The headlines heralded the promise of something new and different in one of the world's top travel destinations.  Standing proudly alongside – or at least within a mile or so of – the Waldorf, the Plaza, the Royalton and more would be Greenhouse 26, slated to be New York City's first eco-hotel   Set to be constructed on a lot in North Chelsea at 132 West 26th Street, the 19-foot wide, 19 story hotel was supposed to be the first New York to use a geothermal heating and cooling system, as well as the first hotel in the United States to utilize thermal breaks on terraces as insulation from hot and cold air.  Other features were to include a 100% organic bar and café, the usual eco-friendly and certified organic linens and toiletries, and even a first floor roof garden.

Sounds heavenly, right?  Well, don't book your stay just yet.  While Greenhouse 26 was supposed to open this past spring, all you'll see at 132 West 26^th Street is a vacant lot.  Developers Jack Ancona and Flatiron Real Estate Advisors have yet to break ground on the ambitious project.  Locals blame everything from the economic crisis to the neighborhood itself, and it's also missing from architect Arpad Baksa's website.  Will New York City every join the eco-hotel revolution?  We'll keep you posted…