When it opened in 2004, five years before The High Line, the five-star Gansevoort Hotel played an instrumental role in the rebirth of New York City’s Meatpacking District.
As the area’s first luxury hotel, the owners’ prescient and risky investment helped pave the way for the transformation of former warehouses and abandoned buildings into luxury apartments, condominiums, restaurants, bars, art galleries, fashion design houses, and nightspots.
The once gritty neighborhood is now a vibrant one attracting full-time residents and visitors from around the world.
A New Effort to Revitalize the Meatpacking District Community
Twenty years later, the principals of this family-owned property have launched another ambitious project: Seven24 Collective.
The private membership club, announced earlier this year, occupies a redesigned space at the Gansevoort with its own entrance at 362 West 13th Street.
Discreet private entrance to the Seven24 Collective
Amenities include a member-only cafe, study/co-working space, a spacious gym and locker room with showers and an infrared sauna, a spectacular rooftop terrace/cocktail bar overlooking the Hudson River, and access to the hotel’s year-round heated 45-foot rooftop pool, 70s-inspired speakeasy cocktail lounge with bowling alleys and karaoke rooms.
Lead designer Victor Alfaro reimagined the space to create a setting that would “engage members both visually and experientially” so they had no reason to leave.
Chef Sebastien Chaoui, who previously worked at Le Petite Mason and Buddha Bar, leads the culinary program across the membership club spaces.
The hotel’s relationship with Seven24 is synergistic. Having space adjacent to a full-service hotel expands the possibilities for members to take advantage of the hotel’s array of services, including priority reservations at restaurants and bars, and discounts on overnight stays at the Gansevoort. At Saishin, the new rooftop sushi and omakase restaurant eatery with skyline and Hudson River views, members are offered preferred seating and exclusive pricing.
Hotel guests booking suites have exclusive access to the members-only club during their stay which makes it easy for them to socialize and have a place to work or play in a private setting when away from home.
The Perks of “A Second Home”
The Study, a comfortable co-working space for members
The U.S. Surgeon General has called attention to an epidemic of loneliness that has pervaded the country, exacerbated by the isolation of the pandemic.
Working from home, though convenient, has isolated many people from their co-workers and confined contacts to email and video conferencing. Making new friends from scratch can be time-consuming for anyone juggling the demands of home and work.
Membership in The Seven24 Collective aims to bring people together in a relaxing environment where they can meet kindred spirits, bond over common interests, and discover new friends, interests, and skills.
Seeing the same people in the same spaces jumpstarts a sense of belonging that opens the doors to making friends or networking with business associates. Open 24 hours a day, members can decide when and how often they want to be part of the community.
Founders Michael Achenbaum and Sean Largotta have “carefully crafted an exclusive experience,” a haven that sets it apart from any other club globally, they say. Both partners have been immersed in the hospitality industry for more than two decades and have extensive experience both as operators and members of private clubs in London.
A Contemporary Approach to The Private Club Model
Another lounge area in the club
Seven24 distinguishes itself from many other social clubs because membership isn’t drawn from a single profession, interest, or stage of life. Instead, it aims to attract people from different social and professional backgrounds to exchange ideas and experiences.
Unlike stodgy university clubs that have declined in popularity in recent years, Seven24 has no formal dress code and offers a greater number of activities and programs emphasizing health, fitness, and wellness than most conventional clubs.
Some events draw upon the member expertise that stretches across fields such as art, technology, fashion, medicine, and business. Plans also call for pop-up events like supper clubs, cooking classes, wine tastings, mixology sessions, DJs and live music, film screenings, a member bowling league, and off-site excursions.
The five different membership tiers vary in cost by age and family composition. The club is currently enrolling members and anticipates a limit of no more than 3000 members. Annual membership rates start at $2,150, and initiation fees start at $350. The pet-friendly, child-friendly club also offers spousal memberships.
Based on the growing interest of members and new applications, Achenbaum and Largotta recently purchased a 150-acre property in Ulster County about 1.5 hours north of the city. They plan to create a destination wellness center with luxury accommodations, allowing Seven24 members to experience the best of an urban oasis and a countryside retreat.