Neighbors Petition to Fight the ‘Public Hotel’ Spelling Lights
Public Hotel remains in the spotlight with its window-lit spelling scheme.
The uppermost floors of both the northern and southern exposures of Ian Schrager’s new 28-story condo-hotel act as advertisement for the brand. In fact, the illuminated billboard (nay, Lite-Brite) shines 24/7.
Since the switch flipped, however, we’ve fielded a growing number of emails from neighbors who consider the installation an imposition and offensive. So much so, that a petition is now making the rounds.
“The lighted sign on the Public Hotel is quite offensive and shines into the windows of folks to its south and north,” one reader tells us.
The online petition is an open letter to hotelier Ian Schrager, calling him out for not being a “good neighbor” on the Lower East Side. Even before the 367-key hotel opens.
Congratulations on your new hotel, Public, on the Lower East Side. When you testified at Community Board 3 about the property, you talked about being a good neighbor and that you were a “downtown” person. Now you have lit up this neighborhood with your gigantic two sided sign shining uptown and downtown.
This is not art. It is advertising. This is not Vegas or Times Square. This is our home.
Recent Stories
New Condos Teased at 15-Story ‘One Essex Crossing’
Each month brings more significant updates for Essex Crossing. On the heels of the International Center of Photography launching its new flagship, the billion-dollar Lower East Side development this week rolled out more info about the CetraRuddy-designed condo tower at 202 Broome Street (aka Site 3). Dubbed One Essex Crossing, the fifteen-story newcomer features 83 […]
Broome Street Gets an Exclusive Nightclub by Omar Hernandez
Where Happy Ending once tormented this Broome Street block, and Better Days was anything but, something uber-upscale is now replacement. Perhaps even too upscale for its own good. By now you’ve probably seen the well-placed hype pieces about the newest nightclub at 302 Broome Street, led by nightlife impresario Omar Hernandez. He converted the space […]
Ten Injured, Including Firefighters, in Massive Mulberry Street Blaze Last Night [Updated]
The three-alarm blaze that engulfed 70 Mulberry Street last night spread quickly, destroying the upper levels of the historic Public School 23. The fire started shortly after 8:45pm on the fourth floor. Firefighters from Ladder 20 and police from the 5th Precinct were the first responders. More than two hundred fire personnel ultimately arrived to […]
3-Alarm Fire Engulfs PS 23 Building on Mulberry Street
Shortly before 9pm this evening, a three-alarm fire was sparked at 70 Mulberry Street (at Bayard). Within minutes, the historic building – erected in the nineteen century as Public School 23 – was in flames. More than one hundred firefighters were called to the scene to battle the blaze which is apparently confined to the […]
The Year of the Rat Scurries In
It’s the Year of the Rat! This week marks the 21st year of New York City’s Lunar New Year celebration, and no doubt the organizers are scurrying around in preparation for a veritable smorgasbord of festivities. As in years past, the festivities will kick off with the explosive Firecracker Ceremony Saturday morning at 11:00am (January 25) […]
