As expected, The Elm will be shutting its doors after this evening's dinner service. According to the restaurant's rep:
The Elm's closure is a continuation of the rebranding of the property into McCarren Hotel & Pool. The Elm was a great project and Chelsea Hotels is proud of what it has been able to accomplish. We are exploring new food and beverage partners and hope to share that information soon. Room service and dining options will continue in the interim.
After Liebrandt's famous parting of ways with Drew Nieporent and his decision to open in Williamsburg there was plenty of early buzz around this restaurant. Unfortunately, interest and business seemed to dissipate quickly, which could account for this abrupt closure. The chef has made it pretty clear that the Elm was not his restaurant and it was "never meant to be about me." He's also gone on record as having a signature Paul Liebrandt spot in the works for years, so maybe this closure will give him time to concentrate on that.