138-777: The Algonquin Hotel is a hotel at 59 West 44th Street in Midtown Manhattan , New York City , United States. The 181-room hotel, opened in 1902, was designed by architect Goldwin Starrett for the Puritan Realty Company. The hotel has hosted numerous literary and theatrical notables throughout its history, including members of the Algonquin Round Table club during the early 20th century. Its first owner-manager, Frank Case , established many of
276-521: A James Thurber -themed suite to the Algonquin. In March 1997, the partnership of Atlanta-based Camberley Hotel Company and Dallas-based Olympus Real Estate bought the Algonquin. The two companies paid $ 30 million for the hotel, which had 165 units at the time. The bedrooms were small by modern standards, and the Algonquin also had extremely slow elevators, mouse infestations, constant hot-water interruptions, and bad food. Camberley planned to renovate
414-537: A buyer for the hotel in mid-2005. The hotel was sold again to HEI Hospitality in October 2005. Under HEI's ownership, the hotel began lending Amazon Kindles to guests, in keeping with the hotel's literary traditions. HEI spent $ 4.5 million on yet another renovation of the hotel, completed in 2008, and they hired Gary Budge as the general manager. In September 2010, the Algonquin Hotel became affiliated with
552-471: A clerk in late 1902, a few weeks before the hotel opened. According to one account, Case believed the "Puritan" name was too pompous and evocative of European influences. Case reportedly advocated for an American name, and he persuaded the Fosters to rename the hotel after discovering that Algonquian Native Americans had been the first residents of the area. Another possible derivation is that Ann Foster named
690-459: A clubhouse. Although the Algonquin was originally intended as an apartment hotel , it had few long-term tenants. Frank Case leased the hotel in 1907 and converted it into a traditional lodging establishment, attracting many theatrical and literary guests. Case bought the hotel in 1927 and continued to operate it until his death in 1946. Ben Bodne bought the hotel from Case's estate and operated it for another four decades. The Algonquin then passed to
828-433: A college education or higher. The percentage of Midtown Manhattan students excelling in math rose from 61% in 2000 to 80% in 2011 and reading achievement increased from 66% to 68% during the same time period. Midtown Manhattan's rate of elementary school student absenteeism is lower than the rest of New York City. In Midtown Manhattan, 19% of elementary school students missed twenty or more days per school year , less than
966-492: A kitchen on the same level. The Pergola contained a mural with outdoor scenes on one wall, as well as wood-paneled columns, which supported a latticework arch with flowers and acorn-shaped light fixtures. Although the Pergola could only fit three rows of tables, mirrors on the remaining walls gave the impression that the restaurant was larger than it actually was. The cafe's ceiling and walls contained terracotta and woodwork, and
1104-474: A lease on the Algonquin Hotel, paying $ 45,000 a year in rent. When the Algonquin opened, it was near six clubhouses, as well as the upscale Delmonico's and Sherry's restaurants. By early 1903, the Algonquin and other buildings on the block suffered from water shortages because of the large number of businesses in the area. Meanwhile, the Fosters had become estranged. Ann Foster sued Albert in June 1904 to acquire
1242-515: A low population of residents who are uninsured . In 2018, this population of uninsured residents was estimated to be 11%, slightly less than the citywide rate of 12%. The concentration of fine particulate matter , the deadliest type of air pollutant , in Midtown Manhattan is 0.0113 milligrams per cubic metre (1.13 × 10 oz/cu ft), more than the city average. Eleven percent of Midtown Manhattan residents are smokers , which
1380-419: A lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 81.2% between 1990 and 2022. The precinct reported 8 murders, 23 rapes, 653 robberies, 502 felony assaults, 660 burglaries, 2,375 grand larcenies, and 68 grand larcenies auto in 2022. The main part of midtown Manhattan, between 34th and 59th Streets from Lexington Avenue to Eighth Avenue, is served by five fire stations of
1518-545: A major force in Midtown Manhattan's economy, and indeed the city's, as the total value of all New York City property was estimated at US$ 914.8 billion for the 2015 fiscal year . Manhattan has perennially been home to some of the nation's, as well as one of the world's, most marketable real estate, including the Time Warner Center , which had the highest-listed market value in the city in 2006 at US$ 1.1 billion, to be subsequently surpassed in October 2014 by
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#17327721873851656-610: A meeting of the New York City Board of Estimate in 1942, Stanley M. Isaacs, the Manhattan Borough President, denied that steel from the El was sold to Japan. Isaacs said that when the demolition contract was drafted in 1938, "at my insistence the contract provided that not one ounce of that steel could be exported to Japan or to any one else." Isaacs said that the contractor was prohibited from exporting
1794-802: A name, and many suites are named after members of the Algonquin Round Table. For example, suite 506 is named for Robert Benchley , suite 610 for Harold Ross , suite 1106 for Dorothy Parker , and suite 1112 for Franklin Pierce "F.P.A." Adams . Suite 306, named for Edna Ferber , hosted annual meetings of the New York Drama Critics' Circle . Suite 1010 (now the Noël Coward Suite) was the owner's apartment for nearly one hundred years. The hotel's first owner-manager Frank Case lived there from 1902 until his death in 1946;
1932-588: A number of private languages and music centers (e.g. Berlitz , American Language Communication Center, New York Language Center, Swan Music School, and the New York Youth Symphony ). The La Scuola d'Italia Guglielmo Marconi Italian international school moved to West Midtown in 2016. The New York Public Library (NYPL) operates the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building (also the Main Branch),
2070-448: A party for the Algonquin's 75th anniversary in 1977. By the late 1970s, the Algonquin employed close to 200 staff members, about one for each unit on average. The hotel remained popular, despite not offering any weekend discounts, as newer hotels did. The Algonquin also ran few formal advertisements, instead obtaining most of its business through word-of-mouth marketing . Nightly room rates were relatively cheap, ranging from $ 43 to $ 80, so
2208-484: A patio and a roof garden , which were constructed before air conditioning became popular. There was also a 4,000-U.S.-gallon (15,000 L) water tower above the roof. The modern-day hotel contains 181 guest rooms and suites, as well as five meeting/conference rooms. The annex became part of the hotel in 1904. The Pergola occupied the first floor, and the Rocky Mountain Club opened its clubhouse within
2346-533: A performance in 1992. The Oak Room spanned 4,000 square feet (370 m). New York Times critic Raymond Sokolov described the Oak Room as intimate and more masculine than the Rose Room. The space had theatrical equipment and lighting, as well as a grand piano. The Oak Room was not a large source of income, despite charging at least $ 100 per person (more if one had dinner, except for matinees). Howard Reich of
2484-966: A program aimed at creating "a 24/7, live-work, mixed-use neighborhood" in Midtown South though the conversion of commercial and office space to residential, as part of an effort to create 20,000 new residences citywide in a decade. According to The Broadway League , shows on Broadway sold approximately US$ 1.54 billion worth of tickets in both the 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 seasons. Both seasons featured theater attendance of approximately 12.3 million each. Companies that used to have their headquarters in Midtown Manhattan include American Airlines , American Comics Group , American Overseas Airlines , Central Park Media , Eastern Air Lines , GoodTimes Entertainment , LJN , NewKidCo , Pan American World Airways , Philip Morris Companies (now Altria Group ), Trans Caribbean Airways , and Trans World Airlines . In 1997, Aer Lingus announced that it
2622-679: A reference branch at 476 Fifth Avenue. The four-story building, constructed in 1911, is known worldwide for its architecture and has several million items in its collections. There are also five circulating branches in Midtown: Two campuses of the City University of New York (CUNY)—the doctorate-granting CUNY Graduate Center and the Stella and Charles Guttman Community College —are located in Midtown, while Baruch College , also of
2760-558: A rumor that he was considering selling the hotel; he had said that he would relinquish the Algonquin "the day it needed self-service elevators". Aoki's purchase marked the first time that a company or a foreign entity had owned the hotel, and it was part of a trend of foreign investment in New York City buildings in the late 1980s. Ben Bodne continued to live at the Algonquin until he died in 1992, after which Mary Bodne remained there until her own death in 2000. Aoki promised to preserve
2898-578: A single room and $ 10 for a three-bedroom suite. For an extra daily fee of $ 1, guests were allowed to hire their own servants. The Puritan Realty Company agreed in February 1903 to sell the Algonquin Hotel to two doctors, Andrew H. Smith and his son Davison W. Smith, for about $ 800,000; the Smiths took title that November. In partial exchange for the hotel, the Smiths sold a building at the corner of Madison Avenue and 42nd Street. Albert Foster continued to hold
