Danny Meyer passes the torch at Union Square Hospitality Group, a posh coworking space for the super-rich will open in New York next year, and Muyiwa Oki is elected the first Black president of RIBA. All that and more in this week’s Five on Friday.
Union Square Hospitality Group names new CEO
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Danny Meyer—founder of the famed Union Square Hospitality Group behind eateries including Union Square Cafe, Ci Siamo, and Gramercy Tavern—will be stepping down as CEO, Eater reports. After nearly 40 years leading the hospitality group, Meyer will be succeeded by Chip Wade, current president and chief operating officer. However, Meyer will stay on as executive chairperson and will continue consulting on new concepts and ideas.
New York City’s newest coworking space is for the 1 percent
Rendering courtesy of Colette
New York City’s newest club isn’t for everyone. Colette, the forthcoming coworking space in development by Edmond Safra—a member of the billionaire banking Safra family—and restaurateur Juan Santa Cruz, will have an initial buy-in fee of $125,000 with annual dues running a cool $36,000. As if the price wasn’t exclusive enough, membership will be capped at 300 and offer only 23 private offices. Colette is scheduled to open in March 2023 and will be located across the entire 37th floor of the General Motors Building, offering sweeping views of Central Park, Bloomberg reports.
Muyiwa Oki named first Black president of RIBA
Photo by Nicholas Menniss, courtesy of RIBA
Muyiwa Oki has been elected to succeed Simon Alfred on September 1st, 2023, as the next president of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), ArchDaily writes. Oki will be RIBA’s first Black president and is currently an architect at Mace Group. He has spent his career driving change within the industry, founding the Multi-Ethnic Group and Allies Network while he was with Grimshaw Architects. After his election, Oki stated: “We can be proud of an election where people of color, at different stages of their careers, of all identities, can be heard and seen bidding to represent the profession. I hope this is the start of many great things to come for those who feel disenfranchised and under-represented.”
Heatwaves are altering European travel season
The Valldemossa village in Majorca, Spain
Since an onslaught of cancelled and postponed trips during the COVID-19 pandemic, travelers have returned to tourism in a big way with European countries, including Greece, seeing a record number of travelers. Another record high reached this summer are the temperatures with blistering heat in London and wildfires breaking out across Spain and Portugal. According to The New York Times, climate researchers have described the region as a “hot spot” for severe summer heat, predicting future heat waves will be longer and more intense. Now, travelers are taking climate into account, rebooking trips in waterfront cities, or rescheduling them for cooler months, stretching the standard European summer travel season from April through October.
Call for entries: Gold Key Awards deadline extended
2021 Lobby Upper Midscale Winner: Hotel Kansas City in Missouri, designed by KTGY Simeone Deary Design Group; photo by RW2 Productions Michael Robinson
The submission deadline for the 42nd annual Gold Key Awards, presented by Hospitality Design‘s sister brand Boutique Design, has been extended through Wednesday, August 10th. The awards, celebrating excellence in hospitality design, span 25 categories, in addition to the judges’ So Cool award and Designer of the Year. To learn more and enter, visit goldkeyawards.com.
