Andrew Zobler, founder and CEO of New York-based Sydell Group, is known for creating a number of noteworthy hotel brands, including the NoMad, the Line, and Freehand. Now, more than 15 years after the hotel ownership and development company’s inception, Zobler has introduced Penny, a boutique hotel in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, New York. Here, the hotelier discusses the new concept and what else is in store for Sydell Group.
Tell us about Penny, your newest launch in Brooklyn.
Penny is a combination of student housing for Bard [College] and a hotel. The people who were developing it went belly up and the owner called and said, ‘Can you come in and fix this?’ I’ve been involved with Bard for almost a decade on the board of their performing arts center and love what they do. Our values are similar to theirs. The opportunity to do something with Bard built into the building was exciting. We dove in and tried to make it as Sydell-like as we could. [With interiors by New York firm Stonehill Taylor], we made it very art-centric and idiosyncratic. Originally the roof was supposed to be for the students, but because it’s the best space in the building, we are making it into a bar and restaurant that will open in the beginning of next year.
Where did the name come from?
Penny comes from my dog, who’s a Chihuahua. She’s the smartest and most affectionate [pet], and it shows that something doesn’t have to be big and flashy to be great. This is not the biggest, grandest hotel we’ve ever done, but we think we can make it special and intimate—very Sydell.
The Penny in Brooklyn, New York will offer 102 dorm rooms to Bard College students and 118 rooms to hotel guests
How are you blending the hotel with the student housing experience?
With [students] in the building, we’ll continue to think about multiple ways of engaging with them—everything from letting them work with us part time to doing performance-based things with them. There’s a whole host of things you can do with a bunch of talented students living in the building. They don’t come until January, so we haven’t created all of that programming yet, but it will come.
What’s next for Sydell Group?
We’re looking to grow NoMad [beyond London and Las Vegas]. We’re looking at something in New York. We’re far along with something in Nashville. We’re doing something in Vienna and in Copenhagen. We’re also doing a NoMad-branded residential product with the Related Companies in Miami.
This article originally appeared in HD’s September 2022 issue.
More from HD:
HDTV: Tour Oiji Mi With Chef and Owner Brian Kim
4 Design-Forward Cannabis Stores and Dispensaries
Aethos Ericeira Embodies a Subtle Sense of Luxury
