When was the first elevator built in New York City?

As of 2015, there were approximately 76,000 elevators in operation in New York City. The first commercial passenger elevator in New York, though, could be found in the Haughwout Building, a department store in SoHo. The New York Times hailed the 1857 arrival of the United Technologies/Otis Elevator device as “the beginning of the tall-building revolution.” This original elevator’s appearance and position have never been established. However, it was later replaced in 1892 with another elevator, installed by Alonzo B. See and designed by Freeman and William Bloodgood. The original Otis elevator no longer resides at the Haughwout building, although it does feature one of the oldest operating elevators in the city. Elisha Otis remains a big name in elevators and escalators, having invented the elevator safety brake, which helped standardize elevators by making them practical and safe. 

But when it comes to the electric elevator, another name jumps to the forefront of the tall-building revolution, that of Frank Sprague, an inventor with a little-known name but in reality contributed massively to the advancement of infrastructure in America. The 1880s saw the beginning of the Electric Age when Thomas Edison’s central power station opened on Pearl Street in Manhattan in 1882. At the time, the Brooklyn Bridge towered over every other building, the tallest structure for miles. Sprague, who once worked for Edison, opened his own company designing and manufacturing electric motors (now Sprague Devices). This was a massively successful undertaking, and Sprague Motors were commonplace everywhere from textile production to railways such as the Richmond Union Passenger Railway. With his success there, Sprague took his success to Boston and then the rest of the United States, with over 20,000 miles of streetcar tracks crisscrossing cities by 1905.

Were all elevators electric? 

At the time, no.

In 1892, Sprague branched out into civilian transportation and formed the Sprague Electric Elevator Company, taking a contract to install his electric elevators in the Postal Telegraph Cable Company building. The terms were strict; Sprague had to install his electric elevators and prove they were more efficient than the hydraulic elevators that were common at the time, such as those provided by industry-dominating Otis Elevators. If he was unsuccessful, the contract dictated the elevators be removed by Sprague at no extra cost. With the stakes so high, Sprague and his contractors waited with bated breath as the Telegraph building finished construction and finally opened. 

The elevators were a massive success, and Sprague’s elevators not only functioned efficiently, but they also operated at speeds that ensured you’d be traveling “just as fast” as you would on foot at ground level. In cities like New York, speed is the name of the game; studies show that the length of time spent traveling is more important than the distance traveled when it comes to commuters. This principle applies to vertical travel as much as horizontal, making Sprague’s fast elevators the clear choice over the slower and less cost-efficient hydraulic counterparts. These high-speed electric elevators were exactly what New York City needed to build taller, and a growth spurt followed soon after. Sprague was uninterested, however, in continuing in the elevator business, and after securing several more prestigious contracts, he sold his company to Elisha Otis in 1895, effectively giving the Otis Elevator Company a monopoly on the technology for decades to come.

What was the first skyscraper in New York City?

1913 saw the completion of the Woolworth Building, which at 792 feet tall, was the tallest building in the world until 1930. Its height of sixty stories could be attributed to the high-speed electric elevators that climbed along its spine, eliminating the long waits of older models and the daunting stair-climbing of elevatorless buildings. Elevators created new jobs and industries, creating space for larger factories, taller office buildings, and affordable housing. In addition, the widespread adoption of elevators created an entirely new (if now largely defunct) profession of the elevator operator. 

At one point in America, there were tens of thousands of operators, the majority of whom were Black or from other historically marginalized groups. 1917 saw the first elevator operator’s union, offering protections and perks for these highly-skilled workers who oversaw the operation and maintenance of these complex machines. Modern advancements have made elevators easier to use, thus eliminating these positions. However, elevator operation helped lift thousands of workers from poverty and was a very proud profession.

The majority of elevators operating today in New York City top out at the sixth floor, though this may have more to do with water pressure and city fire codes than anything else. New York sits at a relatively low elevation at just 33 feet above sea level and the city’s water is sourced upstate in the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains. Gravity works as a natural pump and provides enough pressure to allow the water to be funneled into buildings lower than six stories: above that height, buildings typically require a supplemental water tower or other expensive pump systems. Additionally, newly constructed buildings in the city are required by state law to include an elevator, which means higher prices for potential developers.

Are Elevators Dangerous?

Elevators, while safe, are still subject to many fears and phobias concerning their safety, with over 4% of the world’s population presenting acute anxiety concerning them. That being said, stairs, especially ones with unexpected treads, are actually far more dangerous. The odds of being killed by an elevator are about 1 and 10 million, causing approximately 27 deaths a year in the US. By comparison, falls down stairs account for over 1,600 deaths per year and injure over 1 Million Americans annually. 

Elevators also have multiple failsafes that have been added since Elisha Otis’ automatic safety brake. For instance, depending on the building code’s “factor of safety,” elevator ropes (really woven steel cables) must have duplicates and be able to hold 12 times the mass of a fully-loaded car. There are safety precautions called a “safety chain” that refers to a series of automatic checks modern elevators do to ensure safety each trip, ready to cut power to the motor should an issue occur. Issues can include power outages, which trigger one of several clamping-stopping mechanisms to prevent failure. Couple these with the original safety brakes that are still attached to the underside of the cars, and it’s easy to see how modern elevators are actually incredibly safe. 

With an approximate combined length of over 1500 miles, there are more miles of elevator shafts in New York City than there are miles of subway tracks (approx 840). Over 35 million trips are taken every day on elevators in the city, there’s no doubt that they are responsible for the shape of the skyline today, with over 260 skyscrapers reaching to the horizon, the most of any US city. At an average time of 118 seconds (nearly twice the average of other locations), elevator rides in New York City give you plenty of time to work on a pitch, prepare for the rest of your day, or maybe just stop and appreciate all of the history and innovation you’re riding in. 

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It’s no surprise, then, that some people cringe at the mere mention of the number 13, so much so that some buildings around the world have gone as far as to skip the thirteenth floor altogether.

But why is there a superstition against the unlucky number? Where did it come from? And why is it still around today?

To better understand triskaidekaphobia or fear of the number 13, we first need to look into its religious and mythological associations, which date back to ancient times.

Where Did the 13th-Floor Superstition Start?

There are different beliefs as to why the number 13 became so reviled in modern culture. One pervasive theory is that much of life is structured around the number 12, with 12 months in a year, 12 zodiac signs, 12 apostles in the bible, and 12 Gods of Olympus.

Consequently, 13 was seen as an unlucky number that could disrupt nature’s “perfect” cycle, which may also be the reason behind some of the lore surrounding Friday the 13th.

The New Testament records one of the earliest written references to the superstition when Judas Iscariot became the thirteenth guest to arrive at the Last Supper. He would betray Jesus the very next day (on a Friday) by handing him over to the Romans, with an “Et tu, Brute?” moment that culminated in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was there that Judas identified Jesus with a kiss, leading to his crucifixion (hence why the expression “Judas kiss” is sometimes used to denote an act of betrayal).

Dinner parties are ostensibly incubators for the superstition of 13, as evidenced by the tale of Loki in Norse mythology.

According to the legend, 12 gods were invited to a lavish dinner at Valhalla, the exclusive great hall of the god Odin, where honorable warriors went after death. The uninvited and mischievous god Loki crashed the party, bringing the guest count to 13. Any hardcore Marvel fan knows that an impromptu appearance by Loki spells disaster, and that’s exactly what happened: Loki tricked Hoder, the blind God of Darkness, into killing Baldur, the god of light and peace, by using an arrow tipped with mistletoe, which was the only substance that could harm Baldur.

The moral of the story was less about “not giving a blind man a bow and arrow,” but more so to remember that “bad things come in thirteen.”

Both accounts — the Last Supper and the dinner at Valhalla — appear in Donald E. Dossey’s “Holiday Folklore, Phobias & Fun,” where the author explains why the number 13 is considered unlucky, a superstition that has also seeped into the world of real estate.

Why Don’t Buildings Have A 13th Floor?

In a 2018 tweet, the Otis Elevator Company, which is the world’s largest manufacturer of vertical transportation systems (think: elevators, escalators, and moving walkways), revealed the reasoning behind why some buildings don’t have a 13th floor.

The tweet read: “#DYK that many U.S. hotel and office buildings skip floor 13 for commercial and residential use? Due to the superstition associated with the number 13, the unlucky number is often omitted from elevator panels and stairwells.”

Indeed, by avoiding potentially jinxed floors, superstitious developers and property owners hope to ward off any bad luck that may befall the building during its construction and avoid any negative consumer sentiment toward the ill-fated number once the project is complete.

This is why many buildings in NYC and other cities worldwide commonly omit the thirteenth floor, labeling it as 14, 12A, 12B, or some other designation instead.

Why Don’t Hotels Have a 13th Floor?

In the same vein as office and commercial buildings, hotels often skip the thirteenth floor to dodge any bad luck that may be associated with the number.

The Essex House in New York City, for example, refers to its 13th floor as the “14th” on elevator buttons. Another landmark hotel in NYC, the Sherry-Netherland, also skips the 13th floor on its elevators and room numbers.

In 2007, USA Today and Princeton-based news outlet Gallop conducted a poll that further confirmed why some hotels are wary of the number 13. “Triskaidekaphobia has significant economic implications,” the report read, citing that 13% of Americans were “bothered” after being assigned a hotel room on the 13th floor. (Let’s pause here briefly to note the irony in the poll numbers themselves; perhaps it’s these 13 percenters who have kept the fear of 13 alive!)

The report goes on to explain that “developers of hotels and office buildings have to make the decision whether to include a 13th floor to avoid [occupants’] superstitious desire[s] to avoid working or staying on such a floor. Many hotels in Las Vegas, where luck and superstition are important psychological factors, do not have 13th floors, and other large hotel chains routinely skip from the 12th to the 14th floor, although, technically, the 14th floor is really the 13th floor of that building.”

So, why don’t hotels have a 13th floor? The answer appears to be a combination of superstition, psychology, and market capitalism, a system known for its creative solutions to profit-hindering problems.

Other Places Where the Number 13 is Unwelcome

Interestingly, the superstition of 13 is not just limited to hotels and office buildings. It also crops up in areas such as air travel, where some airports have taken it upon themselves to skip gate 13, and healthcare, with some hospitals cutting room 13 and going straight to 14. Furthermore, many airlines, such as Iberia, Air France, and Ryanair, don’t have a row 13 for the same reason.

In Florence, Italy, house numbers between 12 and 14 are usually addressed as “12 1/2.” In France, there was once a tradition where socialites known as quatorziens (“fourteeners”) would make themselves available to be the 14th guest at a dinner party. This was believed to keep the party from being unlucky and definitely to prevent a disaster of Loki proportions.

The practice of skipping 13 is far from universal, however, with some countries not adhering too much to superstition. For example, in China, the number four is considered unlucky, as the Mandarin word for “death” — pronounced sǐ — is a homonym for “four.” That’s not to say that all buildings in China have a 13th floor. In some cases, both the fourth and thirteenth floors are omitted entirely.

In Conclusion

The superstition of 13 is still alive and well in today’s culture, with a long history dating back centuries. Although some people may overlook its significance, others are prepared to go to great lengths to avoid the number altogether. Indeed, the practice of not having a 13th floor in hotels and other establishments is a powerful example of the phenomenon’s ability to shape the decisions we make in our lives.

So, whether it’s a real estate development or an airport gate, the number 13 is often met with a shrug, and a “no thank you.” But it may also elicit a chuckle from realists who can’t be bothered to be bothered by what’s often a silly superstition.

Still, perhaps it’s best to avoid being guest number 13 at a dinner party. You know. Just in case.

The post Why Do Some Buildings Skip the 13th Floor? appeared first on CitySignal.

At 1,454 feet tall from foundation to antenna, the iconic 102-story building punctures the clouds, defines the New York City skyline, and towers over residents and buildings alike. Though only 91 years old, the Empire State Building is integral to the legacy and the history of Manhattan. The building has stood as a beacon of hope through the city’s darkest days, from the Great Depression to the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center. It has served as a stage for television and film’s greatest moments, from Sleepless in Seattle to King Kong. It is a sight at which tourists marvel, and was even the site where Marvel comics were born. It is a tower with personality, a love for Taylor Swift, and allegedly a ghost or two. It is a building that is so much more than just a building. 

So where did it all begin? 

Who Built The Empire State Building? Breaking Ground

The story of the Empire State Building begins far before the structure itself. Even the land on which it was built is significant. 

Located at 20 W. 34th Street, the Art-Deco masterpiece stands in what today is considered Midtown Manhattan. In the late 1700s, however, the neighborhood was quite different. Rather than a bustling metropolis, it was the idyllic farm of John and Mary Murray and is said to be the site where George Washington’s troops retreated to after the battle of Kips Bay during the Revolutionary War. The Murray family has had an extensive impact on New York City, from the naming of Murray Hill to the creation of the New York City Public School System (by way of John Murray Jr.’s Free School Society in the early 1800s) to being the owners of the land that would one day host the Empire State Building. 

The Murray family sold the land to William Waldorf Astor in 1826; he would open the Waldorf Hotel at the site in 1893. In 1897, Waldorf’s cousin, John Jacob Astor IV, opened the Astoria Hotel next door. The two hotels soon consolidated to become the Waldorf-Astoria and would make headlines as the largest hotel in the world at the time. Despite its reputation as a “must-stay,” however, by the 1920s, much of New York’s elite had moved uptown, and so the hotel followed suit, relocating to 301 Park Avenue, where the Waldorf-Astoria still stands today. The original lot was sold to the Bethlehem Engineering Corporation in 1928, and the grand hotel was demolished to make room for something new. 

That “something new” was initially going to be a 50-story office building, but the Bethlehem Engineering Corporation defaulted on a bank loan, and the land was re-sold before anything could be done. The new owners were the investment group “Empire State Inc.,” a cohort of elite New Yorkers joined by former New York Governor and 1928 Democratic Presidential Candidate Alfred E. Smith. The group purchased nearby land to ensure they had the two acres needed for their building’s base, and in August of 1929, Al Smith – who had been chosen to head up the corporation – announced the group’s ambitious plan: Empire State Inc. would build “an 80-story building on the site, to be taller than any other buildings in existence.” 

How Old Is The Empire State Building

The boom years of the late 1920s saw an explosion of commercial buildings rise up in Manhattan as developers raced to get in on what was, at the time, a roaring and healthy economy. According to Robert Slayton’s Empire Statesman: The Rise and Redemption of Al Smith, “office space in New York had increased 51% from 1920 to 1930.” But for the elite real estate developers, it wasn’t enough to fill a skyscraper to capacity– their office building had to be the tallest one in the sky. 

At the time that Empire State Inc. announced their building plans, two other structures posed massive competition – the Woolworth Building, clocking in at 792 feet, and the Chrysler Building, taking the crown at 1,046 high. For John Jacob Raskob, former Vice President of General Motors and the mastermind behind the Empire State Building, these were the buildings to beat, and nothing would stop his tower from reaching new heights. His structure would be a “monument to the future” and an “inspiration for the poor in a nation that reached for the sky with its feet on the ground.” At least, that’s what he pitched to investors in early October of 1929. 

Unfortunately for Raskob, the future of the nation would turn bleak mere days later. On October 24th, a date otherwise known as “Black Thursday,” the stock market crashed, the banks failed, companies went belly-up, and the country would soon be plunged into the Great Depression. In the blink of an eye, the Roaring Twenties came to a screeching halt. 

When Was The Empire State Building Built?

Interestingly, this did not deter the Empire State group. On March 17th, 1930, construction on the Empire State Building officially began. According to the Empire State Building’s website, under the direction of “architects Shreve, Lamb & Harmon Associates and builders Starrett Bros. & Eken, the framework rises 4 ½ stories per week.” Despite the crumbling economy, the race to build the tallest building in the world was charging full steam ahead. The project even managed to create jobs in a time when unemployment rates were rapidly rising; 3,439 workers were employed during the one year and 45 days it took to build.

A Steel Boned Masterpiece 

The Empire State Building was a modern marvel and notable for its innovations in structural engineering. At the time of its construction, it was thought impossible to build a tower taller than 100 stories. To achieve the unachievable, architects Shreve, Lamb and Harmon Associates elected to use a steel frame for the basic construction technique. The frame was built by ironworkers whom many dubbed “Daredevil Boys.” The workers were fearless, balancing on narrow beams hundreds of feet in the air, swinging on cables, often only with the support of a very basic harness. 

Official accounts report that five workers died during the construction of the building. Some sources offer contradictory (and higher) numbers. Regardless of the actual count, the deaths go to show that this work was dangerous; construction work in 1930 did not have the same safety guardrails and protections keeping workers alive today. 

The building is considered an Art Deco masterpiece. Its strong steel bones are covered in limestone and granite with accents of aluminum. These materials, combined with recessed windows and a streamlined facade, are some of the defining markers of the Art Deco style. The building’s interior is just as notable; the lobby features a gold and aluminum mural on the ceiling, designed as an homage to the mechanical age. Above the entrance inside of the building, three medallions honor the craftsmen who built the tower, and the building trades used to complete the structure at the time of its construction. 

Though the building itself is a guidepost of the Art Deco style, the unmistakable pencil shape is actually in part due to a 1916 zoning law. The ordinance established rules on a building’s mass as it grew, meaning that the taller a building was, the farther it had to be set back from its lot line. The result was a style known as the “setback-and-tower style,” which both the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building are famous for. 

The Empire State Building’s famous spire, too, has an interesting origin. One of Al Smith’s initial plans for the building was to build a “mooring mast” for dirigibles (airships) to dock. The idea was that passengers would exit the airship “down a gangplank, and a mere seven minutes later could be on the street.” This plan never came to fruition due to its impracticability, as gusty winds made docking impossible. However, the mast remained, serving as a reminder of what could have been and giving the Empire State Building its impressive and (at the time) record-breaking height. 

On May 1st, 1931, the Empire State Building officially opened. President Herbert Hoover pressed a button from his office in the White House, and the lights to the building turned on. Al Smith’s grandchildren cut a ribbon in the building lobby, invited guests attended a dedication ceremony on the observation deck, onlookers gawked from the street. For both New York and the country as a whole, it was a day of celebration in a period of despair. 

Many saw the construction and completion of the Empire State Building as a sign of hope for the beleaguered city, which American financier Bernard Baruch called “the symbolic capital of the Depression.” To build a 102-story building was an engineering feat in and of itself; to do so in the middle of the worst economic crisis in the country’s history was unfathomable. 

Empty Chairs in Empty Offices 

From the day it opened, the observation deck on the 86th floor of the Empire State Building brought in tourists eager to view the city from the sky. Retailers, too, were eager to secure a spot in New York City’s tallest building from the get-go. Despite the economic hardships of the Great Depression, only 12 of the 224 storefronts were unoccupied when the Empire State Building opened in 1931. 

Unfortunately, office spaces – the bulk of the building’s space and income – were harder to fill. Only 23% of the office space in its first year was rented. The majority of the tenants were friends, family, or business associates of Raskob, Smith, and other members of the Empire State group. Even Al Smith’s dentist moved his offices to the building; he would stay there for many years to come. Add in some garment makers and the offices of the New York World’s Fair, and that makes up the bulk of the tenants in the early years. 

86 nearly unoccupied floors of office space is not a good look for a brand-new building. To give the appearance of vacancy, the lights were continuously left on, even in the unrented spaces. Unfortunately, the ruse wasn’t enough to convince onlookers of a bustling building – New Yorkers soon dubbed it the “Empty State Building.” 

Much of the Empire State Building’s early occupancy issues were due to the economic conditions and a slow market. Interestingly, the pandemic years saw a similar conundrum. 

