Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
The Standard High Line's New Phone Booth Has A Direct Line To The Government
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Aug 3, 2017
Modified Aug 3, 2017
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
The Standard
By
Jake Offenhartz
Published Aug 3, 2017
Modified Aug 3, 2017
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
There are a lot of different circumstances in which you might find yourself standing outside the Standard Hotel in the Meatpacking district: You are enjoying a lovely summer day taking in the beautiful view from the not-yet-crowded rooftop; You are wasting a Saturday night in a crowded line surrounded by bros trying to get into a friend's birthday; You are Beyonce.
Or, maybe, you're a civic-minded passerby determined to do your part to participate in our democratic processes.
That's the idea behind the Standard's new #RingYourRep initiative, which debuted in the hotel's plaza on 13th Street early Thursday morning. Inside a bright red phone booth, guests and non-guests can now access a direct line to the U.S. Capitol switchboard, with the goal of making it easy to call up your representatives and let them know how they're doing. And if you've never done this, the hotel provides an easy-to-follow script for getting through to the congressional staffer on the other end.
(The Standard)
"We saw a groundswell of engagement with political and social issues amongst our staff, our guests, and our community following the election," a spokesperson for The Standard told Gothamist. "We wanted to offer our support and utilize our platforms and our venues as a place for them to get involved and be heard."
It's not the first time the fashionable hotel has entered the political sphere. Back in March, the company released a 10-part action plan, with recommendations like supporting Black Lives Matter and downloading the Indivisible Guide, among other progressive causes.
Asked if the hotel had received any pushback for their foray into activism, the spokesperson said that #RingYourRep isn't intended to "polarize our guests to one political spectrum or another."
"We want to encourage our guests, our staff, and the public to make their voices heard on the issues that matter to them," the representative added. "Whether that be health care, the environment, immigration, LGBTQ rights, or education, #RingYourRep is a way for us to provide a public and in-room platform to encourage positive, productive activism.”
The phone booth will be on site until further notice.
Tagged
activism
phone booth
the standard
the standard hotel
Jake Offenhartz
Jake Offenhartz is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Parents grumble as NYC schools chancellor dodges calls for NYC schools integration plan
Journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones said she felt disappointed by the lack of details.
By
Jessica Gould
Published Oct 20, 2026 at 10:01 p.m. ET
Driver found with apparent gunshot wound on George Washington Bridge, officials say
The westbound upper level was closed Tuesday night as Port Authority police investigated the incident.
By
Charles Lane
News
Driver found with apparent gunshot wound on George Washington Bridge, officials say
The westbound upper level was closed Tuesday night as Port Authority police investigated the incident.
By
Charles Lane
16 arrested in New York auto insurance fraud crackdown involving nearly $500K
By
Giulia Heyward
Coney Island's small, 1890s lighthouse may be landmarked by the city
By
Catalina Gonella
New renderings are out for Queens' Metropolitan Park casino
By
Willow Higgins
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .