Hospitality Design - July 2022 - 129

Designed by Morris Adjmi Architects, ROOST East Market in
Philadelphia is located in a 25-story glass and steel tower
A rendering of the Quoin in Wilmington,
Delaware, slated to debut this summer with a
design by Stokes Architecture + Design
A blackened steel fireplace is the centerpiece
of ROOST East Market's amenity level
also in Philadelphia; and Whyle, the fully-furnished luxury shortterm
apartments, which debuted in Washington, DC in late 2020
(properties in Wilmington, Delaware and Baltimore are also in
the works). " We aspire to build soulful restaurants and hotels that
make people happy, " says Cook. " Since day one, we have been
process-driven and realize there are no quick ways to create truly
special hospitality experiences, whether it's an apartment hotel or
a restaurant. "
A lengthy stint at Philadelphia-based AKA-the high-end
extended stay hotel brand from Korman-introduced Cook
to the " convergence of real estate, hospitality, and design, " he
says, which has informed Method Co. since its founding. Along
the way, he's come to rely on alliances with similarly minded
developers, like cofounder David Grasso, who is now president
of Method Co., and Dan Gilbert's Bedrock Properties, which
is incorporating ROOST into two adaptive reuses of Deco-era
properties in Midwestern towns. ROOST Cleveland off ers 62
rooms on three fl oors in the iconic May Company building
by architect Daniel Burnham, while the forthcoming 118-key
ROOST Detroit will take over four fl oors in the equally historic
Book building.
Fortuitous creative partnerships have also been critical to
Method's growth. Daniel Olsovsky is the company's in-house
creative director and its branding and placemaking maven. " We
shared an offi ce for the fi rst four years, " says Cook. " He pushes
me to get out of my comfort zone by introducing me to people
like muralist Stacey Rozich, who painted the wall in our fi rst
restaurant, which tells the story of William Mulherin and the
distillery he opened. "
Other friends to the brand, also there since the beginning, are
Philadelphia fi rm Stokes Architecture + Design and architect and
designer Morris Adjmi, who has renovated, built, and/or outfi tt ed
all the apartment hotels. " Morris has a very specifi c point of view
that resonates with me, " says Cook. That aesthetic is " cozy and
homey, with an att ention to detail and nuance. "
While most of the forthcoming properties are pre-pandemic
holdovers, the company continues to look for opportunities that
match the " right brand to the right time and city. " Take the Pinch
in Charleston, South Carolina. The complex project, which took
years to pull together, is an assemblage of fi ve separate properties
that were all acquired from diff erent owners. The main building
was a former billiards hall in 1910 called the Quinte, which also
serves as the name of the restaurant now located there. It's a " fullcircle
moment to highlight the building's rich past, " says Cook.
Another win for Cook with the Pinch: Because the singlestory
building on 334 King was not historic, he was able to
hospitalitydesign.com July 2022
129
Photos by CHRISTIAN HARDER, MATTHEW WILLIAMS, and courtesy of METHOD CO.
http://www.hospitalitydesign.com
Hospitality Design - July 2022

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