Bedrock, Detroit’s largest real estate developer, announced that it has chosen ROOST Apartment Hotel, the high design extended stay concept, as its hospitality partner for both the Book Tower development in downtown Detroit and the historic May Company building in downtown Cleveland. The partnership will introduce two long-term stay hotel experiences to these markets, with ROOST Book Tower opening 118 beautifully furnished apartments as part of the rehabilitation of one of Detroit’s oldest and most beloved architectural landmarks scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2022. ROOST Cleveland will introduce 62 apartments within The May, an adaptive restoration of a historic 1915 department store, expected to open in early 2022. ROOST Apartment Hotel is operated by Philadelphia-based hospitality company Method Co., which currently operates several additional locations throughout the country.
“We are thrilled to be working with Bedrock on their incredible undertaking to bring two of the most impressive buildings in the Midwest back to their former glory, and are even more excited to be part of the neighborhood/city transformations that are taking place outside our doors,” said Randall Cook, CEO, and Co-Founder of Method Co. “With these two new locations of ROOST, whether guests are staying with us for a few days or a few months, we will be able to offer the opportunity to experience living in these incredible historic buildings with all the luxuries, amenities, and services of modern living.”
The ROOST brand, a concept known for bridging a boutique hotel with apartment-style living, offers spacious studio, one and two-bedroom apartments equipped with full-sized kitchens and modern appliances in a beautifully appointed space, featuring contemporary furnishings, antique elements, custom lighting, and unique artwork. Featured amenities include a coffee concierge and in-apartment artisanal coffee program with La Colombe, a bike-share program, a 24-hour concierge desk, a fitness center, a co-working space, and on-site housekeeping and maintenance services. According to the Highland Group, the extended-stay hotel segment reported higher demand in Q1 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, and demand rose 8.6 percent as the pandemic reduced total U.S. hotel demand nearly 12 percent. The ROOST brand is a reflection of this market’s performance and growth, which averaged 40% higher occupancy compared to their competitive set, with ADR outperforming the competitive set by 18%, at their current operating locations in 2021.
The new Detroit location of ROOST will be located across four floors of the new Book Tower redevelopment at 1265 Washington Boulevard. The award-winning New York-based architecture firm ODA is leading the historic renovation and interior design of Book Tower. Morris Adjmi Architects, who has designed all prior ROOST properties, is designing the custom furniture for the ROOST units at Book Tower. The Book Tower redevelopment will also include two restaurants, a hotel lobby bar and lounge, a bread and pastry bakery, and a rooftop event space with sweeping views of the city. The food & beverage venues will be operated by ROOST’s parent company, Method Co., who are also responsible for Philadelphia’s award-winning restaurants, Wm. Mulherin’s Sons and Japanese omakase concept HIROKI. More information on these projects will be announced at a later date.
The new ROOST in Cleveland will span three floors of the iconic May Company building on historic Euclid Avenue, an adaptive restoration of a historic department store built by world-renowned architect Daniel Burnham, which originally opened to the public in 1915. Located across from downtown Cleveland’s Public Square, ROOST apartments at The May will be furnished with furniture designed & curated by Method Studios, Method Co.’s in-house design firm. ROOST Cleveland will feature a total of 62 studio, one, two- and three-bedrooms apartments, with additional guest amenities at The May , including a three-story atrium, panoramic rooftop terrace, state-of-the-art fitness center and a makerspace.
“The Book Tower and The May Company Building are two historic buildings that Detroiters and Clevelanders made memories in for generations,” said Andrew Leber, VP of Hospitality at Bedrock. “We’re so excited to be able welcome them back into these buildings through ROOST’s unique hospitality experience. As the region continues to grow to be a place where people want to live, work and play, an extended-stay hotel is the perfect option for those who want to reminisce, are visiting for the weekend or are looking to make Detroit and Cleveland their home.”
Acquired by Bedrock in 2015, the revitalization of the original Book Building and Tower will be one of the most significant historic rehabilitation projects ever undertaken in Detroit. It will bring one of the city’s most treasured historic buildings back to life and will include a combination of 229 residential units, 85,000 square feet of retail, F&B, and office space, along with a new location of ROOST Apartment Hotel, the high-design extended stay hotel.
The May Company building, acquired by Bedrock in 2017, has anchored Cleveland’s Public Square for over 100 years. The May Company department store opened in its namesake building in 1915 and operated there until 1993. It remained primarily vacant until Bedrock commenced an extensive historic restoration of the property, seeking to restore its most definitive features such as the iconic pediment clock and terra cotta façade. The May opened to the public in August 2020 after undergoing a transformation into 307 residential units, complete with amenities such as a state-of-the-art fitness center, a private yoga studio, and a large makerspace.
