Civilian

NEW YORK

Hotelier Jason Pomeranc adds to his Sixty Collective with a new brand, enlisting David Rockwell to bring the drama of Broadway to its debut.

Words: Ayesha Khan • Photography: © Johnny Miller (unless otherwise stated)

After developing the wildly successful Thompson hotel brand and primping it to be picked up by none other than Hyatt, New York-based hotelier Jason Pomeranc launched Sixty Collective and seemed content to nurture its four flags around the US. As it turns out, while New York was hunkering down amidst a pandemic, the ever-ambitious Pomeranc was busy conceptualising his next brainchild. “I love that it seems to allude to the democratisation of style and luxury,” he says when asked why he chose to coin this new brand Civilian.

For Civilian’s first foray, Pomeranc chose to partner with hospitality veteran David Rockwell, to whom the Midtown West hotel’s theme was a no-brainer. Given its proximity to the glittering marquees of Broadway and his own passion for set design – which has won him multiple Tony Awards – Rockwell imbued the property with a fitting theatrical theme. “I had been thinking about a Broadway-centric hotel for a while and as I was writing my book, Drama, I thought a lot about why people need to be together,” says Rockwell. “Editing this book during the pandemic gave me a chance to think about my love affair with theatre and some of the powerful experiences I’ve had.”

The overriding theme at Civilian is togetherness, and with that the hotel hopes to carry the Stage Door tradition, where adoring audience members line up at a theatre’s back door at the end of a show to be delighted by cast members coming out to interact with them. During the debut run of legendary New York show Hamilton, cast members would put on impromptu aftershows at the Stage Door, allowing for fans who were unable to afford the hefty price tag to witness some of its highlights.

Guests enter by way of a Broadway-style marquee that magically turns into an infinity mirror installation once inside. Check-in at the tech-savvy hotel is done via app or kiosk (remember the democratasation mandate). Guests then proceed through an exposed brick corridor that feels like a theatre’s backstage, leading to elevators lined with illustrations from Broadway’s finest costume designers. Also on the ground floor, a diner-style restaurant with mirrored, vaulted ceilings harkens back to the once-ubiquitous theatredistrict diner. On any given night at these establishments, distressed playwrights would have clandestine meetings with dramaturges and hopeful leading ladies would be feverishly running lines before their big audition. This iteration features brass-trimmed sconces etched with sketches of all 41 of Broadway’s theatres, executed by famed illustrators such as Tony Walton and Es Devlin, while the hotel’s secret alleyfacing garden has a mural by famed scenic painter Joseph Forbes, whose credits include A Chorus Line and Evita.

Up a cast-iron stair surrounded in a luscious velvet stage curtain, guests are brought to the nerve centre of the hotel – a space that Rockwell describes as the “watering hole” as he laments the loss of popular hotspots such as Café Edison. With an eclectic blend of furnishings, an expansive

© Courtesy of Civilian balcony space and a floor-to-ceiling vitrine showcasing models of every current Broadway show set, this space is unlike any other hotel lobby lounge. Rockwell is determined that this will be the ultimate spot for thrilling after-show jam sessions among cast members and adoring fans. So determined is he, that he donated his personal piano to the venue to get impromptu performances started.

Tucked away in an inconspicuous corner is a lush library decked out with plush furniture in hues of deep blue. The space is accessorised with vitrines featuring prop memorabilia from iconic shows, while walls are plastered with artworks by a host of creatives including New York Times theatre photographer Sara Krulwich. One of Rockwell’s proudest art moments is a collection of pieces commissioned around a Broadway lyric. “In the show Company there is a lyric that goes, ‘it’s a city of strangers, some come to stay, some come to play.’ We asked 15 artists to show through their craft, what made them stay in New York,” Rockwell explains.

In the hotel’s 203 rooms, guests are invited to pick from three different service options, ranging from a basic package to one that offers dining, housekeeping and minibar services. “We’re trying to use technology to allow guests to decide where they want to spend their money – to truly curate their own experience,” Pomeranc explains. Although the rooms are noticeably small, they don’t skimp on efficiency or design.

Rockwell’s design concept for the guestrooms once again looks to the theatre for inspiration. “We thought about the private box at a theatre,” he explains, pointing out the sweeping drapery, old-fashioned brass toggle switches and plush velvet seating. The larger rooms come in shades of dramatic red with framed Broadway photography from the archives hanging on the walls and costume trunk-inspired closets. Smaller rooms meanwhile are a deep midnight blue and feature platform four-poster beds – with neat under-bed storage – bringing a feeling of extravagance. Although compact, the design team have worked hard to make the best of the space. “You have to look at the advantages of small rooms,” says Rockwell. “One of the things we discovered was that in a micro hotel you can have every surface within reach, allowing you to focus on every little detail.”

And if there’s one thing that sets this property apart from the ubiquitous urban micro hotel, it’s a painstaking attention to detail and authenticity. Pomeranc refers to it as “the democratisation of design.” He explains: “This type of hotel, which is targeting a younger demographic, tends to lean towards what I call the coffee shop aesthetic. I wanted to convey a sense of richness because I know our guests have an incredibly sophisticated palette. We’re not falling into any clichés. I would describe this aesthetic as highly finished with dark, moody colours. It’s very American.”

As American as New York, and as New York as Broadway, Civilian truly embodies its sense of place and it also has a heart – a portion of the proceeds goes to support the American Theatre Wing’s efforts to assist theatre workers affected by Broadway’s two-year shutdown. EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Owner / Developer: YYY Atlas 48, a joint venture between Joy Construction, Madd Equities and Atlas Hospitality Operator: Civilian Hotel Architecture: Gene Kaufman Architect Interior Design: David Rockwell, Rockwell Group Main Contractor: Joy Construction www.civilianhotel.com