Another Knock Against the Cooper Square Hotel

Has there ever been a more problematic development project than the Cooper Square Hotel? Let us count the ways.

• The futuristic design is out of context with the neighborhood and has been panned by both civic groups and architecture critics.
• Management failed to get approval for its planned bar and lounge spaces, and . . .
• The bars that were approved are subject to early closing times, and its patrons are constantly harassed by the neighborhood residents.
• They have opened during the worst travel recession in New York since 2001.
• The development partners are no longer speaking to one another.

And the final kick in the teeth? Frank "the Tank" Bruni comes in and gives Table 8 at the Cooper Square Hotel a big fat zero stars. Zero! Frank says, "The people behind Table 8 have given too little thought to logistics and comfort. They were inattentive when they put the place together, and they’re inattentive still." Ouch. On a positive note, Table 8 does draw a crowd on a nightly basis, and in a big eff you to the Community Board, the Coop does host those kicking penthouse parties. But will this place ever get some good press? Oh Coop, we weep for thee. 

Cooper Square Turns Poop Ship Destroyer

Everything is turning brown outside the Cooper Square Hotel, as the 5th Street neighbors abutting the great glass wang in the sky deal with scensters congregating on the multiple terrace spaces attached to both the lounge and Table 8. But long time East Village residents are not known to take much guff, so they have begun a guerrilla campaign to chase the vodka soda crowd away from their homes. Tactics to date have included screaming at people through megaphones, blasting arcane comedy routines over their home stereos, and our personal favorites, stringing a clothesline across the courtyard complete with soiled men's underwear. You can see it in the picture above! We aren't sure if the feces was real, or if it came from the woman or a nearby animal, but a gutsy move for a neighbor desperate for some R&R. The lesson here is that the Cooper Square knew they were going to have issues, and failed to mitigate them properly, either through design or cash payouts, and since it's too late to go back to the drawing board, we expect these problems to continue until Peck Moss comes up with some moolah to shut them up. [NYP]

[Photo Credit]

Save the Beatrice Invades Cooper Square

The much discussed Save the Beatrice affair did indeed take place Friday night in the penthouse of the Cooper Square Hotel. The Beatrice Inn staff spread the word Friday afternoon to regular patrons to come by the glassy box tower on the Bowery for some old school Beatrice fun, albeit in a much more modern space - complete with a wrap-around balcony and amazing views. Here's how one Little Birdy summed it up:

It was the usual debauchery with the penthouse taken over. There was free drinks at the bar an in he bathtub. people were peeing in the showers and dancing on the wrap around terrace. It was really fun. Angelo and Todd only let in people they knew.

Click to read more ...