Imagine you just finalised the purchase of a nineteenth-century building when Superstorm Sandy takes its roof off and fills it with a metre of mud. That’s what happened to Jaime Wiseman, but that didn’t stop him creating Playland Motel, an out-of-town getaway at Rockaway Beach.
His dream? To reinvigorate an area that was devastated by constant closures, even before the hurricane hit. Each of the 12 rooms, curated by prominent artists and designers, has a distinct aesthetic. Already attracting a hipster crowd wanting to explore beyond its regular Williamsburg haunts, it looks like the punt has paid off.