Photo: Patrick McMullan.
According to the Ace Hotel blog, Alex Calderwood passed away yesterday. The hotel did not offer comment, and the message posted does not state a cause of death for the iconic 47-year-old hotel founder, only stating that "Alex was our teacher, mentor, guru, and most importantly, our dear friend. We will miss him."
Ditto for us, or for any jet-setter who has visited one of Calderwood's visionary Ace properties. The NYC hotel, on 29th and Broadway, is largely credited for bringing the cool factor back to an area mostly inhabited by dusty, off-putting perfume vendors. The John Dory Oyster Bar, not to mention the Opening Ceremony outpost, are two surefire spots to see NYC's hippest folk. And yet, unlike its chief competitor The Standard, the Ace has always maintained an approachable, friendly, low-key vibe. That was precisely the goal, as Calderwood said in a profile in
The New York Times
: “We’re not trying to be a quote-unquote hip hotel, per se." It's just a nice place to go.
Our condolences to his family and friends. This city has lost a notable mind.