Pre-2020, office space in New York City was at a premium, and developers couldn’t build fast enough. The ambitious $25 billion Hudson Yards project, aimed at revitalizing the area between Chelsea and Hell’s Kitchen, rolled out “Phase 1” in March 2019, which included a hotel, retail spaces, and ample office space. One year later, the COVID-19 pandemic sent workers home and permanently changed how employees interact with the workplace. In May 2020, the Financial Times called the development a “ghost town.” The vision of a bustling mini-metropolis within Manhattan faded as Hudson Yards struggled to fill its offices (and retain retailers designed to serve commuters). Though employees have trickled back to the office and a semblance of commuter culture has returned, as of September 2022, Hudson Yards still sat at a 37% vacancy rate. 

The Empire State Building, too, was affected by the pandemic. Though many seem to be returning to the office, the adoption of the hybrid mode of work has impacted office rentals, retailers, and tourism alike. For example: in the second quarter of 2021, the 86th-floor observatory saw 162,000 visitors, 83% less than the one million tourists recorded during the second quarter of 2019. Though both tourism and return-to-office numbers have steadily risen since 2021 – the building reported 573,000 visitors in the second quarter of 2022 – it’s clear that the Empire State Building still has a ways to go before reaching pre-pandemic boom numbers. 

The lesson? No matter how impressive the development, timing is everything. Whether it’s 1931 or 2020, macroeconomic conditions greatly affect the success of a building. 

Empire State on the Up and Up

Despite a rocky first few years for office occupancy, the Empire State Building soon found its footing as both a cultural and economic icon. Though the owners did not make a profit on the building until the 1950s, by the 1940s, the building was 98% occupied. One notable tenant of the 1940s was Timely Comics, the comic book arm of American publisher Martin Goodman. It was in the Empire State Building that Goodman published the superhero stories which would eventually evolve into what is known as Marvel today. 

The building steadily increased occupancy and gained notoriety throughout the 1930s and 1940s. However, there were two markers in the building’s early years that put it on the map as one of the most famous landmarks in New York City.  

Height of the Empire State Building 

From the moment it was completed in 1931, the Empire State Building claimed the title of “the tallest skyscraper in the world.” This title was held for 42 years, likely in part due to the onset of the Great Depression and the Second World War. In 1972, the World Trade Center’s North Tower surpassed the Empire State Building in height and took the title of the world’s tallest skyscraper. By the early 2000s, several other structures had surpassed both the Empire State Building and the World Trade Center for the title of tallest building in the world. After the September 11th attacks, the Empire State Building was once considered the tallest building in New York City; it kept this title until the erection of One World Trade in 2012. 

That the Empire State Building was able to market itself as “the world’s tallest skyscraper” from 1931 – 1972 did a lot for its success. The title afforded both tenants and the building a certain cache. Who wouldn’t want to say that their office building is so big it has its own zip code? 

KING KONG Filming and the Sale of the Empire State Building

On March 7th, 1933, the building received another legendary bit of marketing, this one by way of a giant gorilla-like beast on the loose from Skull Island. In the climax of the film, King Kong scales the Empire State Building, terrorizing New York City from 102 floors up, before falling to his death. It’s fitting that the film, which has been lauded for its groundbreaking use of special effects, used a building that was, at the time, a major achievement and pioneer in structural engineering. 

Both King Kong and the “world’s tallest building” title cemented the Empire State Building’s place in the concrete jungle. To this day, it remains one of the most iconic markers of Manhattan.    

Unfortunately, increased occupancy and building fame were not enough for Raskob, who listed it for sale in 1951. Purchased for $51 million, it was the highest price ever paid for a single structure at the time. The building would break its own record ten years later in 1961, when it was again sold at the new highest price paid for a single structure, this time for $65 million. Today the building is owned by the Empire State Realty Trust, a publicly traded real estate company.  

No matter the owner, the legacy of the Empire State Building is not going anywhere. On May 19th, 1981 the building was awarded Landmark Status from the New York City Preservation Commission. It has become the gold standard when describing the height and length of other structures globally. And in 1994, it was named one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers. 

Lore and Legends of the Empire State Building

With every icon comes a good amount of gossip, noteworthy people, and… ghosts. The Empire State Building is no different. 

The Ghost of Evelyn Francis McHale

On May 1st, 1947 – exactly 16 years after the Empire State Building opened – 23-year-old Evelyn Francis McHale jumped to her death from the 86th Floor observatory. She landed on the roof of a United Nations limousine. Her death, which was captured by photography student Robert C. Wiles, was dubbed “The Most Beautiful Suicide” by Life Magazine. The photo of McHale was a sensation, even used by Andy Warhol in one of his prints. 

Rumor has it that McHale’s ghost still haunts the 86th-floor observation deck. An account from Gawker reports: “tourists at the Empire State Building spot a beautiful woman, dressed in ‘40s-style clothing, face streaked with tears, on the observation deck. They watch in horror as she jumps to her death, only to find… She was already dead.” 

The Seance of 1932

In the early days of (un)occupancy, the building’s desperate owners were willing to do anything in order to get their offices filled. That included a seance to contact the ghost of Thomas Edison. Led by a medium on the 82nd floor, the event was mainly a publicity stunt in hopes of drawing in more renters. 

Death By Penny? 

A famous urban myth about the Empire State Building is that “if one drops a penny off the top of the Empire State Building, it could kill someone or put a crater in the pavement.” In 2003, popular TV show Mythbusters put the theory to a test. Ultimately the myth was busted after the conclusion that a penny “cannot gain enough velocity to inflict lethal injury or put a crater into the pavement.” This did not, however, deter the Broadway musical Avenue Q from using the urban myth as a joke. In the musical, a character drops a penny off the side of the Empire State Building and inadvertently hits her rival, sending her into a coma! 

Paging Walter Hobbs

The Empire State Building makes a major appearance in the 2003 Christmas movie Elf. Chaos is wrecked upon the office of naughty book publisher Walter Hobbs, played by the late James Caan, when Buddy the Elf visits his father at work. The building is Buddy’s guiding light as he traverses from the North Pole to New York City, following a shaker globe with the building at the center. Not surprising that a Christmas Elf took such a liking to the building; though the design was actually made to reflect a pencil, if one were to press all of the elevator buttons at once, it bears a striking resemblance to a Christmas tree. 

TikTok and Taylor Swift 

In recent years, the Empire State Building has developed an impressive presence on TikTok. The building’s account often goes viral for making fun of other skyscrapers in New York City, making videos with celebrities, and its apparent love of Taylor Swift. On the night before the release of her highly anticipated re-recorded Red album in November of 2021, the building turned its lights red, and the corresponding TikTok got over 7 million views. 

Currently, the Empire State Building’s Tik Tok is run by two “Besties” who publish Gen Z-targeted content and personify the landmark to create major drama between nearby buildings and competing observatories such as The Edge.

@empirestatebldg WE RUN THIS CITY #empirestatebuilding #nyc #newyork #besties ♬ original sound – Random Memes and Stuff

Sleepless in Seattle

Lots of movies, TV shows, and novels have used the infamous observation deck as part of their story. Perhaps the most iconic, however, is Sleepless in Seattle. It’s the spot where star crossed lovers Annie Reed (Meg Ryan) and Sam Baldwin (Tom Hanks) finally meet to confess their feelings for each other on Valentines Day. Annie’s character (and the film’s writer, Norah Ephron) was inspired by the 1957 romance film An Affair to Remember. 

Unfortunately, in the latter lovers Nickie Ferrante (Cary Grant) and Terry McKay (Deborah Kerr) do not get their happy ending at the top of the Empire State Building; Terry is struck by a car on her way to the building and never makes it to the observation deck.  

Empire State Building Run-Up

Some go to the top of the Empire State Building for love; others head up a bit of exercise. Since 1978, NYCRUNS has held a foot race at the building called the “Empire State Building Run-Up.” The route spans from the bottom of the building to the 86 floor, with runners sprinting up 1,576 stairs. According to the Empire State Building’s website, it’s “the world’s first and most famous tower race, and the fastest runners have covered the 86 floors in about 10 minutes.” The 2022 Run-Up date was on October 6th at 8pm. 

Who Owns The Empire State Building Today?

Since 2006, the ownership of the Empire State Building has been in the hands of Peter Malkin and his company Empire State Land Associates from Donald Trump and Hideki Yokoi for a sale of $57.5 million. Prior to that, Leona Helmsley also hand in the day to day operations

Visiting the Empire State Building

The Empire State Building is open 365 days a year, rain or shine. For observatory visits, tourists can head up early in the morning or after dark for nighttime views. The building offers group packages, specialty experiences, and even a VIP proposal package for the romantic types. For those looking for more than just a quick visit to the Empire State Building, both office and retail spaces are currently available for lease. The building is strictly commercial, so anyone hoping to call 20 W. 34th Street home will have to look elsewhere. 

From the very soil it sits on to top of the record-breaking tower, the Empire State Building is an unmistakable part of the soul of New York City. The building has modernized with the city, and the longer it stands, the more stories it holds and visitors it welcomes. It is a place that has seen the city through the best and worst of times, and stands tall as a reminder of what New York City is: weird, wonderful, and very, very big. 

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The Durst Organization’s Portfolio

The Durst Organization was founded in 1927 by Jewish immigrant Joseph Durst, a man whose humble beginnings led to quite extravagant ends. First a tailor, then a partner at a dress manufacturer in New York City, Durst began his property acquisition endeavors in 1915 using the profits from his manufacturing business. Most notable of his early purchases is the original Congregation Emanu-El, which was demolished in 1927 to make room for commercial developments. 

Over the course of nearly 100 years, Durst and his family built what is considered one of the most prominent real estate companies in New York City. Now run by Durst’s grandchildren, the organization holds claim to some of the city’s most impressive and in-demand properties. The family-run business prides itself on creating and managing “sustainable residential and commercial properties in which people live, work, and thrive.” 

Beyond its buildings, the Durst Organization co-founded The Model Organic Farm Foundation, the non-profit organization responsible for operating McEnroe Organic Farm – one of the largest organic farms in New York State. Seymour Durst is also credited with creating the National Debt Clock, “conceived to call attention to the soaring debt and each family’s share of it.” Today, the clock is located at Anita’s Way, in the through block between two Durst properties – One Bryant Park and 151 W. 42nd Street. 

