Hotel St. Moritz

Last updated

Hotel St. Moritz
Hotel St. Moritz logo.PNG
Hotel St.Moritz NYC.jpg
The former Hotel St. Moritz building, today Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park, seen in 2010
Hotel St. Moritz
General information
Location50 Central Park South, New York City
Opening1930, 2002 (remodeled)
Closed1999
OwnerMillennium Partners
Management Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company
Technical details
Floor count33
Design and construction
Architect(s) Emery Roth
Other information
Number of rooms259
Website
Official website
"Emporis building ID 115274". Emporis . Archived from the original on May 18, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)

The Hotel St. Moritz was a luxury hotel located at 50 Central Park South, on the east side of Sixth Avenue, in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. [1] The structure was extensively rebuilt from 1999 to 2002, and today it is a hotel/condominium combination known as The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park.

Contents

History

The Hotel St. Moritz was built on the site of the old New York Athletic Club. The hotel was designed and built in 1930 by the Hungarian-born architect Emery Roth, and constructed by the Harper Organization, representing Harris Uris and Percy Uris. [1] The estimated cost was about $6 million. [2]

In 1932, the Bowery Savings Bank took over the hotel and then sold it to the Engadine Corporation, led by the Greek-American hotel magnate S. Gregory Taylor (1888–1948). [3] In 1950, the hotel was completely redecorated and redesigned, and, from the following year on, it housed the Café de la Paix, said to be the first sidewalk restaurant in New York City.

In 1985, Donald Trump purchased the 775-room hotel from its then owner, Harry Helmsley, [4] for $72 million. [5] Trump sold the hotel just three years later, in 1988, for $180 million to Australian billionaire Alan Bond [4] Bond had to surrender the property to his lender, F.A.I. Insurance, in 1989, when he was unable to repay their loan. [5] In 1990, the hotel became operated by the Interstate Hotels Corporation from Pittsburgh.

In January 1997, Donald Trump announced an agreement with the hotel's owners, F.A.I. Insurance, to gut the building, which was not a designated landmark and could, therefore, be altered in any way the owners liked, and convert it to a condominium, with the facade covered in glass. [5] The hotel closed on April 20, 1998. [6] However, before any work on the Trump project began, the hotel was sold again just over a week later on April 29, 1998, to hotelier Ian Schrager for $185 million. [6] He reopened the hotel, without any remodeling, as part of his boutique hotel empire. He eventually announced plans for his own renovation of the hotel, but then the hotel was sold again, on November 6, 1999, to a development group, Millennium Partners, headed by Christopher M. Jeffries, which partnered with the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company to gut and remodel the structure as a combination hotel/condominium. [7] [8] The structure was then completely remodeled as The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park, [9] with the lower portion remaining a hotel and the top twelve floors converted to eleven enormous condominiums. [10] It reopened in April 2002. [11]

Architecture

The building has a height of 365 feet (111 m) and has 33 floors. When it operated as the St. Moritz, it had 1,000 rooms that were serviced by six elevators. Close to 400 windows are at Central Park South directly facing the park, in addition to over 300 more windows on 6th Avenue with a partial view of the park. [2] The facade was clad in brown sandstone, with the various towers of the building rising high above the park. In his review from 1931, W. Parker Chase described the hotel as "a picturesque cliff, amidst towering trees to the north, and other soaring skyscrapers to the south." [2]

The aim was to design a cosmopolitan home combining Continental hospitality with American comforts and service. The spacious lobby was luxuriously furnished. On a wall in the lobby, which was of Levanto marble, hung a large painting of the city of St. Moritz by Giovanni Giacometti, a gift to the hotel from the Swiss Alps resort for which it was named. The mayor of St. Moritz, Carl Nater, presented the painting. [3] The various guest rooms, suites, especially the pent house suites with cooling parks breezes and sumptuous furnishings were designed to impress the guests. Both rooms and suites could be rented unfurnished by those wishing to use their own belongings. [2]

A dancing salon and dinner was located on the 31st floor, with Omar Khayyam murals done by David Karfunkle. Laurence Emmons designed the interior. [3]

The original blueprints of the hotel by Roth are located in the Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library at Columbia University.

Venues

Rumpelmayer

The hotel had a number of restaurants and cafes. One of them was the Paris-based Austrian caterer Rumpelmayer, who was also Purveyor to the Imperial and Royal Court in Vienna (k.u.k. Hoflieferant), offering lunch and dinners in the tea room, grill and roof garden, where the St. Moritz orchestra entertained with both classic and syncopated music. [12] The cafe was on the side of 59th street, offering views of Central Park. Popular treats at Rumpelmayer's were the coffee and ice creams. The rooms of Rumpelmayer's were designed by the German-born architect Winold Reiss in the art deco style. [2] [13] [14]

Comedian Carol Burnett describes in her book This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection how in the summer of 1959 she spotted Marlene Dietrich at Rumpelmayer's. [15]

In several episodes of I Love Lucy , the Hotel St. Moritz can be seen out of the Ricardos' bedroom window.

