A massive redevelopment of the vacant Windermere building (W 57th St and 9th Ave) is likely to see the dilapidated property return to its previous grandeur, this time as a landmark hotel.
With the facade now refurbished, the Windermere could be back in operation with an application before New York City planning officials seeking to redevelop the eight-story structure into a 174-room hotel with shops and a rooftop restaurant.
The building’s owners, Windermere Properties LLC, were given permission in January to start work on renovating its 125-foot street-level façade, add new windows and restore brickwork. Completion of those renovations is expected this year.
In an Environmental Assessment Study, Windermere Properties outlined its hotel plans for the building, as well as an alternative option to create offices in a complex that would also house 20 affordable apartments.
A third option is to create 65 units within its red-brick walls.
Built in 1881 the Windermere began life as a luxurious home for the upper-middle class. It cost $350,000 to build and had 39 five-or-six-bedroom units within its walls. An added attraction for the wealthier tenants was the building had elevators and new-fangled telephones, which had only been in the city for a couple of years. It has been called “an unsung architectural heirloom shrouded in disarray.”
Because it is within the protected Clinton District of Hell’s Kitchen, building work must wait until the developers get official permission and a special zoning permit. Once the go-ahead is granted the redevelopment could be finished as early as 2023.