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#17327721873853036-406: A slaughterhouse, stables for stagecoach horses, and a train yard for the elevated Sixth Avenue Line . One of the stables became the Algonquin's three-story annex in 1904. There had been many stagecoach stables on 43rd and 44th Streets between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, but only a few of these buildings remained at the end of the 20th century. By the 2010s, the hotel's annex was the only former stable on
3174-419: A week (equivalent to $ 247 in 2023) to hire their own servants, or $ 12 a week (equivalent to $ 423 in 2023) to have food delivered to their rooms. Annual rent ranged from $ 420 (equivalent to $ 14,800 in 2023) for a single room to $ 2,520 (equivalent to $ 88,700 in 2023) for a three-bedroom suite. Guests could also use the rooms and suites for a short term, paying a nightly rate that ranged between $ 2 for
3312-430: A wide glass pane flanked by angled narrow sidelights . The angled windows were intended to increase each unit's exposure to natural light. There are panels, urns, and floral motifs in the angled sidelights; some of the panels have been replaced with air conditioning grilles. The band course above the tenth story protrudes from the facade; the underside of the band course contains dentils and scrolled console brackets . On
3450-537: A wooden storefront with metal decorations. There is a double door at the center of the storefront, with a canopy in front of the door. This entrance leads to the Blue Bar. The entrance is flanked by display windows, which in turn are topped by transom panels with metal grilles. On either side of the storefront are pilasters decorated with Native Americans' heads. The second story contains a projecting window with multiple panes, as well as angled sidelights. The third story
3588-471: Is 41% in Midtown Manhattan, compared to the boroughwide and citywide rates of 45% and 51% respectively. Based on this calculation, as of 2018 , Midtown Manhattan is considered to be high-income relative to the rest of the city and not gentrifying . Midtown Manhattan is patrolled by two precincts of the NYPD . Midtown North is patrolled by the 18th Precinct, located at 306 West 54th Street, while Midtown South
3726-450: Is also a seating area across from the reception desk, where guests can pet and play with the hotel's cat. The Rose Room, along with the smaller Oak Room, was part of the hotel's restaurant. The space contained red wallpaper, a red ceiling, and chandeliers with orange velvet tubes. The Rose Room was demolished when the lobby was expanded in 1998. The Round Table Restaurant was relocated into the Rose Room's former space. The Oak Room occupied
3864-651: Is also growing in Midtown Manhattan based upon the city's strength in academic scientific research and public and commercial financial support. By mid-2014, Accelerator, a biotech investment firm, had raised more than US$ 30 million from investors , including Eli Lilly and Company , Pfizer , and Johnson & Johnson , for initial funding to create biotechnology startups at the Alexandria Center for Life Science, which encompasses more than 700,000 square feet (65,000 m ) on East 29th Street and promotes collaboration among scientists and entrepreneurs at
4002-702: Is commonly defined to be 59th Street ; its southern boundary is less clear, and variously taken to be 34th Street , 23rd Street , or even 14th Street . Midtown spans the entire island of Manhattan along an east–west axis, bounded by the East River on its east and the Hudson River to its west. The Encyclopedia of New York City defines Midtown as extending from 34th Street to 59th Street and from 3rd Avenue to 8th Avenue. In addition to its central business district , Midtown Manhattan encompasses many neighborhoods, including Hell's Kitchen and Chelsea on
4140-554: Is considered to be the busiest transportation hub in the Western Hemisphere , servicing around 650,000 people per day. The Port Authority Bus Terminal , located at Eighth Avenue and 41st Street at the western edge of Midtown, is the city's main intercity bus terminal and the world's busiest bus station, serving 250,000 passengers on 7,000 buses each workday. The building opened in 1950 and had been designed to accommodate 60,000 daily passengers. A 2021 plan announced by
4278-471: Is divided into three sections, above which is a cornice supported by brackets and decorated with lions. When the hotel opened in 1902, its public rooms were originally furnished in English oak with marble floors. The hotel originally contained a large restaurant known as the Pergola at ground level, as well as a smaller cafe. The Pergola restaurant occupied the west and north sections of the ground floor, with
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4416-727: Is higher than the city's average of 87%. In 2018, 86% of residents described their health as "good", "very good", or "excellent", more than the city's average of 78%. For every supermarket in Midtown Manhattan, there are 11 bodegas . The nearest major hospitals are Mount Sinai West in Hell's Kitchen ; Beth Israel Medical Center in Stuyvesant Town ; the Bellevue Hospital Center and NYU Langone Medical Center in Kips Bay ; and NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital in
