Sometimes an end is really just a beginning, and nothing could be more true for the first ever Life Hotel, which opens its doors next month in the former LIFE magazine building. The West 31st Street address was once the original building that housed the legendary LIFE magazine, where celebrated writers worked from 1883 until 1936. The 98-key hotel has been restored to harken back to the craftsmanship of the late 1800s, when the building was originally designed by legendary New York City architecture firm Carrère and Hastings (New York Public Library), and the team has peeled away layers to reveal New York architectural history, in everything from wood mouldings to original marble flooring.

There’s also the addition of the intimate Life Restaurant helmed by Chef Michael Vignola, a lobby bar and a basement speakeasy, a playful nod to the buildings (alleged) secret bar, which thrived throughout the prohibition era. Rooms range from “Classic Queen” to “Premium King” and multi-room “Suites,” the design philosophy transitions into the more contemporary. Each room features high ceilings, wood floors with exposed concrete, as well as traditional white walls featuring original moulding. Furnishings like the oversized brass-framed beds and (naturally) lavish desks are also nods to a bygone era, as are the framed contemplative poems that date back almost 100 years.

“When I first stepped foot into this building, it spoke to me, and ultimately became the inspiration for the Life Hotel brand,” said real estate developer David Mitchell. “In learning about the cultural landmark and its history, we discovered that the upper floors served as apartments for LIFE writers and artists when the magazine was first published in 1893 and for a long time after, while the offices were situated below. This history has become part of our DNA. We’re creating a place to hang out, work, and have a good time, not just sleep and eat.”