The Durst Organization has properties in Manhattan, Queens, Philadelphia, and Northern Dutchess County. Though each building is unique, all boast sustainable designs, extreme attention to detail, and unique amenities for residents. CitySignal has ranked the Coolest 7 Durst Properties in New York City, based on where we’d most like to work and/or live. 

One World Trade 

Built on the northwest corner of the original World Trade Center site, One World Trade (formerly known as the Freedom Tower), is undoubtedly one of not only the Durst Organization’s coolest buildings, but also one of the country’s most significant structures. It is the tallest building in both the United States and the Western Hemisphere, and the seventh-tallest structure in the world. Built in 2012, it took the title of tallest building in New York City from the Empire State Building, which held it from 1931 – 1972, and then again from 2001 – 2012. At 1,776 feet tall, its height is a deliberate nod to the year the Declaration of Independence was signed. 

The building’s anchor tenant is Condé Nast. The publishing organization relocated their headquarters to One World Trade in 2014, moving from the Durst Orginzation’s One Five One building, where Condé Nast had been a tenant since 1999. One World Trade is also the home of Reddit and Bon Appetit.  

One of the most environmentally sustainable skyscrapers in the world, One World Trade has received a LEED Gold Certification and uses sustainable architecture features to reduce energy costs and minimize the building’s environmental impact. 

The building also boasts one of the best views in Manhattan, with the One World Observatory located on floors 100 – 102. At 1,268 feet, the three-story observation deck offers the highest vantage point in New York City. It is accessible through a side entrance or the Westfield shopping center, located on the lower floors of the building. 

One World Trade is a building of major importance for the country… and it’s also a really cool place to work, shop, and get a birds-eye-view of New York City. 

One Bryant Park 

Located at 1111 Avenue of the Americas, One Bryant Park – otherwise known as the Bank of America Tower – is another one of the Durst Organization’s most impressive properties. At 1,200 feet, it is the eighth-tallest building in New York City and the tenth-tallest building in the United States. Completed in 2009, the $1 billion project is a New York City landmark and an unmissable marker of Midtown. 

One of the building’s most exciting features is the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, a historic Broadway theatre with an impressive neo-Georgian facade. The theatre is currently home to the new Broadway musical & Juliet, which opened in November 2022. 

Broadway isn’t the only sight worth seeing at One Bryant Park. The building is notable for its glass “curtain wall” facade. Designed by architects Cook + Fox, the facade allows for lowered energy costs and usage and meets LEED Platinum sustainability standards. A unique and eye-catching design, the curtain wall allows the building to stand out without dwarfing its next-door neighbor, Bryant Park. 

While one writer in the Village Voice described the glass facade as “alien,” another described the building as a “psychological and economic lift to a city that was still reeling from the destruction of the World Trade Center.” Either way, it serves as a haven for tourists, employees, and commuters alike. 

VIA 57 West 

It’s hard to miss VIA 57 West, which resembles a distorted pyramid and boasts a steeply sloped facade angled towards the northeast. Located at 625 W 57th, the award-winning residential apartment complex is an unmissable marvel in the Durst collection of properties. 

The first New York project of Danish architect Bjarke Ingels, the building’s sloped facade is said to resemble a sailboat crossing the Hudson River. According to The New York Times, the building was named VIA because the southbound West Side Highway “slopes down as drivers enter the city, right at the spot where the building is situated.” It’s seen as an entrance into Manhattan “via 57th.” Officially named VIA, the building has garnered quite a few alternative monikers: Pyramid, West 57th, W57, West57, and Tetrahedron. 

Beyond the design, the building is an incredible place to call home. Extra amenities include a swimming pool, a library, basketball court, movie theater, and a poker room. Located at 11th and 57th, the building may seem a bit far from transit hubs, but that issue is solved by the exclusive complimentary resident shuttle. There is also on-site parking for those with cars. 

VIA 57 West is an architectural marvel and an apartment building worth drooling over. 

One Five One 

The Durst Organization’s One Five One building may be better known as 4 Times Square, the Nasdaq MarketSite, the H&M Building, or maybe simply as “the Condé Nast building.” Opened in 1999, the 52-story skyscraper is a staple of Times Square and one of the earliest examples of green design for a skyscraper. 

Though the corporation has since moved to One World Trade, publisher Condé Nast was one of the building’s flagship tenants when it opened in 1999. Notable about the Condé Nast tenancy is the ‘Condé Nast cafeteria,’ which was designed by architect Frank Gehry. Gehry’s first project as an architect in New York City, the cafeteria was as fabulous as the employees eating in it. It cost an estimated $30 – $35 million to build. After Condé left One Five One in 2014, it sat empty for five years but was reopened as a tenant-only food hall in 2018. 

Some other significant early tenants of the One Five One building were law firm Skadden Arps and Disney’s ESPN Zone restaurant. Skadden Arps left the building for Manhattan West in 2020, and the ESPN Zone closed as a result of the 2008 financial crisis. 

One tenant showing no signs of relocating: Nasdaq’s MarketSite, which has laid claim to the $37 million LED sign outside of One Five One since 1999, also leases space inside the building. MarketSite expanded their lease to 180,000 square feet in May 2019. 

Besides MarketSite, One Five One’s most visible tenant is currently retailer H&M, who signed a commercial lease with the building in 2012… provided they could put panels with the ‘H&M’ logo atop the skyscraper. The panels certainly make the One Five One building hard to miss!    

SVEN 

One of the Durst Organization’s most exciting properties is the Sven apartment complex, located at 29-59 Northern Boulevard in Long Island City, Queens. Designed by Handel Architects, the 71-story mixed-use tower is a development worth nothing. 

With a gleaming, curved facade, the building is an eye-catching addition to Long Island City. While the mirrored tower represents the future, the building’s foundation is an homage to the past. The Sven building is located at the historic site of the former Bank of Manhattan Building. Though no longer operating as a bank, The Queens Clock Tower structure has been seamlessly incorporated into the base of the building. Like all Durst properties, Sven is sustainably built and run, focusing on environmentally responsible use of the elements water, earth, energy, and air. 

The building offers ample amenities, including a fitness center, an outdoor pool, poker lounge, library, and screening room. There are usually a handful of available apartments ranging from studio to three bedrooms and boast features, including (but not limited to) up-to-date appliances and floor-to-ceiling windows. 

A quick subway from Manhattan, Sven offers residents a different view of the New York CIty skyline… from across the East River, 71 stories high.

Historic Front Street

What’s interesting about Historic Front Street is that it isn’t just one property – it’s an entire city block. According to the website, “Historic Front Street consists of 11 restored 18th-century buildings and three modern buildings on Front Street between Beekman Street and Peck Slip.” In line with Durst Organization values, it is the largest historic preservation project in New York to incorporate sustainability into all aspects of its buildings.

For those looking to live at Historic Front Street, the Finacial District development has 95 rarely available rental apartments, ranging from studios to penthouses. There are also commercial offerings, with 13 ground-floor retail spaces for rent. Though interiors are ready for redesign, all storefronts must comply with historic landmark requirements to “maintain the cohesive neighborhood look and feel.” The facades are old, but the shops are new: some residents include Jack’s Coffee, Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream, and Paris Cafe.  

To visit Manhattan’s Seaport neighborhood is to travel back in time to the 1800s, as so much of the area has been preserved. It’s a great place to work, shop, and live! 

EŌS Nomad

Though not a commercial office building, the Durst Organization’s EŌS Nomad apartment complex makes for a great place to work from home. Located at 100 W 31st Street, the 47-story glass tower offers stunning studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments. 

The units are a renter’s dream, boasting everything from basic features like a washer/dryer to the more exciting bonus of floor-to-ceiling glass windows. Where EOS takes its crown, however, is in its amenities. The building offers an indoor pool, a golf simulator, a roof deck, fitness center, half-court basketball court, and a 24-hour concierge in the lobby. Not to mention the impressive location, right in the heart of the city. 

Sustainably and seamlessly designed, EŌS Nomad is not to be slept on… unless you’re renting an apartment in the building! You can find availabilities here. 

The Durst Difference

Though these are the seven ‘coolest’ properties, they’re not all of the residences and commercial buildings in the Durst portfolio. All of Durst Organization’s buildings are curated with the care and conscience that can only come from a family-run company. 

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Still, some places are just a little more special than others. These historical homes and structures in Brooklyn are worth knowing. Through the cumulative visions of influential designers, developers and architects, Brooklyn is home to numerous buildings and features exclusive to its borough.

Historical Development of Brooklyn Architecture

It was the late 1800’s and the United States expansion was well underway. Growing numbers of people were moving to Brooklyn, especially between 1880 and 1930. Drawn by opportunity and affordability, the newcomers created massive housing demand. Single-family homes just weren’t cutting it anymore. Architects and developers began exploring designs for multi-unit housing developments. It was during this time that Kinko houses first appeared.

The Two-Family Kinko Duplex House

One of the biggest takeaways we have from this era are Kinko houses, a popular housing design that gained popularity straight from inception in 1905. Kinko houses are residential, two-family duplex homes with separate private entrances for each unit such as evident at 362 Parkside Ave. To have separate entrances was an uncommon feature at the time. The name “Kinko” is an abbreviation of their first builder, Kings & Westchester Land Company. Newspapers and magazines quickly sung praise; Westwood Realty reported Kinko homes as “The most perfect houses ever built for two families.”

1 of 2

Giving each duplex its own front door, stairway, porch, cellar, and house number was a break from tradition that kept both units at nearly equal value and maintained privacy between tenants. For example, homes like 1156 Sterling Place in the same neighborhood of Crown Heights had the same street address and looked like one unit. 

Houses varied stylistically but contained the same features as one another: living room, dining room, kitchen, and staircase to the second floor with four bedrooms and a bathroom. Style concepts include English Terrace, Colonial Revival and Florentine.