4554-505: Is higher than the median life expectancy of 81.2 for all New York City neighborhoods. Most inhabitants are adults: a plurality (45%) are between the ages of 25 and 44, while 22% are between 45 and 64, and 13% are 65 or older. The ratio of youth and college-aged residents was lower, at 7% and 12% respectively. As of 2017, the median household income in Community Districts 4 and 5 (including Chelsea and Hell's Kitchen )
4692-470: Is less than that of the city as a whole. The incarceration rate of 297 per 100,000 people is lower than that of the city as a whole. The 18th Precinct has a lower crime rate than it did in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 82.1% between 1990 and 2022. The precinct reported 1 murder, 22 rapes, 154 robberies, 185 felony assaults, 205 burglaries, 2,065 grand larcenies, and 116 grand larcenies auto in 2022. The 14th Precinct also has
4830-407: Is less than the city average of 14% of residents being smokers. In Midtown Manhattan, 10% of residents are obese , 5% are diabetic , and 18% have high blood pressure —compared to the citywide averages of 24%, 11%, and 28% respectively. In addition, 9% of children are obese, compared to the citywide average of 20%. Ninety-one percent of residents eat some fruits and vegetables every day, which
4968-496: Is located at 421 8th Avenue. The post office stopped 24-hour service in 2009 due to decreasing mail traffic. Midtown Manhattan generally has a higher rate of college-educated residents than the rest of the city as of 2018 . A majority of residents age 25 and older (78%) have a college education or higher, while 6% have less than a high school education and 17% are high school graduates or have some college education. By contrast, 64% of Manhattan residents and 43% of city residents have
5106-941: Is located in Midtown Manhattan. Haier operates its United States offices in the Haier Building at 1356 Broadway, formerly the headquarters of the Greenwich Savings Bank . Haier held the opening ceremony on March 4, 2002. Sumitomo Corporation operates its New York Office, the headquarters of the corporation's United States operations, at 600 Third Avenue, 10016 in the Murray Hill neighborhood. El Al 's North American headquarters are in Midtown. The Air France USA regional headquarters are in 125 West 55th Street in Midtown Manhattan. Hachette Book Group USA has its headquarters in 237 Park Avenue . In 1994 Alitalia considered moving its USA headquarters from Midtown to Lower Manhattan , but decided to keep
5244-481: Is mostly twelve stories tall, except for the extreme western end, which was converted from a three-story stable. The 12-story section is shaped like an "H", with light courts facing west and east. In total, the hotel measures 136 feet (41 m) tall from ground level to the roofline. The hotel building has a symmetrical facade. The first two stories of the facade are made of rusticated limestone blocks. The upper stories are largely clad with brick and are designed in
5382-1277: Is one of the world's leading financial centers. Midtown Manhattan is the one of the world's largest central business district , with 400 million square feet (37.2 million m ) of office space in 2018. Midtown contains the headquarters of major companies, including 4Kids Entertainment (formerly), Barnes & Noble , Bloomberg L.P. , Ernst & Young , Calvin Klein , Cantor Fitzgerald , CBS Corporation , Citigroup , Colgate-Palmolive , Cushman & Wakefield , DC Comics , Deloitte , Duane Reade , Estée Lauder Companies , Foot Locker , Frederator Studios , JPMorgan Chase , Hess Corporation , Kroll Inc. , L-3 Communications , Marsh & McLennan Companies , Marvel Entertainment , MetLife , MidOcean Partners , Morgan Stanley , Nasdaq, Inc. , NBCUniversal , The New York Times Company , NexCen Brands , Paramount Global , Pfizer , Polo Ralph Lauren , Saks Incorporated ( Saks Fifth Avenue ), The Sharper Image , Simon & Schuster , Six Flags , TBWA Worldwide , Thomson Reuters , Warner Bros. Discovery , Time Warner Cable , The Travelers Companies , and Univision Communications . The New York Institute of Finance
5520-490: Is part of 10001. Other areas between 14th and 34th Streets are covered by ZIP Codes 10003, 10009, 10010, and 10011, though these are generally not considered to be part of Midtown proper. There are also thirty-three ZIP Codes assigned to individual buildings or building complexes. The United States Postal Service operates six post offices in Midtown: The James A. Farley Station , the city's main post office,
5658-430: Is patrolled by the 14th Precinct, located at 357 West 35th Street. The precincts ranked 69th safest out of 69 patrol areas for per-capita crime in 2010. The high per-capita crime rate can be attributed to the low population of the area, as well as the high number of crimes committed against tourists. As of 2018 , with a non-fatal assault rate of 25 per 100,000 people, Midtown Manhattan's rate of violent crimes per capita
