HQ served as preservation consultants for New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission and public review of Jean Nouvel’s daring new design for a hotel on a vacant site on the prominent intersection of Broadway, Grand and Mercer streets in the SoHo-Cast Iron Historic District. As landmarks consultants, HQ worked closely with the architect and developed The Hines Organization to provide historical and contextual analysis which helped to inspire the new design, to determine the scope and content of the landmarks submittal and public presentations, and to articulate arguments for the appropriateness of this modern building in a historic district. At Landmarks Commission and public reviews, HQ presented historical background research and in-depth interpretation of SoHo’s architecture to illustrate the relationship of the proposed building to its historic context and to lend significant basis to the approval of the project.