Brooklyn’s row homes and Kinko houses first appeared around Crown Heights North, St Johns and Brooklyn Avenues, Sterling and Hampton Places and around St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church. Most of the homes sold immediately.  

The Future Melrose Parkside Historic District

In Flatbush, the prominent Brooklyn architects Benjamin Driesler and Axel Hedman created a number of historical rowhouse developments. One specific grouping of homes is under consideration for historical status. To be marked historical would protect the building from demolition or major alterations, preserving both its history and original design.  

The potential Melrose Parkside Historic District would be composed of 38 single and two-family row houses situated between Flatbush and Bedford avenues in Prospect Lefferts Gardens. Of the 38 houses, 20 are Kinko houses. The Landmarks Preservation Commission voted unanimously to consider the Flatbush row houses as a historic district. In next steps, a public hearing will be set and conducted before a final vote by the Commission determines the outcome.

The Arts and Crafts Duplex Houses in Crown Heights

In another part of Brooklyn, one Kinko home in particular has received much attention. Located at 1040 Sterling Place, this building was constructed in 1905 through designs by Kings & Westchester Land Company. Listed in 2020 for an asking price of $1.625 million, 1040 Sterling Place is revered for gorgeous interior and exterior details. 

The popular Arts and Crafts style home includes red brick exterior, gabled façade, oriel windows, iron balcony and dark brick exterior detailing. Each unit has separate entrances and an identical layout including hardwood floors, built-in bookshelves, china cabinets, wall moldings, wood mantels, brick fireplaces and a Juliet balcony. The lower unit has garden access, while the upper unit enjoys roof deck access.

But Brooklyn isn’t all Kinko homes. There are many famous non-residential buildings throughout Brooklyn. Amongst them are the interesting backstories of Brooklyn’s Old Stone House, the Prospect Park Boathouse, and Brooklyn Borough Hall. And, of course- the Haunted Mansion of Melrose Park.

The Old Stone House of Brooklyn

Despite appearances, this house is a famous war relic. The Vechte-Cortelyou House, a Dutch stone farmhouse, was the location of the largest battle of the American Revolutionary War, the 1776 Battle of Long Island. While the original house was destroyed in 1897, the Old Stone House of Brooklyn is an exact replica, built with unearthed original materials.

 

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 Famous in pop culture as well, the Old Stone House was also a clubhouse to the Brooklyn Superbas, who eventually became the Brooklyn Dodgers. The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation purchased the land in the 1920s before reconstructing in 1934.

The Old Stone House was finally listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012. It now operates as the Old Stone House Historic Interpretive Center, a museum that gives educational tours to school children on local and regional history. Check their calendar for upcoming exhibitions and events. 

The Prospect Park Audubon Center at the Boathouse

Erected in 1905, the Prospect Park Boathouse is a stunning piece of Brooklyn Beaux Arts architecture. Designed by locally famous architects Frank Helmle and Ulrich Huberty, the building was based on Jacopo Sansovino’s design for St. Mark’s Library in Venice. The major feature would be white terra cotta, creating an elegant backdrop to Lullwater and Lullwater Bridge.

The Prospect Park Boathouse, although beautiful, eventually became abandoned. Many saw the building as useless, prompting a number of movements through the years, particularly the 1930s, hoping to raze or demolish the building. With boats located elsewhere, the structure had fallen into disrepair.

In 1964, with demolition just a few days away, local poet Marianne Moore rallied with other preservationists and urged officials to save the boathouse. At 48 hours before demolition, they won. The Boathouse was declared a historic landmark in 1968, and a $5 million dollar restoration project in 1999 replaced the terra-cotta façade while creating the Audubon Nature Center. The boathouse was one of the first buildings to be declared a historic landmark in Brooklyn.

Currently, the Prospect Park Boathouse can be rented for daytime and evening events, accommodating up to 225 guests and featuring catering from Purslane.

Brooklyn Borough Hall

Built of Tuckahoe marble, this 1848 construction is the oldest public building still standing in Brooklyn. Designed by architects Calvin Pollard and Gamaliel King, Borough Hall was the original City Hall of Brooklyn. Typical of 19th-century city halls, it contained the Mayoral offices, City Council offices, a courtroom, and a jail. It served as City Hall for almost fifty years and is now considered the soul of Brooklyn civics. 

It is considered one of the best examples of Greek Revival in the city. With massive columns and a monumental staircase, the entrance is flanked by six fluted Ionic columns. The cast-iron cupola is a replacement as the original burned in an 1895 fire. The courtroom contains a coffered domed ceiling, fluted Ionic columns, carved wood paneling, and detailed plasterwork.

A restoration project in the 1980s helped restore the exterior to its original beauty. The restoration work included stone restoration, copper shingles replacement, stainless steel cladding, and clock and tower repair. Virtue, the bronze statue on the roof, was created after construction through drawings and documents.

Borough Hall received landmark status in 1966, where it was declared “a dignified civic structure of impressive scale.”

The Ghost of the Mansion in Melrose Park

Let’s end with a little ghost story. Melrose Hall was constructed in the 1740s at Bedford Ave and Winthrop Street in Flatbush. Seated along an avenue of pines, the hall was an important community centerpiece for the area. The pre-Revolutionary War estate is also said to be haunted by former inhabitants and POWs.

A number of hidden passageways, hallways, and rooms were discovered over the years. Above the banquet hall was a chamber. A secret staircase was found leading to this small room where a girl, Isabella, was rumored to die of starvation.

People claimed Melrose Hall was haunted by this woman, the mistress of its previous owner. Others saw the ghosts of soldiers around and beneath the building.

In the 1880s, the residence was dramatically altered to make room for a bustling Bedford Avenue; the wings, ballroom, and outbuildings were torn down, and main house moved 400 feet back to accommodate a growing Bedford Avenue. During alteration, secret cellars with chains coming from the walls were discovered.

In the 1880s parts of the estate were sold off as developers began planning the Melrose Park neighborhood, which would center around Melrose Hall. The hall was eventually torn down in 1909 to make room for row houses.

While much has been forgotten, some still claim to feel an ominous presence when in the area. Luckily, the rest of Brooklyn has done a good job at preserving historical buildings and homes, with few ghosts to watch out for.

The post The Kinko Homes and Other Historic Buildings of Brooklyn appeared first on CitySignal.

Snyder made the city’s schools safer, healthier, and generally more conducive to a productive learning environment. Now over 100 years later, it’s clear that the lessons to be gleaned from Snyder’s career and legacy extend far beyond those of structural design and architecture; his passion for improving the educational system teaches us quite a bit about humanity, as well. 

The Job of a Lifetime

Charles B.J. Snyder was born in 1860 in Stillwater, New York. He studied architecture at the Cooper Union in New York and began his professional career in the 1880s. For years, Snyder studied under master carpenter William E. Bishop. Little is known about Bishop or the working relationship between the duo, but it can be assumed Snyder spent that time mastering his trade and honing his skills.

This unique educational background likely contributed to Snyder’s success as a school architect. It was one equally as influenced by formal schooling, where he learned the major styles of the time – Beaux-Arts, Gothic, Dutch Colonial – and as it was by the practical, hands-on work he’d performed with Bishop. 

Snyder was only thirty years old when elected Superintendent of Buildings by the New York City Board of Education in 1891. Though he was a man well versed in his craft, innovating the public schools – over capacity and struggling to keep up with the city’s exploding population – would not be an easy task. But Synder was up to the job. 

By the late 1800s, the reputation of the New York City public school system was fraught and flawed. Snyder was hired to take over for the somewhat crooked architect George Debevoise, who had suddenly resigned after accusations that he’d conspired with contractors to use cheaper materials on school projects. Whether or not the allegation against Debevoise was true, the writing was on the wall – or rather, the cracks were in the foundation. Debevoise’s buildings were called “a civic disgrace” by the Real Estate Record and Guide in 1893.

To add insult to injury, the late 1800s were a boom time for New York; every inch of the city was being developed into a bustling metropolis. The cost of land was at a premium, and massive developments were dwarfing the smaller structures. As a result, the physical space allocated for new school buildings was minimal, and the existing ones suffered the consequences of nearby construction: Snyder cited lack of light and proper airflow as major issues in the schools. 

It’s not surprising that during New York City’s Gilded Age – a time when the rich got richer and the poor were pushed into poverty – there lacked an emphasis on education… for those who could not afford private school, that is. Charles B.J. Snyder set out to change that. In his eyes, school buildings served as civic monuments for a better society. He put stately schools in underserved neighborhoods, working to ensure that the privilege of a healthy education was not something one had to pay for. 

One of his first projects as Superintendent was Public School 23, located today at 70 Mulberry Street. Debevoise favored the Romanesque style for his buildings, and though Snyder deviated from that form in his later structures, he designed PS 23 in line with that architectural style. 

In the basement of PS 23, Snyder built an auditorium; this was part of his plan to provide community centers and local meeting places within school buildings. PS 23 was decommissioned as a school in the mid-1970s and reopened as a community center. In 2020, a fire devastated the landmark, but the city has pledged to rebuild and revitalize the building, investing $170 million into the project, which is slated to finish in 2027. 

A larger budget, smaller class sizes, and a supportive President of the Board of Education (Robert Maclay) meant that Snyder was able to introduce basic but necessary improvements to the school buildings. Those included steel frame construction, indoor toilets, mechanical ventilation, and large windows. Despite the improvements, Snyder faced the same problem that had plagued Debevoise for years: how to create a quiet space for learning in unfavorable locations, as the plots allocated for schools were typically on noisey street corners.

Inspiration struck when Snyder went on a research trip to Paris in 1895. He was intrigued by the design of the Gothic-style Hotel Cluny de Paris, which was set back from the street via a courtyard. Snyder mused that this design, which ensured light and air could reach the building and offered respite from city chaos, could work for New York City’s schools. Thus his signature H-plan was born. 

The first school built in this model was PS 165, completed in 1898. Located at 234 West 109th Street, it still stands and operates as a Pre-K through 5th-grade school today. 

