New York City – 29 March 2017 –
In two to three years, World-known Waldorf Astoria NYC will be reopened as high-end-luxury hotels with condominiums, operated by Hilton as part of a 100-year management agreement. Now, the first renderings of the restored halls has been revealed.
In addition to historic public and event spaces restored to their original intent, the Waldorf will feature new guest rooms, suites and condominiums when it reopens.
Originally opened in 1893 on the present site of the Empire State Building, the Waldorf Astoria New York opened at its current Park Avenue location in 1931, was designated an official New York City landmark in 1993 and had its most important interior spaces landmarked in 2017.
The plans, which were prepared by a world-class design team including leading architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) and renowned interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon (PYR), were submitted today for public review by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. The plans restore all landmarked spaces, ensuring the historic public and event spaces will be accessible for generations of New Yorkers and visitors alike.
This restoration is among the most complex and intensive landmark preservation efforts in New York City history. If approved, it will revive key elements of the Art Deco masterpiece that have been altered over time, providing an experience that reflects the hotel’s original intent while delivering an enhanced visitor experience by modernizing the building’s functional capability to a 21st Century standard of luxury.
The new owner of the landmark hotel, Chinese Anbang financial group, has plans to convert the building into apartments. The number of hotel rooms will be reduced to 300 to 500 and up to 1,100 condominiums will be inaugurated, Reuters reported. Anbang bought the hotel from Hilton in 2ß14 for 1.95 billion USD.