During the sixth season of The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show , George and Gracie (along with their neighbors Harry and Blanche Morton and announcer Harry von Zell) stay at the St. Moritz. The Burns stay in Suite 2216. [16]

Unhinged magician Corky Withers, played by Anthony Hopkins, stays in the hotel during the first act of Richard Attenborough's Magic (1978).

In the HBO Film 61*, it's the in-season home of Mickey Mantle. [17]

The building appeared in the 2008 video game Grand Theft Auto IV . It was also used in a mission of the game.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plaza Hotel</span> Hotel in Manhattan, New York

The Plaza Hotel is a luxury hotel and condominium apartment building in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is located on the western side of Grand Army Plaza, after which it is named, just west of Fifth Avenue, and is between 58th Street and Central Park South, at the southeastern corner of Central Park. Its primary address is 768 Fifth Avenue, though the residential entrance is One Central Park South. Since 2018, the hotel has been owned by the Qatari firm Katara Hospitality.

Marriott International, Inc. is an American multinational company that operates, franchises, and licenses lodging brands that include hotel, residential, and timeshare properties. Marriott International owns over 36 hotel and timeshare brands with 9,000 locations and 1,597,380 rooms across its network. Marriott International is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. The company is the successor to the hospitality division of the Marriott Corporation, founded by J. Willard Marriott (1900–1985) and his wife Alice Marriott (1907–2000).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winold Reiss</span> American painter

Winold Reiss was a German-born American artist and graphic designer. He was born in Karlsruhe, Germany. In 1913 he immigrated to the United States, where he was able to follow his interest in Native Americans. In 1920 he went West for the first time, working for a lengthy period on the Blackfeet Reservation. Over the years Reiss painted more than 250 works depicting Native Americans. These paintings by Reiss became known more widely beginning in the 1920 and to the 1950s, when the Great Northern Railway commissioned Reiss to do paintings of the Blackfeet which were then distributed widely as lithographed reproductions on Great Northern calendars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ritz-Carlton Montreal</span> Building in Montreal, Quebec

The Ritz-Carlton Montréal is a luxury hotel located at 1228 Sherbrooke Street West, on the corner of Drummond Street, in Montreal, Quebec. Opened in 1912, it was the second Ritz-Carlton hotel in North America after one in New York City. Its name was originally licensed by César Ritz directly, and while the hotel is now part of the chain managed by the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, it retains its original branding stylization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company</span> American multinational luxury hotel chain

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC is an American multinational company that operates the luxury hotel chain known as The Ritz-Carlton. The company has 108 luxury hotels and resorts in 30 countries and territories with 29,158 rooms, in addition to 46 hotels with 8,755 rooms planned for the future.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbizon 63</span> Condominium building in Manhattan, New York

Barbizon 63 is a mostly residential condominium building at 140 East 63rd Street, at the southeast corner with Lexington Avenue, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City. The 23-story hotel was designed by Everett F. Murgatroyd and Palmer H. Ogden in a blend of the Italian Renaissance, Late Gothic Revival, and Islamic styles. From 1927 until 1981, it was a women-only residential hotel. The Barbizon is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a New York City designated landmark.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton (Philadelphia)</span> Luxury residential skyscraper in Center City in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton is a luxury residential skyscraper in Center City in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At 518 feet (158 m), the 48-story skyscraper is the 12th-tallest building in Philadelphia, and the tallest residential tower in the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paradox Hotel Vancouver</span> Hotel skyscraper in British Columbia, Canada

The Paradox Hotel Vancouver, formerly known as the Trump International Hotel and Tower Vancouver, is a residential skyscraper and hotel in Downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The 60-storey, 188-metre (617 ft) tower in which the hotel is located is at 1151 West Georgia Street and was completed in 2016. The tower is the second tallest building in Vancouver, after the Shangri-La tower located across West Georgia Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Ritz-Carlton, Denver</span> Luxury hotel in Denver

The Ritz-Carlton, Denver, formerly known as the Embassy Suites Downtown, is a skyscraper in Denver, Colorado. The building, a part of the Denver Place complex, was completed in 1983, and rises 38 floors and 390 feet (119 m) in height. The building stands as the eighteenth-tallest building in Denver and Colorado.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ritz-Carlton Atlantic City</span> Hotel (former), Condominiums (current) in Atlantic City, New Jersey

The Ritz-Carlton Atlantic City, located at 199 S. Iowa Avenue in Atlantic City, New Jersey, began as a hotel on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, built at the beginning of the Roaring Twenties and renowned for its luxurious decor and famous guests. It was used as an apartment hotel beginning in 1969, and then purchased in 1978 with the intention of developing it as a hotel and casino. The building was converted to The Ritz Condominiums in 1982.

