The historic Bossert Hotel in Brooklyn Heights could finally get back to life and two new commercial tenants – a dance studio and Georgian restaurant – are getting ready to open their doors on Montague Street.
A Fred Astaire Dance Studio is opening up on Montague Street above the Thai restaurant at 128 Montague Street offering classes in Ballroom, Foxtrot, Latin, Swing and many more. The studio is a ballroom dance franchise in the United States and Canada, named after and co-founded by famous dancer Fred Astaire. Kids and teens dance lessons from ballroom & Latin dance to line dancing, hip-hop, theatre arts and more for ages 5 and up will also be available at this location. No opening date for their first Brooklyn location has been published yet.
A Georgian restaurant by the name of Chama Mama is coming to 121 Montague Street. It will open in the former location of Le Pain Quotidien. The interesting menu includes Georgian breads, dumplings, yoghurt soup, Georgian burger, grain bowl, lamb stuffed vine leaves and more. Highlight at Chama Mama according to the Eater NY: Every locale in Georgia seems to have its own version of the cheese bread known as khachapuri. Originating along the Black Sea coast, the one known as adjaruli khachapuri is shaped like a boat, with the cheese inside said to represent the sea, and the egg yolk in the middle, the sun. The bread is freshly prepared in the oven that’s the centerpiece of Chama Mama’s decor, and a pat of butter is put on top as the bread is delivered to the table, as the diners look on admiringly. No opening date for their first Brooklyn location has been published yet.
The Commercial Observer reports that hoteliers Ian Schrager who founded Studio 54 and Ed Sheetz, former CEO of Hard Rock Hotels have partnered with the Chetrit Group to get the Hotel Bossert open. The new joint venture is currently in the market seeking to raise $26 million of additional equity to reposition and rebrand the property as Schrager’s Public Hotel brand. As part of the deal, Schrager and Scheetz would become 50-50 ownership partners with Chetrit, but the hoteliers would fully take the reins when it comes to managing the hotel’s operations. The historic 282-room hotel at 98 Montague Street was built in 1909 and purchased by Chetrit and Clipper Equity’s David Bistricer for $81 million in 2012.
