What was once the headquarters of LIFE Magazine and more recently The Herald Square Hotel has soft opened today as the Life Hotel. The renovated hotel’s name is a nod to the famous magazine that featured movie and TV stars, athletes, war heroes and more. Editors of the magazine once lived upstairs and worked downstairs in the famous building that was built in 1893. The 98-room property has been closed since January and has been undergoing a renovation since.

Located in the NoMad neighborhood of Manhattan, the boutique hotel’s design will reflect the building’s heritage but offer a modern twist: wrought iron bed frames, brass fixtures, contemporary furnishings, high ceilings, unique artwork and marble countertop bathroom vanities with full bath.

Opening in late April, the full service Life Restaurant, by Chef Michael Vignola and veteran restaurateur Stephen Hanson, will offer breakfast, lunch and dinner in addition to a full bar in the lobby and an intimate, basement bar serving classic cocktails harkening back to the days LIFE magazine staffers used this space as their own speakeasy.

Fatena Williams, Managing Director of the Life Hotel, has a passion for social responsibility and will lead those efforts at the Life Hotel. In her previous positions with other hotels she has worked with shelters that accept donations. “I found a way to recycle just about everything,” she says.

The Life Hotel will feature LED lighting throughout the property, low-flow water fixtures, and recycling containers will be included in guestrooms and other areas. Produce and herbs for the restaurant will be sourced locally. On Earth Day, April 22, Life Hotel associates will participate with Earth Day New York to promote the green activities of the hotels that are part of the Hotel Association of New York City.