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5796-652: Is seven bays wide. The three center bays on the second floor have two-over-two sash windows, separated by motifs of tassels and shells. There is a small balustrade in front of the three center bays, with a flagpole extending diagonally above the street. The four outer bays have rectangular windows, separated by large brackets that support the band course above the second floor, and topped by keystones flanked by festoons. The third through eleventh stories are seven bays wide and are made of brick with limestone quoins . The four outermost bays on each story contain projecting bay windows with angular window frames, each consisting of
5934-409: Is the busiest transportation hub in the Western Hemisphere . Midtown Manhattan is the largest central business district in the world, and has been ranked as the densest central business district in the world in terms of employees, at 606,108 per square mile (234,020/km ). Midtown also ranks among the world's most expensive locations for real estate; Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan has commanded
6072-636: The Aoki Corporation in 1987, the Camberley Hotel Company in 1997, Miller Global Properties in 2002, and HEI Hospitality in 2005, undergoing a renovation every time it was sold. The Algonquin became part of the Marriott International chain's Autograph Collection brand in 2010, and it was sold to MassMutual subsidiary Cornerstone Real Estate Advisors in 2011. The Algonquin Hotel is on 59 West 44th Street, on
6210-466: The Chicago Tribune wrote in 1993 that the room's decorations, size, furnishings, and waiters' services evoked "an era when visitors sat back, sipped a drink, listened to music and savored life in an unhurried way". The Oak Room permanently closed as a cabaret nightclub in 2012, and a portion of the room was converted into a private breakfast room for Marriott Reward Elite customers. As of 2022,
6348-878: The Harvard Club of New York City building are to the east. Other nearby buildings include the Belasco Theatre to the west; Americas Tower to the northwest; 1166 Avenue of the Americas to the north; the New York City Bar Association Building and the Royalton Hotel to the south; and the Penn Club of New York building at 30 West 44th Street , the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen building, and
6486-540: The Hotel Mansfield to the southeast. The adjacent block of 44th Street is known as Club Row and contains several clubhouses . When the hotel was developed in 1902, the area was filled with clubhouses, including those of the Harvard Club, Yale Club , New York Yacht Club , New York City Bar Association , and Century Association . Prior to the development of the Algonquin Hotel, the neighborhood contained
6624-651: The Ladies' Mile , along Fifth Avenue from 14th to 23rd Street; and the Tenderloin , from 23rd to 42nd Street and from Fifth Avenue to Seventh Avenue . Important streets and thoroughfares The border of Midtown Manhattan is nebulous and further confused by the fact that the term "Midtown Manhattan" can be used to refer either to a district or a group of neighborhoods and districts in Manhattan: Midtown Manhattan, along with Lower Manhattan ,
6762-407: The Marriott International chain's Autograph Collection brand, but the hotel retained several of its traditions, including its name and its cat. HEI continued to own the hotel but paid a franchise fee to become part of Marriott's rewards program. The affiliation with Marriott came amid an increase in tourism in New York City . Midtown Manhattan Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of
6900-554: The New York City Department of Buildings for an unnamed 12-story hotel, to be built on the north side of 44th Street east of Sixth Avenue. The Thompson–Starrett Company completed the hotel within a seven-month period, between April and November 1902. Originally, the hotel was to have been known as the Puritan; there are conflicting explanations for how it received the Algonquin name. The Fosters hired Frank Case as
7038-575: The New York City Fire Department (FDNY): The greater Midtown area between 14th Street and 59th Street contains seven additional fire stations. As of 2018 , preterm births and births to teenage mothers in Midtown Manhattan are lower than the city average. In Midtown Manhattan, there were 67 preterm births per 1,000 live births (compared to 87 per 1,000 citywide), and 4 births to teenage mothers per 1,000 live births (compared to 19.3 per 1,000 citywide). Midtown Manhattan has
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#17327721873857176-541: The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), and it was also the first major hotel in New York City to accept unaccompanied female guests. Under Case's management, the Algonquin gained a reputation for hospitality toward struggling authors, actors, and producers, which contributed to the hotel's popularity among theatrical and literary figures. For instance, Case paid playwright Eugene Walter 's railroad fare when
