Finegold Alexander Principal Ellen Anselone was featured on NBC10 Boston’s “Downtown Dilemma: How Boston Can Revive Its Empty Office Buildings.” The interview highlights The Godfrey Hotel project, which transformed a historic office building into a modern hotel. As remote and hybrid work have become standard post-COVID, many downtown office buildings are now unoccupied. Developers and architects now face the challenge of finding innovative ways to breathe new life into these spaces.

Finegold Alexander skillfully adapted and integrated two adjacent historic buildings on Washington Street in Downtown Crossing to create The Godfrey, a 242-room boutique hotel. The hotel exterior features the restored masonry of the six-story Amory Building and the white terracotta 11-story Blake Building. The interiors, designed in collaboration with the Gettys Group, are comfortable and contemporary, providing a contrast to the ornate exterior facades. Features include a dramatic lobby with 16-foot ceilings and sculptural walls, a coffee tasting bar, and a new 4,600-square-foot restaurant.

“When this was done, there was not a lot happening down here so the Godfrey really activated this section of Washington Street.”

     - Ellen Anselone, Principal, Finegold Alexander

Click here to watch the full interview!