School Is In Session

The H-plan design allowed Snyder to streamline the building process and enabled him to complete between 5 and 15 buildings per year. A reorganization of the Deputy Superintendents ensured that each stakeholder reported directly to Snyder and was only responsible for a specific portion of the building (design and planning, heating and ventilation, furniture, etc.). Synder fluctuated between various styles in his work – Beaux-Arts, Jacobean, Dutch Colonial, Gothic. Some buildings exactly followed the H-plan design; some strayed from the blueprint. 

The system was a well-oiled machine, and it garnered exceptional results.  

Dubbed the “mother of High Schools,” Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn has been operating as a school since 1787. The original school building was deemed a historical landmark in 1966 and is now known as the Erasmus Hall Museum. Surrounding the museum is Snyder’s school, designed in Modern Gothic style and built between 1904 and 1940. Today it operates as an educational campus for five separate schools. The storied center boasts a long list of alumni, including the legendary Barbra Streisand. 

PS 17 was built between 1897 and 1898 at 190 Fordham Street. The building lives on as the City Island Nautical Museum, an exhibit dedicated to preserving the city’s nautical heritage. 

Snyder’s Legacy 

These are just a few of the countless still-standing structures that Snyder designed. His influence touched every corner of New York City, from the peak of the Bronx to the depths of Brooklyn to the whole of Manhattan. His work was prolific, and its impact on the community is immeasurable. Each of these buildings was designed with the intention of bringing light and learning to underserved communities and students. 

The public education system has always needed champions fighting to make it better. Snyder was one of those champions, creating community buildings with the same care and quality that the Gilded Age elite built their extravagant mansions. He carved out safe spaces for the greater good, and many still exist today. 

What would the New York City public school system look like without CBJ Snyder? Would the majestic monuments still have been built? Or would those buildings have instead festered in the dark, without fresh air, afterthoughts stuck on unfavorable street corners? 

In “The Battle for the Slum,” muckraking journalist Jacob Riis wrote of Snyder’s schools, saying, “he does that which no other architect before his time ever did or tried; he builds them beautiful. In him New York has one of those rare men who open windows for the soul of their time.” 

Snyder didn’t just build schools for the community; he built a future for New York. 

The post Charles B.J. Snyder: The Man Who Built New York City’s Schools appeared first on CitySignal.

Who were Andrew Carnegie and Louise Whitfield?

Andrew Carnegie’s Immigrant Tale

Called the Father of Modern Philanthropy, Andrew Carnegie was born in 1835 to Will and Margaret Carnegie in Dunfermline, Scotland, the capital at the time. Having fallen on hard times, Will Carnegie joined the popular Chartist movement, a populist movement composed of thousands of working-class Scotsmen sharing a vision for a “better life for the working man.” After the movement failed in 1848, Will and Margaret Carnegie sold their belongings to book passage to America for themselves and their children, 5-year-old Tom and 13-year-old Andrew. They eventually settled in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, taking over a family member’s weaving shop, which ultimately failed, leaving the family in need.

Andrew began working at age 13 as a low-paying bobbin boy in a cotton mill, anything to help support the family. He quickly found better work as a telegraph messenger, teaching himself how to operate the equipment. He eventually found himself in the position of telegraph operator for the Pennsylvania Railroad, where he was promoted to superintendent by age 24. When ten shares of the Adams Express Company went up for sale, Thomas A. Scott, a superintendent of the western division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, alerted Carnegie. But it was Margaret Carnegie who mortgaged their home to obtain the $500 needed for the shares. This investment was massively successful, and Carnegie eventually spun it into another purchase of a share in his business partner Theodore Woodruff’s Sleeping Car Company, a business that Carnegie would eventually buy.

Louise and Andrew’s Secret Engagement

By age 30, around 1865, Carnegie was a multi-millionaire business tycoon with business interests in iron works, steamers on the Great Lakes, railroads, and oil wells. It wasn’t until 1880, at age 45, he began courting his future wife, Louise Whitfield, age 23. Miss Whitfield was born in Chelsea, Manhattan in 1857 to English immigrant and textile merchant John Whitfield. After befriending her father, Carnegie met and was immediately attracted to equally ambitious Louise. 

Andrew was one of the most famous bachelors in the US  at the time, with a growing value of $20 million ($350 million today), although Louise made it clear she had no wish to marry rich. Andrew compromised, making it clear he planned on giving his fortune away: They fell in love. Margaret Carnegie, age 70, disapproved, purportedly having exacted a promise from Andrew that he would remain single while she was alive. Even with her undermining, the couple was engaged in 1883 before breaking it off in 1884 before engaging each other again secretly weeks later to spare mother Margaret, marrying after her death in 1886. Unusual for the time, Louise signed a prenup renouncing claim to Andrew’s millions, gaining stocks and bonds for an independent annual income instead. 

The Andrew Carnegie House

The house was planned by Louise and Andrew not only as a place to raise their daughter, also named Margaret, but also as a base for Carnegie’s philanthropic ventures. After selling his company for $480 million (a staggering $13 billion today), Carnegie retired to the mansion in 1901. There he and Louise oversaw the donation of around $350 million to education, cultural institutions, and promoting world peace. The home was the first modern steel-framed construction, highly sophisticated for the time, featuring multiple electric elevators (one of the first Otis passenger elevators in the city), a fully electric laundry, a hi-tech air conditioning system, and a cellar coal car that traveled over a miniature train track to transfer fuel from a storage bin to the boiler-room. With four levels, a ground floor, and a basement, it rivals some of the one-percenter mansions of today! 

The spacious private garden was rare at the time in New York City, but the Carnegie family preferred simple natural pleasures to the flashy trappings of the Gilded Age elite. Every morning the family would wake up to the sounds of renowned church organist Walter C. Gale who would arrive daily and play the massive organ in the main hallway. The two lived happily with their daughter there for about twenty years until Andrew’s death in 1919. Louise continued their philanthropic ventures long after, living in the mansion until her death in 1946, leaving it to the Carnegie Corporation.  In 1974 the building received historic landmark status before being turned over to the Smithsonian Institute in 1976 to be used as a home for the Cooper-Hewitt Museum. 

The Andrew Carnegie Mansion Today

The interior remained largely unchanged until 2011, when it was renovated by the organization with respect for the original spirit and character of the building. Being a historic landmark, the renovations took care to restore key features of the interior, including moldings, chandeliers, and woodwork, while also allowing for the creation of the Cooper-Hewitt Research Library and the 6000-square-foot Barbara and Morton Mandel Design Gallery. 

In 2015 the mansion and Cooper-Hewitt campus earned LEED silver certification from the United States Green Building Council, which is awarded to buildings that are designed, constructed, maintained, and operated for improved environmental and human health performance: Even after their deaths, the legacy of Andrew and Louise Carnegie is being honored by their home and organization. 

featured image of Carnegie Mansion: Some rights reserved by ajay_suresh

The post How the NYC Carnegie Mansion Came To Be appeared first on CitySignal.

What Is Federal Style Architecture?

Federal architecture was a historical architecture style used during the late 18th century and early 19th century, or roughly 1790-1835. The name came from the era in which the design style prevailed, the Federalist Era, and was heavily inspired by both Thomas Jefferson and Andrea Palladio’s Palladian architecture style.

Common characteristics of Federal architecture include:

• Smooth, one-dimensional surfaces
• Focused details in the windows and panes, trims, and other secondary accents.
• Row houses
• Interior rooms shaped as octagons or oval
• Bald Eagle symbols are embellishments
• A number of windows line each floor’s walls.
• Classicism-based architecture  

Think you’ve never seen Federal architecture in action? Think again. One of the most notorious Federal architecture builds is the White House itself, which paved the way for the architectural style to take off soon thereafter. If you’re looking for examples of the prominent architectural design in New York City, you won’t need to go far – they’re everywhere you look. Here are a few examples to get you trained for spotting federal-style buildings on your next walk. 

58 Bleecker Street

Perhaps most iconic is the federal-style row of homes on the historic portion of Bleecker Street. Built in 1823 by a member of the Roosevelt bloodline, 58 Bleecker, which was later renumbered, was built during the tail-end of the Federal-style period. Bleecker Street saw an uptick in notable citizens moving to Bleecker Street, settling in and building new homes as desired, one of which was Roosevelt’s Bleecker Street two-story row home.

Eventually, the property would be taken over by the first female physician in America, Elizabeth Blackwell, who would transition the space to an infirmary for women and children soon after. The property would continue to change hands, even the floors being devoted to different causes before being remodeled and only standing as an echo of what Roosevelt intended hundreds of years ago.

Hamilton-Holly House

Another significant player in New York City’s federal-era architecture is the East Village’s Hamilton-Holly House. Built in 1831 and home to Elizabeth Hamilton. If the name sounds familiar, that’s because Eliza was the wife and widow of founding father Alexander Hamilton. Later, the son of Eliza and Alexander, Alexander Hamilton Jr., would go on to purchase the townhome and live with his mother, wife, and child, as well as his sister and husband-in-law. Today, the building has been deemed a landmark, being rented out and renovated, with the exterior still remaining true to the federal style.

40 Hicks Street

Hicks Street is home to a couple of homes that enforced federal-style architecture. Located in Brooklyn Heights and built in 1831, 40 Hicks Street is nestled into a time capsule of New York City’s historical and architectural past. The home was originally owned by a tradesman, common for the neighborhood, named Michael Vanderhoef. While 40 Hicks does not have as detailed of a history as other landmarks, pieces have been stitched together to create a story for Vanderhoef’s time at home.

It was believed that he likely rented out rooms of the home to help pay for the cost of the home, which shouldn’t have been too difficult considering the convenient location to the docks. After some time, the home was broken up, and it was reported in the mid-1900s to have the first floor be a store before being converted into the multi-family home that it is today. Much like other federal-style buildings of New York, the interior may have evolved to reflect the needs of the modern day, but the exteriors largely remain tributes to their roots.