7314-863: The New York City borough of Manhattan , serving as the city's primary central business district . Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Building , the Chrysler Building , the Hudson Yards Redevelopment Project , the headquarters of the United Nations , Grand Central Terminal , and Rockefeller Center , as well as several prominent tourist destinations, including Broadway , Times Square , and Koreatown . Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan
7452-711: The Ninth Avenue Elevated . The line ran south of Central Park , mainly along Sixth Avenue . Beyond the park, trains continued north on the Ninth Avenue Line. The elevated line was constructed during the 1870s by the Gilbert Elevated Railway , subsequently reorganized as the Metropolitan Elevated Railway. The line opened on June 5, 1878 between Rector Street and 58th Street. Its route ran north from
7590-484: The Renaissance Revival style, with limestone, metal, and terracotta details in a Beaux-Arts -inspired style. There are band courses on the facade above the second and tenth stories. The twelfth story was originally crowned by a cornice, which has since been removed. The first story of the hotel's 12-story section is five bays wide and contains a limestone water table . The entrance is recessed within
7728-560: The Upper East Side . Midtown Manhattan is located within six primary ZIP Codes . West of Fifth Avenue, Midtown is located in 10018 between 34th and 41st Streets, 10036 between 41st and 48th Streets, and 10019 between 48th and 59th Streets. East of Fifth Avenue, Midtown is located in 10016 between 34th and 40th Streets, 10017 between 40th and 49th Streets, and 10022 between 49th and 59th Streets. The area southwest of Fifth Avenue and 34th Street, sometimes considered to be in Midtown,
7866-723: The Waldorf Astoria New York , which became the most expensive hotel ever sold after being purchased by the Anbang Insurance Group, based in China, for US$ 1.95 billion . In the same year, six of the top ten most expensive zip codes in the United States by median housing price were located in Manhattan, underscoring the borough's dominant position in the real estate market. When 450 Park Avenue
8004-399: The 1900s and 1910s. Case took over the hotel's lease in 1907 and decided to operate the Algonquin as a short-term hotel. He lived there with his wife Caroline and their children Margaret and Carroll. Shortly after Carroll was born in 1908, Caroline died, and the hotel's staff helped Frank raise his children at the hotel. The Algonquin soon became a "theatrical and literary mecca", according to
8142-476: The Algonquin "often seems like a small, non-political United Nations " because guests came from around the world. Bodne conducted additional renovations through the 1950s and 1960s, ordering new furniture and draperies in the same style as the hotel's original furnishings. The hotel's rooms were redecorated in an 18th-century English style, with bedspreads and lamps from department stores. Bodne also installed refrigerators and TV sets concealed within walnut bureaus;
8280-421: The Algonquin still employed elevator operators ; when the hotel's elevators were replaced in 1965, the new elevator cabs were deliberately designed without space for automatic buttons. In addition, it did not offer gaudy entertainment or host private parties; the only visible symbol of luxury was the dining room's crystal chandelier, which the hotel had bought in the 1930s for $ 25. The Algonquin's staff knew many of
8418-489: The Algonquin's centennial. As part of the renovation, Miller Global closed the Algonquin entirely in June 2004; this was the first time that the Algonquin had been fully closed in its history. During the closure, Miller Global installed high-speed internet connections and flat-screen TVs in all of the hotel's rooms. When the hotel reopened in August 2004, the owners offered discounts to guests who owned old hotel memorabilia, and
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#17327721873858556-403: The Algonquin's lease, claiming she was the true leaseholder and that she had spent $ 50,000 to furnish the hotel. A New York state judge subsequently appointed Albert as the hotel's receiver . Ultimately, Case took over the day-to-day operations, Albert was assigned the lease and all objects in the hotel, and Ann acquired the building itself (notwithstanding the fact that it had already been sold to
8694-693: The City University of New York, is located in Midtown South. Mercy College is situated at Herald Square . Pennsylvania Station and Grand Central Terminal are the two major railroad stations located in Midtown Manhattan. Penn Station serves Amtrak , NJ Transit , and the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), while Grand Central serves the Metro-North Railroad and also serves the LIRR at Grand Central Madison . Penn Station
