The Hotel @ Lafayette has been selected to receive the Preservation League of New York State’s award for Excellence in Historic Preservation. The League’s statewide awards program honors notable achievements in retaining, promoting and reusing New York’s historic resources.
This project has transformed a landmark building from a neglected shadow of its former self to a bustling hub of residential, commercial and hospitality activity. First designed and then expanded by Louise Blanchard Bethune, the first woman admitted to the American Institute of Architects, the Hotel Lafayette began as an opulent French-Renaissance style hotel. After being remodeled in the mid-20th century, the Hotel Lafayette fell into disuse and disrepair over time.
Now, thanks to the business savvy of developer Rocco Termini and to the incentives afforded by State and Federal rehabilitation tax credits, the property has been reborn into a mixed-use anchor in the heart of downtown. Carmina Wood Morris was project architect.
The award will be presented at the Preservation League’s Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony in New York City on May 15th.