First hotel set to open on Roosevelt Island this spring

Graduate Hotels is opening their first New York City property on Roosevelt Island. Photo by Steve Freihon via Graduate Hotels

By Rachel Vick

A new 224-room hotel will open on Roosevelt Island later this spring, the company behind the project said.

The first-ever Roosevelt Island lodgings, operated by Graduate Hotels, will mirror the theme of the nearby Cornell Tech campus, with 5,000 feet of bookshelves lining the lobby and a 13-foot statue by artist Hebru Brantley.

“To be able to have a hotel in New York City still rooted to a campus, still rooted to a major university like Cornell ... and really what is supposed to be the gateway to the tech industry for New York City, was a really unique opportunity for us," David Rochefort, president at Graduate Hotels, told CNN. "We love this idea that our lobby would kind of be rooted in the past as much as possible.”

The building was designed by the firms Stonehill Taylor and Snøhetta, and will feature views of Queens and Manhattan in rooms and event spaces. 

Amenities at the pet-friendly hotel include an all-day restaurant and a rooftop bar.

The hotel is scheduled to open June 1.