Anyone familiar with the New York City commercial/residential real estate scene is familiar with the Extell Company – started by Gary Barnett in the mid-90s.

Additionally, anyone who follows Extell knows that Gary and company are notoriously tight lipped about the company and it's plans. In fact, most information about the company seems to come from those on Curbed.com and the like who spend their days perusing building permit records in City Hall.

New York Magazine scored a great interview with him, and ended up reminding me that it was Barnett's Extell that sold the building that currently houses the W Times Square to Starwood Hotels in 2001.

This is the same building, located on 47th St, behind the Roxy Deli where Robert Earl originally planned to open the first Planet Hollywood Hotel (back in 1997) which was to be managed by Sheraton, at the time known as ITT-Sheraton before being purchased by Starwood Hotels. (And everyone thought that Sheraton managing the Planet Hollywood Las Vegas was out of left field).

The project languished without even getting off the ground for a number of years, with Gary Barnett finally taking ownership of the property, and building it out. Then right as it was about to open, the events of 9/11 occurred, the project was once again put on hold because travel essentially dropped. Gary Barnett ended up having Barry Sternlicht's Starwood Hotels purchase the property and open it as one of W Hotel's flagship properties.  The W Times Square is still owned by Starwood Hotels to this day.

I knew about this years ago and have been looking for information on it since then. Finally! My questions have been answered.

andrew@alconic-inc.com

Andrew Calvo is a Commercial Real Estate Advisor in New Jersey. I live in Tinton Falls, NJ. This blog is about my passions - primarily hotels, commercial real estate, and development, etc.

Since I have been in High School I've had numerous jobs, but the field which has always interested me is Real Estate, Hotel Development and Construction. I consider myself a zealot in that area - I try to absorb as much as I possibly can, take the experiences that I learn, or read about and use them in my life. 

www.passionsofazealot.com