Hostels are in the news: hot on the heels of the Sydell Group's plan to open a Freehand hostel in Williamsburg, the NY Observer published a story this morning detailing a proposed addition to the NYC Administrative Code that would create a new agency charged with regulating hostels.
We recently learned that a new hostel is coming to Long Island City this fall. The Local NYC will be located at 13-02 44th Avenue, in a mostly quiet/industrial part of the neighborhood that is near a number of decent transportation options.
It appears that the hostel operator, Sunlite Avenue Holdings, L.L.C., will lease a portion of the building from Thermodyne Corporation, which has owned it since 1998.
By all accounts, this is the operators' first hostel project in the NY area.
One of the principals, Lee Gonzalez, owns a chain of small hostels in Barcelona known as Somnio Hostels.
Andrew Nimmer, also a principal, was formerly with the Carlyle Group.
Construction is ongoing, and if built in accordance with approved plans the hostel will have 37 hotel rooms, a cafe, and office space.
Like them on facebook or follow them on twitter to keep up with construction progress.
We wish them the best, and consider their project to be a welcome addition to the neighborhood.