ABOUT
Located in the historic neighborhood of Gowanus, Brooklyn, Gowanus Hospitality Group is comprised of several dynamic and contrasting venues as well as design, performance, catering, gallery, and social companies that animate the Group on a daily basis. We are prideful of the Brooklyn community in which we live and eagerly endeavor to provide a variety of soulful forums for working, dining, and celebrating life.
HISTORY
It began with The Green Building – a 19th century brass foundry that begged to be transformed into something alive again. It sat on promising ground amidst the renaissance of Brooklyn, and it had good bones. A little luck and a few poignant coincidences encouraged long-time designer and builder Akiva Reich to invest in preserving and reviving the property. Transformed into a rustic event space, The Green Building began to develop its own center of gravity. It attracted artists like Brooklyn native and Grammy-winning songstress Norah Jones, who chose the space to host the celebration of her fifth album, which was taped and aired on PBS’s “Live from the Artist Den”.
Following the success of The Green Building, Reich expanded his endeavors to develop 501 Union, an additional event space inspired by the luxury of the Deco Era and originally used for the reconstruction of classic automobiles. Next was the construction of the Sky Gallery, recently labeled by the New York Times as a “critic’s pick” destination for Brooklyn art and design, while Gowanus Art + Production, the art and performance arm of the group, simultaneously thrives and grows its programming and audiences each month.
In Spring 2014, Gowanus Hospitality Group welcomed Starling on Bond to fulfill the event design and floral needs of our venues and beyond, and Purslane Catering, to wine and dine the many who walk through our doors. Purslane prides itself on delivering superior culinary experiences throughout the Tri-State area. On Labor Day 2016, we threw open the doors to Hasbrouck House, after a year-long, meticulous renovation of the historic property.
All of these pieces and more move together in order to make up the churning enterprise that is Gowanus Hospitality Group.
PHILOSOPHY
We at Gowanus Hospitality work to preserve local history, to unveil and meet the needs of our surrounding communities, and to sculpt possibilities that will lead to enriching life. We like old buildings because they come with a soul, and because the best new things include strong, storied foundations. While protecting the history of the properties we revitalize, we also strive to seamlessly introduce modern elements via sustainable design and uncompromising craft.
We know that community and collaboration is at the foundation of our success, and therefore as we work, we look to each other and our clients to bring each vision into its fullest potential and success.