Unused Half of Bowery’s Sunshine Hotel Flophouse Available to Rent

The leasing banner has been strung from the facade of 241 Bowery for more than two years. Without much success.

The second and third floors (combined 8,938 square-feet) – once part of the Sunshine Hotel flophouse – are again on the market. And at a hefty price: $6,495 for a “raw” space that requires renovations at leasee’s cost. But, hey, it has this unique sliding barn door to allay the sticker shock.

(There had been prior plans – years in the offing – to convert the upper two floors of 241 Bowery to commercial loft usage.)

Mourning any potential loss of the Sunshine is nothing new, though. Back in 2004, there was talk of combining the last residents into 245 Bowery and redeveloping the other two buildings. That didn’t happen. Neither did the proposal four years later, which sought to demolish the three buildings for a payload of condos. Citing a history of tenant harassment inside the SRO at 241 Bowery, the HPD at the time rejected the owner’s bid for the Certificate of no Harassment to move forward with said plans.

The Sunshine Hotel is more than ninety-years-old, and occupies contiguous space across the three buildings comprising 241-245 Bowery. The original building is flanked by the “Lakewood” and the “Annex,” respectively. At one time, the second floor boasted 34 beds, sitting room, offices and storage, while the third hosted 52 beds. But now the entire operation only counts roughly 40 active tenants in its ranks.