Sapir attempts midnight coup at Mondrian Soho

Developer battling with Morgans Hotel Group for control of trendy hotel

Jason Kalisman Soho Alex Sapir
From left: Jason Kalisman, the rooftop bar at the Mondrian SoHo and Alex Sapir

While the guests at the Mondrian Soho hotel were sleeping, a coup of sorts went on on the ground floor.

The Sapir Organization and Jason Kalisman are fighting over management control of the hotel, the swanky restaurant and the often star-studded bar at 9 Crosby Street, according to the New York Post, and things took a turn for the bizarre Monday.

Sapir, which paid $205 million to buy the hotel out of foreclosure earlier this year, attempted to take control from Kalisman’s Morgans Hotel Group in the wee hours Monday by installing new computer systems while most guests were sleeping and start running the hotel with the same hotel staff, according to the newspaper.

Sapir’s team attempted to slide flyers under the doors of the hotel rooms announcing that the hotel’s new name would be NoMo SoHo, according to the Post. But Kalisman’s team called the police, sources told the newspaper, and then later that day,  a judge issued a temporary restraining order against Sapir.

In turn, Kalisman’s company shoved their own flyers under hotel room doors, stating: “In the early morning hours, Sapir attempted to illegally remove MHG as the operator of the Mondrian Soho. Sapir’s actions at Mondrian SoHo are highly irresponsible and damaging,” according to the flyer obtained by the newspaper.

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The Morgans Hotel Group is in the third year of a 10-year contract to manage the 263-room property. [NYP] — Claire Moses

Mondrian Soho Letter

A letter delivered to guests at the Mondrian SoHo (Credit: New York Post)