Brooklyn is officially getting a little more fancy.
The Ritz-Carlton is coming to Brooklyn Heights, but don’t expect a brand-new glass tower with a generic luxury lobby. Instead, the legendary hotel brand is taking over one of Brooklyn’s most historic addresses: the former Hotel Bossert at 98 Montague Street.
The 14-story Renaissance Revival building opened in 1909 and was once known as the “Waldorf-Astoria of Brooklyn.” Now, Marriott International and developer SomeraRoad are transforming the landmark into The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Brooklyn Heights, marking the brand’s Brooklyn debut and the borough’s first branded residential project.
The project will preserve many of the building’s historic details, including its distinctive brick façade, limestone and granite base, terra-cotta ornamentation, arched windows, cast-iron railings and signature lion-head details. In other words, Brooklyn gets Ritz-Carlton service without losing the building’s old-school character.
Inside will be a collection of luxury condominiums featuring Ritz-Carlton-branded services and amenities, including a 24-hour-attended lobby, residential services and wellness, leisure and entertainment spaces. Construction is expected to begin later this year, with completion anticipated in 2029.
But perhaps the most exciting part for everyone who isn’t planning to buy a luxury Brooklyn condo is happening downstairs.
Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group is set to open its first full-service Brooklyn restaurant on the ground floor. Details about the restaurant have not yet been fully revealed, but the concept is intended to serve both residents and the surrounding Brooklyn Heights community.
And the building has some serious Brooklyn history. The Bossert famously hosted the Brooklyn Dodgers’ 1955 World Series celebration, when the team defeated the Yankees to win its only World Series championship in Brooklyn.
So, yes, the Ritz-Carlton is coming to Brooklyn.
But this isn’t just another luxury development. It’s a historic Brooklyn building getting a very expensive second act—and hopefully one with a really good restaurant.
