The borough’s first branded residences are arriving in a 1909 landmark. The real question is who follows.
New York’s hotel-branded condo scene has long had a postcode problem: it lives in Manhattan. On September 15, that changed on paper, with plans for a Ritz-Carlton address on Montague Street.
The News, Decoded
The Ritz-Carlton, the luxury hotel brand owned by Marriott International and famous for formal service, is coming to Brooklyn for the first time. The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Brooklyn Heights will occupy the former Hotel Bossert at 98 Montague Street: a landmarked Renaissance Revival building from 1909, once nicknamed the “Waldorf-Astoria of Brooklyn” and the site of the Brooklyn Dodgers’ 1955 World Series celebration. Marriott is developing the project with SomeraRoad, a New York and Nashville real estate firm that acquired the property for $100 million in 2025 after years of failed plans following the building’s sale in 2012.
The restoration covers the geometric brick façade, sculpted granite and limestone base, terra-cotta cornice, arched double-height windows, cast-iron railings and lion’s-head keystones. Residents will have a 24-hour attended lobby, wellness and entertaining amenities, and access to Marriott benefits through its ONVIA owner recognition program. Union Square Hospitality Group, founded by Danny Meyer, will open its first full-service Brooklyn restaurant on the ground floor. Construction starts later this year, with completion expected in 2029, and sales are led by SERHANT. New Development. Marriott calls it the 50th standalone residence in the Ritz-Carlton brand’s global development portfolio.
Unit counts vary across reports: most cite 61 residences (mainly three- and four-bedroom), a few say 62. Square footage, pricing and interior design team have not been announced.
The Competitor Check
Has anyone else done this in Brooklyn? We could not find any rival hotel or luxury brand that has announced branded residences in Brooklyn, so the “first” claim appears to stand. Brooklyn does have hospitality, such as 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge in Dumbo, but that is a hotel, not hotel-branded condos.
Who competes in New York overall? The set is mostly Manhattan, and it is stacked:
- Aman New York Residences in the Crown Building, a very small ultra-private collection (one directory lists 22 units).
- Four Seasons Private Residences, 30 Park Place in Tribeca, an established downtown tower.
- Mandarin Oriental Residences, Fifth Avenue (a listing directory cites 69 units from around $9 million) and the older Columbus Circle residences.
- Waldorf Astoria Residences New York, 375 units above the hotel, with closings underway.
- Ritz-Carlton’s own Manhattan residences, at Central Park and NoMad.
- Fashion and design names: Giorgio Armani Residences (760 Madison), Baccarat Hotel & Residences, plus hybrids with hotel services such as 35 Hudson Yards with Equinox.
In short: competitors have not copied the Brooklyn move yet, but the Ritz-Carlton now competes with several of the strongest brands in the category.
The Perspective
1. Being first is a head start, not a moat. Brooklyn Heights is an affluent, historic neighborhood with skyline views and a brownstone prestige many Manhattan towers cannot imitate. A first mover can set the price benchmark, but rival brands can follow with their own conversions, so Marriott has built a three-year window that execution must justify.
The Map to Modern Luxury
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Discover the world’s most prestigious gatherings & exhibitions2. The building is the differentiator. Most new branded towers claim luxury; few can claim history. The Bossert has landmark architecture, a sports legend and a neighborhood story. Competitors in Manhattan sell address and scale; the Ritz-Carlton sells narrative.
3. Note the business model. Marriott supplies the brand and service standards, not the capital: according to the offering disclosure, the residences are developed and sold by the developer, with the Ritz-Carlton name used under license. That means risk sits with SomeraRoad and the buyers’ faith in the brand, which is exactly why a hospitality partner like Danny Meyer’s group matters on the ground floor.
4. The risk to watch. Hotel-style services without a hotel above them are costly to deliver, and the Bossert has no rooms. Monthly charges and service quality will decide whether buyers feel the brand premium is real.
Humor break: Brooklyn has spent two decades insisting it is cooler than Manhattan. It has now politely invited Manhattan’s concierge to the party.
The takeaway: Brooklyn’s first branded residence is more than a project, it is a test case. If it sells at a premium, expect rivals to scout every grand old Brooklyn building with a story and a vacant lobby.
