New York's Gansevoort Hotel Tries a Reinvention in a Transforming Neighborhood
When the Gansevoort hotel first opened back in 2004, the boutique property had no competition in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District. “We were the only game in town, and it was just the right moment in time,” said Michael Achenbaum, the president and founder of the Gansevoort Hotel Group. That gave the boutique hotel a distinct advantage, as the neighborhood became arguably the nightlife capital in the aughts. The hotel — as well as other players, such as the restaurant Pastis and the lounge Lotus — helped speed up the growth of the Meatpacking District. But there was a tipping point. “I think there was a moment where it became too much, and the term ‘jump the shark’ was appropriate at the time,” Achenbaum said. Almost 20 years later, the neighborhood has morphed. More luxury shops like Gucci and Hermès have entered the space, Lotus is long gone, and packing plants are nowhere to be found — though Achenbaum believes there are still one or two left on the fringes of the district.