CODA Williamsburg Hotel Is Now For Sale

The hotel at 160 North 12th Street has withstood several iterations and changes of management. Now, it’s about to get another.

“Following a string of splashy deals in Manhattan, [owners] Josh Rahmani and Ebi Khalili are putting one of their earliest acquisitions back on the market for nearly twice what they paid for it seven years ago,” the Real Deal reports, to the tune of $35 million.

They now join another nearby hotel up for sale, The Williamsburg, which filed for bankruptcy two years ago. While CODA isn’t under the same financial strain as The Williamsburg, the beleaguered hotel faces its own share of scrutiny. 

If you’re a devoted Greenpointers fan, you may recall our story from earlier this year detailing the numerous noise complaints against the hotel, dating back over a decade, when the hotel was known as the McCarren Hotel. This January, frustrated neighbors called for Brooklyn Community Board 1 to deny the hotel’s application for a liquor license renewal. Even as recently as Tuesday’s board meeting, residents presented their concerns with the CODA again, with hotel manager Ronald Baroody conceding that the hotel would no longer host DJs on their Creatures of All King rooftop lounge, though maintained that they would continue with other special events.

This concession may no longer be necessary, as the new dining and bar concepts could take over instead, considering that the Real Deal notes that CODA “is listed as unencumbered by brand or management, allowing a buyer to come in with a brand of its choosing.”

On a personal note, though Greenpointers is not a traditional news site, I try to ensure that we uphold standards of rigorous journalism to the best of our ability. I refrained from instilling my initial reporting on the issue with my personal opinion, so as to let the facts speak for themselves. But now my journalism gloves are off, and I feel like being petty. 

Last summer, the team at Creatures of All Kind demanded that we remove a very standard, complimentary article detailing their new rooftop. We did so, not because the article was bad or incorrect, but because we’d rather not give publicity to people who give us an attitude about the way we write about their “branding.” It was the only time in my Greenpointers tenure (on year three now) that we’ve had to do this.

So, here’s hoping the new buyers are chill people who actually care about their neighbors and their neighbors’ preferred local news outlet!