HoodWatch: Checking in with DeNiro's Downtown

[Photo by special HoodWatch photographic correspondent Will Femia]

Of the notable buildings in our North Tribeca microhood, Robert DeNiro's forthcoming Downtown Hotel at the corner of Greenwich and No. Moore is certainly—er, there. We started tracking this place back in early 2005, which is coincidentally when our erstwhile photographer Will Femia did too; a gallery of his in-progress shots of the site, over lo these many years, appears after the jump.

Meantime, when the hell is this thing going to open? CurbedWire reported back in July that despite promises of opening this year, it would take until 2007 to roll out the red carpet. As of last month, HotelChatter says the place has "a shot" at a late '06 open. Time, and fate, and money (one assumes), shall tell.

Finally, we happen to like the look of DeNiro's joint, but this Tribeca Trib letter-to-the-editor demands your full attention. Start with the headline: "'Contextual' Tribeca hotel looks like an overbaked cookie" and roll from there.

Construction pit, January 2005.

Rocking it Christo-style, January 2006.

The peelback effect, March 2006.

Just a little scaffolding left, October 2006.

· 'Contextual' Tribeca hotel looks like an overbaked cookie [Tribeca Trib]
· CurbedWire: Downtown Hotel Opening? [Curbed]
· New York Hotel Openings 2006 [HotelChatter]