MacDougal Street

History lovers flock to Greenwich Village for a number of reasons, but for those looking to hone in on federal-style buildings: you’ll just need a quick trip to MacDougal Street. Located at 127, 129, and 131 MacDougal are three different homes that were built in 1829, later becoming landmarks in the early 2000s.

Not only have these landmarks remained as a reminder of what once was in the city, but they’ve also played a significant role in the evolvement of some of the city’s most prolific and vulnerable communities: a member of the LGBTQ+ community, minorities, and immigrants. An epicenter for culture and historical prominence in the city, these buildings would go on to become multi-functional, with both ground commercial units and residences on the upper floors.

The Admiral’s House – Governors Island

Located on Governors Island in New York Harbor is The Admiral’s House, formerly referred to as the Commanding General’s Quarters. This home functioned as the sleeping quarters for the commanding officer when Governors Island was formerly an Army Post. While the island would later transition to being a base for the Coast Guard and one location for Coast Guard command and operations, and then the national landmark it is today.

The home itself is only two stories with a basement and intricate details along the trim, porches, and cornice. When initially petitioning the Landmarks Preservation Commission for landmark status, one of the primary arguments was, “The Admiral’s House on Governors Island is a superb example of a late Federal style manor house, that it has excellent architectural proportions and superior details, that it is imposing in appearance and befitting to the illustrious generals who were resident commanders in its spacious quarters, and that it now serves as a gracious home for the resident Admiral of the Coast Guard.”

Willow Street

Willow Street is home to a number of federal-styled architecture, one of which is 45 Willow. The property, initially built in the 1820s, has changed significantly over the years with renovations wall to wall while trying its best to preserve the exterior charm that federal-style buildings provided. Aside from the initial historical significance, the home also received another boost in value as Alice Recknagel Ireys, a famed landscape architect, put a one-of-a-kind spin on the home’s landscape while living at the residence. People interested in something similar can find many Federal Style homes and buildings up and down the streets of Brooklyn Heights.

Conclusion

Residences boasting the famed federal-style architecture are decorated in history and decadence. Not only do these properties have strong ties to the country’s origins as the style was borne out of a time of formation for the United States, but they’ve also housed historical figures and played key roles in the country’s evolution forward, not only New York City’s. Next time you’re out and about, keep your eyes peeled for one of the mentioned buildings are spot your own! 

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The History of Gothic Revival Architecture

Gothic Revival is predated by the Gothic style of architecture, which originated in Europe in the middle ages. When the building of churches and synagogues began to gain momentum, architects sought a design that could duly contrast the “magnitude of God” against the humility of humanity. Thus the Gothic style, in all its ornate and extravagant glory, was born. The first credited structure in this style is the Abbey Church of Saint-Denis in France, which is estimated to have been built between the eleventh and twelfth century. Throughout Europe, this building served as a template for numerous other structures – including churches, palaces, and castles – until the age of the Renaissance, during which Gothic architecture fell out of style.

It wasn’t until the Romanticism of the eighteenth century that Gothic architecture was once again appreciated in Europe. Inspired by an enthusiastic sentimentality for the medieval era, the discarded Gothic style was given new life, and aptly renamed Gothic Revival or Neo-Gothic. The two names refer to the same style and can be used interchangeably. The first European structure credited in the Gothic Revival style is Horace Walpole’s Strawberry Hill House, built in Twickenham, London, in the late 1700s. 

Similar to the social movements of the time, by the early nineteenth-century excitement for the Gothic Revival style spread throughout much of the world, ultimately making its way across the pond to the United States. 

One of the earliest known Gothic Revival buildings in the U.S. is New Haven’s Trinity Church, designed in the early 1800s by Ithiel Town. This landmark is presumed to have inspired the Neo-Gothic movement across much of the country… including New York City. 

Gothic Revival in New York City

Gothic Revival had its heyday in New York from 1830 to 1890. Interestingly, that time period in New York City saw a variety of architectural styles, including but not limited to Gothic Revival, Federal, and Greek Revival. Similar to its residents, New York City’s architecture can often feel akin to a melting pot: many different cultures and styles interweaving to create a unique and eye-catching cityscape.

Presently, though Gothic Revival is no longer in vogue, examples of this style can still be seen throughout NYC. Many churches, colleges, and urban high schools are excellent examples of the architecture. As such, upper Manhattan boasts a particularly impressive amount of buildings in this style. Hamilton Heights and Morningside Heights – home to City College and Columbia University, respectively – are hotbeds for Gothic Revival. 

Established in the mid-1800s and built up throughout the early 1900s, The City College of New York has done an excellent job at preserving its history, rich with Neo-Gothic architecture. Pictured above is the cathedral-like Shepard Hall, the first building to be erected on the Hamilton Heights campus. Built between 1903 and 1907, the building still serves as a major hub for CCNY today. 

Construction on The Cathedral of St. John the Divine began in 1892, and though the crossing opened in 1909, the building has never technically been “completed.” The incomplete nature is largely due to stylistic changes and unfinished plans – initially the structure was designed in Byzantine Revival and Roman Revival styles, but was switched to Gothic Revival in 1909. Evidence of all three approaches can be noted throughout both the interior and exterior of the Cathedral. 

Nicknamed “the Cathedral of Commerce,” the Woolworth Building, completed in 1913, is one of the most famous skyscrapers in the country. Designed by architect Cass Gilbert, the structure is hailed as an excellent example of Neo-Gothic style, boasting turrets, ornate vaulted ceilings, and Gothic-style roofing. The Woolworth Building was the tallest structure in New York City until 1930.   

Located on the Upper East Side, the Seventh Regiment Armory, or Park Avenue Armory, was designed in the Gothic Revival fashion in 1880. The building, which once served as headquarters for the Seventh New York Militia Regiment, now houses the Park Avenue Armory Conservancy, a nonprofit cultural institution that presents unique visual and performance art. 

Though perhaps not as extravagant as other buildings, the Episcopal Church of the Ascension is another example of where Gothic Revival can still be seen today. Built in the mid-1800s, Greenpoint’s oldest church features simple yet strong characteristics of the style: stained glass windows and pointed arches are prevalent throughout.  

No matter how big or small the structure, buildings designed with Gothic Revival in mind serve as both a picture into the past and an inspiration for the future. The style carries stories dating back hundreds of years, memories of a moment when the romantics were revered, and elegance was enlightening. 

On the merits of the approach, American Landscape Architect Charles Jencks put it best when he was quoted saying the following: “If you look at Gothic detailing right down to the bottom of a column or the capital of a column, it’s a small version of the whole building; that’s why, like dating the backbones of a dinosaur, a good historian can look at a detail of a Gothic building and tell you exactly what the rest of the building was, and infer the whole from the parts.”

The era may have ended, but the legacy of Gothic Revival remains strong in New York. Walk through the city and look for the identifiable features – ornate stained glass, elegant pointed arches, vaulted ceilings – and it may surprise you how easy it is to spot when you know what you’re looking for. 

The post History of Gothic Revival Architecture in NYC  appeared first on CitySignal.

A Feuding Origin

If you thought the Waldorf’s beginnings were as poised as the building’s reputation – you would be mistaken. In 1826, the Waldorf-Astor family purchased a number of land parcels that span modern-day Madison and Lexington Avenues. William Waldorf Astor and his aunt, Caroline Lina Webster Schermerhorn Astor would eventually begin to feud. 

The feud is said to have festered due to the aunt’s elitist socialite behavior but crossed a line when Caroline, who married into the Astor family, wanted to be named the Mrs. Astor after William’s mother died. As the only son of his mother, William believed whoever he married should be considered Mrs. Astor. 

These semantics and the longstanding distaste for his aunt forced William to do the one thing anyone does when they have an annoying family member: build a 13-story hotel right next to their house. 

The Waldorf 

A product of both business prosperity and revenge, the Waldorf opened its doors in 1893. 

To help craft up the hotel, William consulted George Boldt, owner and operator of the Bellevue hotel and subsequent Bellevue-Stratford in Philadelphia. The construction and hecticity of a commercial building in a once quiet neighborhood forced Caroline out of her home next door, but more on that later. 

Boldt’s guidance played a huge role in the outcome of the Waldorf, but he wasn’t the only one. His wife, Louise, also played a critical role in the design of the Waldorf, even convincing them to up the floor count from eleven to thirteen – her lucky number. 

When all was said and done, The Waldorf tower stood 225 feet tall with 450 rooms for guests. Additionally, there were 15 common spaces, like the ballroom and eateries, plus another 100 rooms reserved exclusively for staff. For decor, the Boldts helped by bringing back a number of European antiques during a trip overseas, adding to the hotel’s decor and, ultimately, its grandeur. 

But despite William and the Boldt’s best efforts, the Waldorf was ill-regarded by society upon first opening its doors. Many felt that the Waldorf just didn’t belong in one way or another. New Yorkers didn’t like the hotel in a once quiet neighborhood, while others felt it was too lavish to be in the city. 

Just when it seemed doomed, an effort organized on behalf of Boldt helped to solidify Waldorf’s notoriety. On the day after the hotel opened its doors, it hosted a benefit concert for one of New York socialites’ favorite causes, St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital, complete with the New York Symphony Orchestra. That rainy night, with a filled ballroom of New York’s elite and a lovely dinner complete with a full concert (provided for a $5.00 fee), the Waldorf solidified its standing in New York.

News spread, and the Waldorf Hotel quickly became a hotspot for meetings, events, and more. Massive profits even led to an expansion with five additional floors. With expectations being surpassed, it seemed like things would only continue to get better. 

At the time, the Waldorf was one of a kind. It was the first hotel to offer electricity and private bathrooms to its guests. Something that, despite all of the gloriousness the hotel had in the form of decor and status, was revolutionary. 

But with a feud never laid to rest, Caroline Astor and her son, John Jacob Astor, chose to try their hand at the business. 

The Astoria 

Caroline Astor’s home was razed, and with the help of her son, they decided to build a hotel next door to the Waldorf – the Astoria. The new hotel, The Astoria, opened its doors in 1897, capitalizing on the success and notoriety that the Waldorf had already gained. 

