They say you shouldn’t mix family with business—but whoever first said that probably didn’t have sisters. Just ask Colleen and Hailey Brooks: the collaborative duo behind Moss, a new private members’ club in Midtown Manhattan. When you arrive at 520 Fifth Avenue, a white stone building with soaring arched windows comes into focus. “Versus the steel glass buildings you commonly find in Midtown, it’s very soft,” Hailey says, curled up in what will soon be the club’s piano lounge. Despite the gentle nods to Art Deco and quintessential New York City architecture, it’s a new build. In fact, it is now the second tallest building on Fifth Avenue after the Empire State Building—and in addition to Moss, it will feature luxury residential and office space. “It’s been a pleasure for Colleen and I to be part of something that really adds to the skyline,” she says.
In recent years, New York City has experienced a boom in private club openings, from San Vicente to Chez Margaux. With Moss, the point of differentiation lies in its mix of offerings. In addition to the expected social and dining outlets (what they bill as ‘Intelligent Leisure’), Moss also includes equally dynamic wellness spaces (or, ‘Physical Culture’). The club—which has a private lobby for member check-ins—stretches across five stories, with two floors dedicated to both of these guiding pillars.
Prior to Moss, Colleen was working in finance and Hailey in trend forecasting. They left their jobs back in 2017 and eventually laid the groundwork for Highcourt Leisure Club, which was set to open in mid-2020. But, as with most business launches during that time, the pandemic thwarted the project. Fast forward five years, however, and the two have only further refined their voice and vision.
“We knew our peers wanted to dedicate more of their leisure time to health and wellness, and while food and beverage matters in a hospitality space, we felt like there should be even more to that,” Colleen says. The general idea: say you want to go for a talk at the MoMa after work, followed by a quick workout or massage. You’ll need somewhere to freshen up, naturally, and a locker to throw your bag in. A good meal afterwards sounds nice, and maybe a martini over a game of Mahjong? “All of those things would be in separate places, traditionally speaking,” Colleen says. With Moss, it’s all under one roof.
The interiors were created in partnership with industry veteran Vicky Charles, who was Soho House’s design director for 20 years and now leads her own design firm, Charles Co. The visual language is anchored by sophisticated silhouettes, textures, and artwork. Wood-paneled walls and towering windows sit in dialogue with a smattering of works by both blue-chip and up-and-coming artists. (Keep your eyes peeled for the Rashid Johnson.) No design detail has been spared, whether it’s the restored vintage Steinway piano or the early 20th-century billiards table reupholstered in petal pink to match the room. And weekly rotating floral arrangements by April Johnson of Flowerpsycho will lend a touch of drama.
Meanwhile, Moss’s culinary program is overseen by Chef Angela Zeng (formerly of Frenchette and Lilia), with Brian Mullooly as chef de cuisine, Kristin Courville as wine director, and Taylor Kim as pastry chef; umbrella operations are handled by Danny Meyer’s Union Square Events. The dining concepts include Babette (the main restaurant), Bar Babette (raw bar and classics like burgers), Lil’s (the piano lounge), Inklings (a library bar serving tipples exclusively in Sophie Lou Jacobsen glassware), plus a vinyl listening room, games room, podcast recording studio, and The Symposium, which will be a space for intimate salons, live performances, and fireside chats.
The wellness amenities (downright exquisite) are positioned as Bedrock Aquatics Athletics. Here you’ll find an impressive hammam-inspired structure with three thermal pools and adjoining steam and saunas. Beginning in January, cult-favorite aesthetician Sofie Pavitt will join Moss for a special residency. “We’ve been longtime admirers of Sofie and her incredible approach to skincare, so it felt really natural to feature her products in our Bedrock boutique,” Hailey says, noting that they also carry Augustinus Bader products.
On the athletics front, all of the equipment is customized in Moss’s soothing color palette, including Pilates reformers and cardio machines. If you’re not up for a heavy sweat, opt for a low-impact game on the pickleball court, or a round at the dual-bay golf simulator. (Again, no detail spared.)
“There’s a lot of romance in Midtown,” Hailey says, noting that being right by the public library and Bryant Park meant a lot to them when choosing a location. Grand Central is also close by, as is the MoMa, the Theater District, and Rockefeller Center, which itself has experienced a development boom in recent seasons. And a few years down the road, the city plans to widen Fifth Avenue sidewalks between Bryant Park and Central Park by 46% to make the area more pedestrian friendly. “We’re proud to be part of a new era for this strip.”
