On the ever-changing corner of 125th Street in West Harlem, yet another business establishment is expected to make its debut in just a few weeks. This time, it’s Aloft Harlem, the first hotel to open in Harlem in decades—and one which local residents have greeted with mixed feelings.
Aloft Harlem, a hotel chain operated by Starwood Hotels & Resorts—the same managers of the glitzy W hotels—is slated to open its doors on Oct. 21. The hotel is expected to bring business and tourism to West Harlem, which hasn’t seen a new hotel in over 40 years. The space will include 124 guest rooms, retail space, and 44 condominium residences managed by Apex Condominiums on its upper six floors.
The hotel-condo complex sits a block away from Harlem’s busy 125th Street, where redevelopment efforts that began in the late 1980s include the construction of a Magic Johnson movie theater and an H&M—a testament to what many consider to be increasing gentrification over the past few years. Now, some local residents consider Aloft Harlem to be part of this tide of new, costly Harlem venues.
“Yes, they’re bringing in capital and improving the quality of life, but is it helping us?” West Harlem street vendor Clarence Sims said. “They’re buying up the buildings. We poor people, you know we not in there—we on the sidewalks. Rob the poor and give to the rich? That ain’t right.”
And with rooms starting at $299 per night and condos ranging from the mid-$300,000s to just over $1 million, some wonder whether this is yet another swath of property that could have been better used for low-income housing.
“Don’t know why you’re putting effing hotels here,” West Harlem resident Abraham Kane said. “As long as they’re going to be affordable, I don’t see a problem, but you know it’s not going to be.”
But administrators at Aloft Harlem say that the hotel will offer much-needed housing in a neighborhood that has long struggled with a dearth in housing options over the past couple of years.
“With a limited number of homes and the opportunity to live above a boutique hotel, Apex offers a unique lifestyle experience that clearly distinguishes it from the marketplace,” said Richard Gorsky, leader of RCG Longview, the condominiums’ owner and developer, in a Sept. 27 press release. “With no nationally branded hotel in the neighborhood, we recognized there was a huge need for one which could also offer a quality residential component at reasonable price points.”
And in addition to buoying the local housing market, it will also help local businesses, Aloft Harlem’s manager added.
“There were virtually no lodging options in Harlem,” said Daniel Fevre, the hotel’s general manager, in an interview. “Aloft Harlem seeks to fill that void while also acting as a business that supports the local community.”
Some local businesses have echoed these administrators, saying that the hotel will help reel in tourists.
“Businesses are excited, families are excited—now they won’t have to host relatives in their home,” said Louis Gagliano, one of the owners of the Harlem Flo floral atelier adjacent to the hotel. “In all respects you have more people visiting the area.”
Kenneth Allen, one of the owners of the Hue-Man Bookstore & Café across the street, agreed with Gagliano, suggesting that Aloft Harlem could serve as a helpful attraction in a neighborhood where many businesses are short-lived.
“I think 40 percent of the businesses in Harlem close within a year,” he said, “so it’s always good when something sustainable comes to the area.”
But Philip Bulgar, the manager of Manna’s Soul Food and Salad Bar near 125th Street, does not think Aloft Harlem will be a promising cushion for local businesses—the presence of wealthier people in the community has not necessarily translated into an economic boost for Harlem, he argued.
“The wealthy people that live here for the most part don’t spend here. Ask any grocery store around here,” he said, though he noted that Aloft could create jobs for unemployed locals.
Aloft Harlem said that it has already offered benefits to local residents through its recruitment process. It hired about 30 “talent”—the hotel’s lingo for its staff—after an extensive interview process this past summer, including a recruiting event at the Apollo Theater where applicants “auditioned” and mingled in a party setting.
“Out of those 30 people, 50 percent of them are Harlem residents, and a majority of the talent were unemployed when hired by Aloft Harlem,” Fevre said, adding that the hotel also plans to use local vendors for everything from flower arrangements to food pantry grab-and-go items.
Still, some locals say that this number is negligible, and that if Aloft Harlem is going to make its way into the neighborhood, it should be doing more to provide for residents.
“Thirty people?” local Ron Johnson said. “That’s nothing. It don’t bother me, but some of my friends are angry because they think it should be affordable housing for people out here. I’m a little mad, but there’s not too much you can do about it.”
Tiffany Ferguson, who lives in the area, said that while Harlem is in need of affordable housing, the hotel will provide tourists with important access to Harlem’s culture.
“One hundred twenty-fifth is like a mini 42nd Street,” she said. “We need a nice hotel. It makes people want to work and get jobs. I’m not saying we don’t need affordable housing. We do. But there are lots of vacant lots that they’re not doing anything – that’s where affordable housing should be built.”
Aloft Harlem, Fevre said, aims to “appeal to a wide swath of business and leisure travelers.”
“Aloft is a brand that was created for the Gen Y-minded traveler,” he said. “This group tends to be the first in line for that new generation of iPhone; they are savvy ‘early adopters’ who look for what’s new and next whether it be in pop culture, design, or technology.”
It’s not only street vendors who feel they’ve been driven to the streets. The arrival of Aloft—a select service hotel which boasts a bar area and urban café among other amenities—has left some longtime residents uneasy about the hike Aloft will cause in property values.
“It’ll bring the wealthy people, but the poor people in trouble, serious trouble,” Luigi Lloyd said. “How do they contribute to the people on the whole? All of the condos are raising property values. They’re going to have to move out.”
Aloft’s general manager, however, says the hotel has been “embraced by the local community.”
“We are seeing a lot of excitement for what we are bringing to the neighborhood,” Fevre said, noting that the hotel has received inquiries from local educational organizations, residents, and churches. “Aloft is already working closely with neighboring institutions such as the Apollo, Hip Hop Culture Center, and The Harlem Children’s Zone on cross-promotional programs and partnerships. All have been eager to develop relationships with us.”
Time will tell in a neighborhood where a Capital One bank and a RadioShack now stand by the Soul Saving Station and vacant buildings up for sale.
“Overall, it’s going to be a different crowd,” Kane said, looking at the orange traffic barriers and construction debris still surrounding the hotel’s entrance. “The people of Harlem are going to have to get used to it. We’ll have to see what happens.”
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