The Astoria offered an alluring novelty that even the Waldorf’s established place had trouble keeping up with. Newer, bigger, better, the Astoria stood at 270 feet, had sixteen stories, provided 550 guest rooms, and took note of both the German and Italian Renaissance styles. Plus, the hotel also had 25 common rooms and a grand ballroom that rivaled the Walford with its alluring Louis XIV style. 

The Astoria tower also hosted its fair share of lavish events. The ballroom welcomed great singers like Enrico Caruso and Nellie Melba. Another highlight for entertainment was the tower’s rooftop garden, enclosed with a glass roof and walls. 

Eventually, the Astoria was leased to George Boldt, who helped to open the Waldorf hotel years prior. Boldt would go on to help form a sense of peace between the two sides of the family. These efforts would lead to the eventual joining of the two towers forming the Waldorf-Astoria. 

Bridging the Two… Becoming the Waldorf-Astoria

A 300-meter bridge, charmingly referred to as Peacock Alley, was built between the two towers to link them. The bridge would go on to symbolize a physical link and represent the joining of the family. The Waldorf-Astoria, building off of the Waldorf Hotel’s initial success, quickly became a New York powerhouse unlike anything before. 

Together, the two hotels had a frontage that spanned 200 feet on Fifth and hundreds more feet on 33rd and 34th. And that’s only what met the eye, below the surface was an additional 42 feet of basement and workspace that spanned out toward Broadway. 

From 1918, the Waldorf was described as “the first of New York’s great “palace hotels” and has always kept the gift of eternal youth. While other hotels have faded and become old-fashioned or dropped out entirely during the quarter century, the big red brick building at 34th Street and Fifth Avenue has maintained its place in the first rank. 

The Waldorf never grew old. To out-of-town visitors, it has always stood for the last word in New York hotels. Other more modern and more gorgeous structures have followed it, but none of them has clung that peculiar glamour that surrounded the name – Waldorf-Astoria.” 

As New York hotels continued to pop up and the elite social scene spread, the family would inevitably decide to sell to a new group of developers. The hotel closed its doors, and its two towers were taken down. In its spot, another iconic New York building would be built – the Empire State Building. 

Founder of Waldorf Astoria Hotel

The complicated history of the Waldorf-Astoria has led many to question who exactly was the hotel’s founder. In the end, the Waldorf Astoria was founded by a few people. Though William Waldorf Astor usually receives the credit, John Jacob Astor and George Boldt also played big roles in what is collectively known as the Waldorf-Astoria brand. Those foundations and the ultimate demise of the original Waldorf-Astoria paved the way for a new reincarnation: The Waldorf Astoria (yes, sans the hyphen). 

The Notable Moments and People at the Waldorf Astoria

Just when it seemed the Waldorf-Astor family would be done with the hospitality business, the Waldorf Astoria opened its doors in 1931, only a few years after shutting down the original towers. Located at 301 Park Avenue, the new Waldorf Astoria offered 47 floors of lodging and entertainment. 

When finished, the building was the tallest hotel in the world for over 30 years. Despite being in a different neighborhood and a new building, the Waldorf Astoria quickly surpassed the icon status that the original towers once had. 

The Waldorf Astoria played a key role in both the lives of the rich and famous and American history. One day it served as a base camp for post-World War II strategizing and the foundation for the World Peace Conference of March 1949, and other times it served as an extended residence for a slew of celebs and high-profile guests.

• Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, who stayed during their first visit to America.
• Herbert Hoover, who resided in his suite for 30 years until his death
• Ava Gardner, Actress
• Elizabeth Taylor, Actress
• Tony Bennett, Singer 
• Marilyn Monroe, Actress 
• Katharine Hepburn, Actress
• John Wayne, Actor
• Charlie Chaplin, Actor 
• Muhammad Ali, Boxer
• Judy Garland, Actress
• Burt Reynolds, Actor
• Frank Sinatra, Singer

It comes as no surprise that the robust guest list came with a few modifications to make guests feel comfortable. One of which is a “secret” railway and car beneath the hotel, known as Track 61. 

Some have traced the station to a failed Grand Central Connect, while others have deemed it a loading dock or a charming addition constructed for hotel use as a private railway for guests. In any sense, it’s clear that the uniqueness of the Waldorf Astoria goes much deeper than what meets the eye. 

President Franklin D. Roosevelt was said to have used the track to get into or out of the hotel unscathed. Another rumor is that famed artist Andy Warhol used the empty platform space for partying. 

A number of other events took place at the Waldorf Astoria during what was dubbed the “Golden Age” between 1950 and 1963. Highlights include President John F Kennedy’s birthday gala, with admission being $1,000.Then there was Queen Elizabeth II’s Waldorf Astoria visit in 1957, in which her extravagant dinner included South Carolina Green Turtle Soup, Long Island Striped Bass, and more – all finished with a fine cup of Haitian coffee. 

Inside and out, the building quickly rose to palace status. Those who hadn’t been to the new Waldorf Astor scheduled a visit, and those who had planned prompt returns. It was the place to be. The notoriety led to slogans like “the vertical Beverly Hills,” or being the place to see or be seen; it’s no wonder the hotel has managed to stay paramount, even in a sea of New York competition in the city. 

The Waldorf Astoria Today

The Waldorf Astoria on Park Ave celebrated 90 years of being open, and today, the Waldorf Astoria continues to attract high society and has earned a coveted spot in pop culture. With movies and TV shows being shot at the hotel, including popular New York shows like Law and Order or Sex and the City, those who may not ever consider stepping place into the Waldorf Astoria still have familiarity with the building. 

The Current Waldorf Astoria Owner (& Ownership History)

The building has changed hands only a few times since opening, most notably when the Hiltons purchased the property – to which the family has shared their experience being raised in the hotel – but also the recent sale to a Beijing-based company Anbang Insurance Group, with parent company Dajia Insurance Group Co. 

However, one of the chairmen involved in Anbang’s operations was being investigated by the Chinese government, who seized the company assets and effectively took on overseeing things like the Waldorf Astoria. 

During the Hilton’s ownership, the hotel underwent a slight name change in which the hyphen was changed to a “double hyphen,” or equal sign, which created a representation of the Peacock Bridge. However, the double hyphen would also eventually be dropped as well. 

Recent Remodeling of the Waldorf Astoria

Regardless of how the business changes hands, the hotel is somewhat protected as it was deemed a New York landmark. Parts of the interior and exterior are protected under the designation, while other sections are not. This has allowed for the current major remodeling to take place. 

When Anabang Insurance Group purchased the hotel, a $1 billion renovation was also planned. That’s nearly ½ of the $1.95 billion purchasing price in renovations alone. But the Waldorf Astoria knows more than anyone else what it takes to remain a leader in the industry. The renovation is slated to bring an update in modernity without losing any of that historic charm. 

The design, as carefully curated by interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon, is “respectful of the hotel’s history on every level, yet we are creating a truly modern place.” Visitors will also find “contemporary furnishings and finishes blend seamlessly with restored materials, creating a continuity between the past and present life of the hotel,” according to Rochon. 

Buy at The Towers, Waldorf Astoria Residences 

Capitalizing on the trend of extended stays, a new shift in the building’s model is also bringing residential apartments. The new and improved Waldorf Astoria is set to open in 2023, and rather than the 1,400 hotel rooms, it will only have 375 hotel rooms and an equal number of units for purchase. 

The residences will also embrace that modern appeal while staying true to the grand nature of the building.

“Each residence celebrates the scale and beauty of the original architecture—a perfect balance of aesthetic and practical considerations—with windows that replicate the building’s original design and flood the rooms with dynamic views of the New York cityscape… the scale and beauty of the original art deco architecture, with its distinctive detailing and set-back terraces, exists in perfect harmony with a contemporary design – blending the old and the new, the cosmopolitan and the American, the grand and the intimate.” 

-The Towers

An estimated reopening date of 2024 is expected for the remodel. Want to own a piece of the iconic property? There is still availability for the soon-to-be units! These residences include a studio, one-bedroom unit for $1,895,000 for 561 square feet. The studio unit comes with a “discreet” kitchen, a walk-in closet, and a “gracious” marble entry foyer, among other attributes. 

If you need more space, you’re in luck. The Towers offers a four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath 2,971 sq ft apartment for $19,000,000, complete with a powder room, a freestanding tub in the primary bathroom, a marble entry foyer, and more.

General amenities include: 

• Private, secure entrances (separate from the hotel)
• Porte cochère with valet service on 50th 
• 24/7 doorman on Park Ave 
• Private residential reception
• Park Ave interior lounge
• 24/7 virtual concierge 
• Package and service delivery
• Six residential elevators
• Access to the 25-meter pool
• Private fitness center and wellness rooms
• Gaming room
• Theater
• Winter Garden lounge with bar
• Playroom
• Empire club for exclusive socializing 

Nearby you can also find The Centrale at slightly lower prices than the Tower Residences.

Experience the Waldorf Astoria Outside of New York

Experiencing the Waldorf Astoria doesn’t require a trip to NYC or a limitless budget, this New York staple is closer than you think. Foods like the Waldorf Salad and Eggs Benedict were all created at the Waldorf Astoria. In large part, this was because of Oscar Tschirky, nicknamed Oscar of the Waldorf, who is credited for the popularization of these dishes and even staples like Thousand Island dressing! If visiting the historic Waldorf Astoria hotel is not at the top of your bucket list, make sure that trying these widespread delicacies are!

Final Thoughts

With deep-seated New York history and unlimited potential, the Waldorf Astoria continues to remain not only relevant but an icon. For many, the discussion of New York as a powerhouse goes hand-in-hand with the history of places like the Waldorf Astoria. Whether you’ve passed by the building on Park Avenue or are familiar with the whispers among elite celebrities and politicians, it’s clear that this hotel continues to remain a leader in the industry, even going on to inspire a chain of luxury hotels in the same name. 

The post The Complete History of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Mergers, Feuds, Rumors and More. appeared first on CitySignal.