings that until recently were the typical building stock of the area and present a strong horizontal datum at that level. The rest of the building’s stories are set back dramatically from the six-story base and are thus only seen from afar, harmonizing with the taller buildings of more recent construction in the city skyline. The exterior palette is refined to only three materials: black metal, glass, and concrete, lending a timeless feel to the structure and providing contrast to the vibrant interiors, which reflect Bowery’s ever-evolving persona. An exposed concrete colonnaded arcade with a sculptural concrete overhang wraps the entrance at Bowery and Broome. It occupies much of its street frontage, giving the hotel a welcoming presence along both streets. Forming a semi-public threshold between the interior and exterior, the arcade allows passersby to take shelter from the elements and steal a glimpse of the food and beverage offerings. Taking advantage of the arcade circulation, additional mullions were introduced into the storefront fenestration, making the space feel more accessible to pedestrians, distinguishing the ground-floor amenities from the guest room floors above, and instilling the building with a detailed and intimate feel along the streetscape.

Guests enter the hotel through a hexagonal vestibule and encounter a bridge that is open to below and flanked by feature staircases that descend to Sake No Hana, the hotel’s signature restaurant. Overhead is a unique horizontally landscaped 12-foot-tall ceiling that guides guests to the hotel’s reception. As guests continue to follow the greenery across the bridge, they are greeted by the reception area, which is surrounded by the lounge to the south and the bar, Silver Lining, to the north. Within the lounge, guests will find ample seating, a grab-and-go café, three flexible multi-use studios, a boutique bar, and a 15-foot-tall ceiling. On the north side of the walkway, guests will notice a floor-to-ceiling glass window wall soundproofing the lounge and bar while still maintaining a work/play connection that is characteristically Moxy. Inside Silver Lining, is a 14-foot-tall vaulted ceiling and an intimate piano bar space. All these spaces and the arcade consisting of roughly 9,470 square feet are the essences of the ground-floor arrival experience for guests. To access two of the hotel’s most discrete amenity spaces, nightlife guests will utilize individual entrances from the side alley that together are part of a 100-foot-long intimate mews off the Bowery, adding an exclusive speakeasy vibe.

The hotel’s 303 compact and efficient guestrooms begin on the second level and extend to the 14th floor. A collection of ten guestrooms overlooks a dynamically lit six-story courtyard. The other guestrooms boast views of the Lower East Side and the city beyond as the rooms ascend. With a thoughtful layout that accounts for every guest's need, the guestroom floor plate was carefully designed to maximize the guest’s perception of the space and the functionality of the room. Each bedroom was cleverly designed with tech-savvy amenities to offer a delightful retreat, while versatile co-working areas and flexible meeting studios effortlessly cater to the demands of modern, connected travelers, effortlessly blending work and leisure. Full-height windows and 9+ feet ceilings also create an experience that feels anything but “compact.” A feature that promises to be a guest favorite is the 7th-floor hospitality suite with a private terrace. This amenity offers spectacular north and east-facing views of some of Manhattan’s most notable buildings, including the Empire State Building and the former MetLife Tower. Windows stretch nearly the full 16-foot height of the space, letting guests take in the city sights and lights. Those looking for a breath of fresh air can step out onto the open-air deck. Guestrooms, as well as the ground-floor amenities, and rooftop bar, The Highlight Room, are designed by interior design firm Michaelis Boyd. The interior design firm Rockwell Group designed the cellar restaurant, Sake No Hana, and the subterranean nightclub, Loosie’s, beneath it.