Architects Gwathmey Siegel Kaufman + Associates Architects (GSKA) have been engaged to preserve and return the Hotel Bossert to its original use as a hotel. Located at 98 Montague St., the Brooklyn Heights landmark, had been privately owned and operated by The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society will now return as a N.Y. public landmark. Originally built by lumber magnate Louis Bossert in 1909, the 14-story hotel played host to high-profile guests and residents and during the 1920s it became famous for its bi-level restaurant known as the Marine Roof which offered panoramic views of the Manhattan skyline. GSKA's proposed plan for the Hotel Bossert will preserve the façade as well as the lobby and reception area and will return the Marine Roof to its use as a restaurant and lounge. The building's mechanical and HVAC systems will be upgraded allowing hundreds of windows to be cleared of AC units, restoring the original sight lines of the building and maintaining the authenticity of the façade. The plan, which includes 300 hotel rooms, involves upgrading of the lighting, finishes, flooring, fixtures and furnishings in the lobby-level reception lounge, the ground floor and lower level meeting rooms, the public corridors and the individual hotel rooms. Under-utilized back-of-house space will be reclaimed and redesigned as a lobby-level restaurant. "The Hotel Bossert is an incredible piece of Brooklyn and N.Y.C. history and we are delighted to have the opportunity to return it to its former glory," said Robert Siegel, one of the founders of GSKA. "The landmark property has been part of the architectural fabric of the neighborhood for over 100 years and it is an enduring symbol of Brooklyn's prominent place in the history and future of N.Y." "Gwathmey Siegel is renowned for its work both with existing landmarks and for its signature additions to the built landscape," said Gene Kaufman, principal of GSKA who is leading the project team with GSKA senior associate Steven Forman. "The Hotel Bossert is an exceptional building and one that should be open to welcome guests from across the country and around the world. Brooklyn has not only seen a residential explosion but thanks to a cultural coming of age the borough has also become a tourist destination yet it remains underserved by hotels. The return of the Hotel Bossert will bring unparalleled luxury and treasured history to the marketplace."