THE OSPREY
Building the Brand for One of Brooklyn’s Most Anticipated Restaurant Openings
President & Partner, SWAT by Kirshenbaum. After working together at BR Guest Restaurant Group, Kiwon Standen brought us into a new hospitality project with restaurateur Matt Abramcyk, who had already built a strong reputation through concepts like Tiny’s, Smith & Mills, and Yves.
Now he was partnering with 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge to launch the flagship ground-floor restaurant and rooftop concept inside one of the most anticipated hotel openings in New York.
The timeline was aggressive. The space was already being built before we joined the project, so the assignment quickly became about creating a name, identity, and brand presence that matched the energy of the food, interiors, neighborhood, and the larger philosophy of 1 Hotels.
Because 1 Hotels is deeply rooted in using indigenous and reclaimed materials connected to each property’s surroundings, the branding needed to feel equally grounded in the environment around it. At the Brooklyn property, that meant steel, driftwood, waterfront textures, and a more understated version of luxury tied to the Brooklyn waterfront and bridge culture.
THE OSPREY + BROOKLYN HEIGHTS SOCIAL CLUB
We developed the name, identity system, menus, collateral, signage, website assets, and launch materials for The Osprey, building a brand that felt elevated, warm, social, and connected to the waterfront without becoming overly literal.
At the same time, Matt was also developing a rooftop nightlife concept overlooking Manhattan, which became Brooklyn Heights Social Club.
Where The Osprey felt grounded and relaxed, BHSC leaned moodier, more atmospheric, and slightly more exclusive. Together, the two concepts gave the property range and personality while still feeling connected to the larger hotel experience.
FAST MOVING PROJECTS ARE ALWAYS THE MOST FUN
Hospitality projects like this always become more layered than expected. Branding quickly turns into conversations about materials, lighting, menus, music, signage, production specs, and the overall energy of the space.
They are also some of the most satisfying projects to experience once they become real. Sitting in a packed restaurant or rooftop space hearing people talk about how much they love the atmosphere is always a great feeling, especially when the entire thing came together on an incredibly fast timeline.
During one of our onsite review meetings, the CMO of 1 Hotels happened to observe one of my presentations and how our team was thinking through the business and guest experience.
That conversation led directly into broader strategic work across 1 Hotels and later Baccarat Hotel.
And on a personal level, collaborating with a charismatic restaurateur like Matt Abramcyk was a huge part of what made the project so enjoyable. Hospitality projects move fast, involve endless moving pieces, and can sometimes become more complicated than expected, but when the right people are involved, the process becomes part of the fun.