Eco-Friendly Bryant Park Hotel to Break Ground This August

Finally, tourists will have a place to stay in Manhattan.

Developers filed plans on Friday for the View at Bryant Park, a good year after the Landmarks Preservation Commission approved designs for a 31-story cloud-buster at 20 West 40th Street. The site has since had to go through ULURP, the city's land-use review.

John Porges, one of the developers, said construction will begin this August on what is being billed as New York City's first, five-star green hotel.

The Starwood Capital 1 hotel, designed by Morris Adjmi Architects, will reportedly have 150 hotel rooms and 64 condos.

Starwood Capital announced plans last year to launch a new chain of LEED-certified hotels, dubbed "1," because one percent of all revenues will be donated to local environmental groups. The Natural Resources Defense Council is an adviser on the project.