There was a time in the world of Boston's nightlife when
Seth Greenberg was seemingly everywhere. Greenberg, who now divides his time
among New York, Boston, and Miami and has chalked up an impressive list of
Boston credits over 20 years, is back - and in a big way. But first a little
history: Greenberg launched Mistral, which he still owns, and was the man
behind the successful clubs M-80 and Aria. He also opened the Paradise, where
countless bands were launched to larger stages, before taking his impresario
talents to the Big Apple. In 2002, he opened the Bowery restaurant and event
space Capitale, which would become almost as famous as the celebrities, fashion
designers, models, and politicians who attended functions there. But
Greenberg's been spending a lot of time back in Boston lately, using his
creative vision as the co-developer of the Ames, a hotel project he's working
on with his friend Richard Kilstock. So where do Greenberg's ideas come from?
Turns out he's a big fan of
the art of Peter Tunney, the
Wall Street investor turned eccentric pop artist who famously lived
in a glass box inside the nightclub Crobar for 300 days.
Greenberg's such a big fan, in fact, that Tunney's aesthetic infuses how he
looks at how people live and play. We caught up with him during one of his
(many) recent visits to check on the Court Street property that opens in
November. As always, the handsome Casanova had a beautiful woman by his side.
The artwork of Peter Tunney seems like a big thing to pick
up as a passion - where did that start? With Peter Tunney himself.
He's a really interesting guy. He's the ultimate Renaissance man. His art will
blow your mind. When I was working on Capitale, I knew I wanted to make a
commitment to art ...
and now I have a room there where a rotating installation of his works are
always on display.
So do you collect Peter Tunney's art, or does his art
collect you? It's a little bit, no, a lot of both. If Peter's in your
life, he's in your life. He's had so many careers and lives as an artist, in
New York, in the art world. He's pushed boundaries and sometimes that pushes
people.
What does his art mean to you? Everything. In
many ways, it's not just his work but his vision. It's that his mind is always
looking to create.
How's the Ames going? It's coming along great.
It's going to be great. Morgans [Hotel Group] looked for a long time, searching
for just the right project to open their first Morgans property in Boston. It
will be worth the wait.
What can we expect when we walk in through the front doors
of the Ames in, say, mid-November? It's going to be a
very clean, fresh take on an important historic building. The arched hallway
has been preserved, but with modern touches and amazing art. The details have
been preserved, down to hand-replacing and repairing gold leaf in the building.
The tavern will be Boston for people who know and love Boston. Not just the
cuisine, but the layout will allow socializing - even sharing of food, with
small plates. But people can also have your privacy. It's all coming together
right as we speak.
Okay, so what are you going to do for an encore? [Laughs]
I've been poking around and like what I see in the city. So much has changed in
the last 20 years, but it's a beautiful city and a place that I love. Part of
me will always want to find something new to do here.