Handel Architects LLP is an architecture firm that was founded in New York City in 1994. Led by Partner Gary Handel, the firm has offices in New York City, Boston, San Francisco, and Hong Kong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown</span>

The Ritz-Carlton Georgetown, Washington, D.C., is a luxury hotel located in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. It is near The Kennedy Center and the Georgetown waterfront. It is an AAA 5-star luxury hotel, and has 86 rooms, 27 premier suites, and five luxury suites. All rooms and suites have a view of the Potomac River and historic Georgetown. It contains a 140 feet (43 m) smokestack coming from the lobby fireplace. It is a small hotel and is known to be good for privacy. The hotel contains a restaurant, bar, and a fitness center with a newly refreshed spa after a $1.5 million renovation in 2016. The rooms are on average 450 square feet (42 m2) in size and is located in a historic industrial building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Newbury Boston</span> Luxury hotel in Boston, Massachusetts, USA

The Newbury Boston is a historic luxury hotel in Boston, Massachusetts. It opened in 1927 as The Ritz-Carlton Hotel. The property is a Boston landmark and anchors fashionable Newbury Street and the picturesque Boston Public Garden, located in the heart of the Back Bay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anton Rumpelmayer</span> Austrian confectioner

Anton Rumpelmayer was an Austrian confectioner and k.u.k. Hoflieferant. He worked in France, where he was known as Antoine Rumpelmayer.

Trump Parc and Trump Parc East are two adjoining buildings at the southwest corner of Central Park South and Sixth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Trump Parc is a 38-story condominium building, and Trump Parc East is a 14-story apartment and condominium building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ritz-Carlton Hotel (New York City)</span> Demolished hotel in Manhattan, New York

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel was a luxury hotel in New York City, owned by the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. It was located at 46th Street and Madison Avenue in Midtown Manhattan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ritz Tower</span> Residential building in Manhattan, New York

The Ritz Tower is a luxury residential building at 465 Park Avenue on the corner of East 57th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. It was built from 1925 to 1926 as an apartment hotel and was designed by Emery Roth and Thomas Hastings for journalist Arthur Brisbane, who was the developer. The Ritz Tower is about 541 feet (165 m) with 41 stories, making it the tallest residential building in New York City upon its completion. Because it was initially classified as an apartment hotel, the building was constructed to a greater height than was usually permitted.

Christopher Michael Jeffries is an American real estate developer, lawyer, and philanthropist who co-founded the national real estate firm Millennium Partners, known for the development of the Millennium Towers in New York, Boston, and San Francisco as well as the redevelopment of Hotel St. Moritz.

Rumpelmayer's was a café and ice cream parlor in the Hotel St. Moritz and part of a chain started by Anton Rumpelmayer. It was popular for children's birthday parties, Sunday breakfasts, and afternoon teas. The Art Deco restaurant was designed by Winold Reiss and overlooked Central Park.

References

  1. 1 2 Jackson, Kenneth T., ed. (1995). The Encyclopedia of New York City . New Haven: Yale University Press. p.  1036. ISBN   0300055366.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Chase, W. Parker (1931). New York: The Wonder City. New York City: Wonder City Publishing.
  3. 1 2 3 Patricia and Edward Shillingburg, ed. (2006), S. Gregory Taylor: 1888–1948. A Greek Patriot and Hotel Magnate, Shelter Island Reporter, archived from the original on November 29, 2010, retrieved October 29, 2010
  4. 1 2 "Trump Organization | Hotel St. Moritz". Archived from the original on February 6, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 McFadden, Robert D. (January 17, 1997). "Plan Calls for Trump to Turn St. Moritz Hotel into Condos". The New York Times.
  6. 1 2 Rozhon, Tracie (May 1998). "Schrager Plucks St. Moritz Hotel from Trump's Grasp". The New York Times.
  7. ↑ Bagli, Charles V. (November 8, 1999). "Buyer Plans for St. Moritz To Be Ritz-Carlton Flagship". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  8. ↑ Toy, Vivian S. (March 8, 2012). "Bounteous Closet Space and Park Views for $77.5 Million". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved August 20, 2020.
  9. ↑ The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park, 2010, retrieved October 29, 2010
  10. ↑ "50 Central Park South at the Ritz-Carlton, 50 Central Park South, NYC - Condo Apartments".
  11. ↑ "Luxury Hotels & Resorts".
  12. ↑ Rutenbaum, Steven (1986). Mansions in the Clouds: The Skyscraper Palazzi of Emery Roth. New York City: Balsam. pp. 151–156. ISBN   0-917439-09-0.
  13. ↑ Winold Reiss 1886-1953. Centennial Exhibition. Works on paper: Architectural Designs, Fantasies and Portraits. New York: Shepherd Gallery, Associates. January 3, 1987.
  14. ↑ The interior architecture was also described in Restaurateur & the American Hotelier in its December 30, 1930, issue.
  15. ↑ Burnett, Carol (2010). This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection . Harmony Books. pp.  267. ISBN   978-0-307-46118-6.
  16. ↑ "Addresses - Home & Business". Archived from the original on April 12, 2013. Retrieved March 14, 2013.
  17. ↑ new-york-city-yankees-history-mickey-mantle

40°45′55″N73°58′34″W / 40.76528°N 73.97611°W / 40.76528; -73.97611

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.