Staying power gives hotel developer room to grow.You are a young traveler to New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. and you want to stay somewhere hip and trendy. But you've outgrown youth hostels and you can't afford a W or a boutique hotel Boutique hotel is a term originating in North America to describe intimate, usually luxurious or quirky hotel environments. Boutique hotels differentiate themselves from larger chain/branded hotels and motels by providing personalized level accommodation and services / facilities. . Where do you stay? "Until now, the option just hasn't existed," said Hank Freid, president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of Impulsive im·pul·sive adj. 1. Inclined or tending to act on impulse rather than thought. 2. Motivated by or resulting from impulse. im·pul Group, a NYC NYC abbr. New York City NYC New York City firm specializing in hotel development and management. Freid should know. For over 30 years, a large part of his business has been catering to international tourists and students, providing them with inexpensive hotel options around the city. He is credited with not only transforming rundown Rundown A summary of the amount and prices of a serial bond issue that is still available for purchase. rundown A list of available bonds in a municipal issue of serial bonds. buildings into successful and respected hotels, but also revitalizing entire neighborhoods in the process. And now, Freid is making those hotels not just comfortable and affordable, but chic, too. Freid got his start in the mid-1970s when, along with several partners, he purchased a building on 101st street and Broadway and converted it into the 126-room Broadway Hotel. He ensured the continued success of his investment by entering into contracts with universities, trade schools and art schools to provide housing for their students. Over the years, he slowly bought out his partners' interests. In 1984, Freid--this time entirely on his own--purchased another building, at 2688 Broadway, and again successfully transformed the property into a first-class hotel, now known as the Marrakech Hotel NYC. Both properties house commercial tenants, including restaurants, a children's clothing store, a photocopy center, dry cleaners and coming soon to the Marrakech, a Starbucks. Today, Freid's portfolio also includes the 212-room four-star Ameritania Hotel at 54th and Broadway (next to the Ed Sullivan Theatre,), a recent Times Square acquisition on West 47th Street, and several charter yachts--a 116-foot Norship in the Mediterranean and a 75-foot Predator in Florida and the Bahamas. Impulsive Group oversees the management of Freid's hotels, yachts and commercial tenants. Freid's son, 27-year-old Brandon Freid, joined Impulsive Group in 2003 as Vice President of Acquisitions, and has been integral to the company's overall growth and recent procurements, such as of the West 47th Street hotel (then called Portland Square Hotel) in September of 2005. In the coming weeks, Hank Freid's dream to invigorate in·vig·or·ate tr.v. in·vig·or·at·ed, in·vig·or·at·ing, in·vig·or·ates To impart vigor, strength, or vitality to; animate: "A few whiffs of the raw, strong scent of phlox invigorated her" the budget hotel category with an edgier flair will be realized as the Marrakech reopens with a multi-million dollar face-lift. The new look and feel includes renovated rooms, all with upgraded amenities such as flat screen TVs and curved shower rods, exposed brick in the rooms and authentic Moroccan decorations add to the hotel's "downtown" vibe, as do the fashionable doormen, clad in head-to-toe black. "The original purpose of a hostel was as an inexpensive place for travelers, especially young travelers, to lodge and get to know people from other cultures. With the Marrakech, I am hoping to recapture that ideal, minus the barebones part, in a modern and stylish setting," said Freid, noting that many of the hotel guests hail from diverse locales, such as Australia, Italy, Japan, France, the UK and South Africa South Africa, Afrikaans Suid-Afrika, officially Republic of South Africa, republic (2005 est. pop. 44,344,000), 471,442 sq mi (1,221,037 sq km), S Africa. . "Everyone wants to stay in a Schrager hotel, but not everyone can afford it; the Marrakech is a fashionable and inexpensive alternative," he adds. The Moroccan theme was brought to life by Lionel Ohayona of Icrave, a leading design firm in New York City. Impressed with Ohayona's nightclubs and lounges--recently completed projects in Manhattan include Aer Lounge, Pacha, Pink Elephant (1) (Pink Elephant Inc., The Netherlands, www.pinkelephant.com) An IT service management provider founded in 1979 with operations throughout North America and the Asia Pacific region. and Koi Restaurant--Freid hired him to bring the Icrave aesthetic to the lobby of the Marrakech. Freid hired Steve Vargas as general manager to bring his skills to the Marrakech. Vargas was previously the director of operations for the Millennium and the office manager of the Hilton Club. Freid's other projects include the expansion of his Ameritania hotel and the upgrading of his Broadway Hotel, which will be renamed The Aspen. Also in development is his hotel at 47th and Times Square, which is in the early design phase. Freid is upgrading the hotel "to be an sophisticated oasis from the hustle hus·tle v. hus·tled, hus·tling, hus·tles v.tr. 1. To jostle or shove roughly. 2. To convey in a hurried or rough manner: hustled the prisoner into a van. and bustle of New York City," aptly renamed it The Sanctuary and catering to "publishing and corporate executives." Freid is currently looking to expand his holdings in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of and Florida and is exploring opportunities in San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden , Boston and Tahiti. Hank Freid, president & CEO, Impulsive Group |
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