8832-662: The El removed, on the grounds that it was depressing business and property values. In 1936, work started on the underground Sixth Avenue Line , operated by the city as part of the Independent Subway System (IND). As part of the plan, three of New York City's private subway companies (the IND; the IRT; and the Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation , or BMT) would be combined into one system, and
8970-659: The IRT Sixth Avenue elevated would be demolished. The city of New York acquired the line from the bondholders of the Manhattan Railway Company for $ 12,500,000, of which the city recovered $ 9,010,656 in back taxes and interest, in 1938. Subsequently, the El was closed on December 4, 1938. It was razed during 1939 to make way for the IND line. The section of the IND line that was located under Sixth Avenue opened in December 1940. The footings for
9108-489: The Oak Room include Julie Wilson , Mary Cleere Haran , Karen Akers , KT Sullivan , Barbara Carroll , Sandy Stewart and Bill Charlap , Diana Krall , Jessica Molaskey , Jamie Cullum , and John Pizzarelli . Andrea Marcovicci performed there for over 25 years, sometimes with her mother Helen Stuart Marcovicci . Harry Connick Jr. and Michael Feinstein also performed at the Oak Room early in their careers. The singer Sylvia Syms collapsed and died on stage there during
9246-420: The Oak Room is a 1,650-square-foot (153 m) conference room with space for 105 guests in a theater-style arrangement. The Oak Room also contains a movable partition, which can split the space into two rooms, each with a capacity of 40. The room retains its original woodwork, and its ceiling contains curving metal light fixtures. The hotel's Blue Bar has operated since 1933, following the end of Prohibition in
9384-626: The Port Authority would spend $ 10 billion to expand capacity and modernize the facility. The New York City Subway and MTA Regional Bus Operations each operate several routes that go through Midtown. Additionally, the PATH train to New Jersey terminates at 33rd Street and Sixth Avenue in Midtown. Traffic congestion is common, especially for crosstown traffic. In 2011, a new system of traffic light control, known as "Midtown in Motion"
9522-456: The Puritan Realty Company bought a 7,200-square-foot (670 m) site at 59–63 West 44th Street from the Century Realty Company for $ 180,000. The Puritan Realty Company immediately announced plans to erect an apartment hotel on the site. The hotel would be similar in design to the then-newly completed Touraine, at 9–11 East 39th Street, and it would rent rooms and suites on year-long leases. The owners hired 28-year-old Goldwin Starrett to design
9660-431: The Rose Room to make way for an expansion of the lobby, and they added eight standard rooms and one suite. Natalie Ascencios was also commissioned to create a painting of several Round Table members, which was then hung in the lobby. By the beginning of the 21st century, the Algonquin was one of several boutique hotels on that block of 44th Street, along with the Iroquois, Mansfield, and Sofitel. Camberley and Olympus placed
9798-404: The Smiths). The Algonquin did not attract many long-term tenants in its early years. According to Case, the hotel catered to "many well-known families from Newport, Bar Harbor and Narragansett", who stayed there twice a year for short periods. The hotel bought a two-story stable at 65 West 44th Street in 1904 and built another floor above the stable the next year. By the late 1900s and early 1910s,
9936-466: The TVs and refrigerators could be removed as needed. The hotel received modern wiring, plumbing, and heating systems; the new heating system reduced the hotel's heating costs by 25 percent. Around 1963, stage designer Oliver Smith redecorated the hotel's Rose Room with white, gilded, and rose draperies, designing the room in a manner similar to a stage set. Most guests were unaware of the renovation work, as it
10074-676: The United Nations, and consulates-general accredited to the United States, in Midtown Manhattan. In addition, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office of the Republic of China ( Taiwan ) is in Midtown Manhattan. IRT Sixth Avenue Line The IRT Sixth Avenue Line , often called the Sixth Avenue Elevated or Sixth Avenue El , was the second elevated railway in Manhattan in New York City , following
10212-404: The United States . Originally, the Blue Bar was placed in a niche behind the reception counter. The niche was closed and converted to storage space by the 1980s. The Blue Bar relocated to the annex in 1997, with its own entrance from the street. The New York Times wrote in 2000: "The Blue Bar is frequented by widows and well-traveled gentlemen with a predilection for theater." In 2012, the Blue Bar
10350-433: The United States achieved completion in Midtown Manhattan, at a selling price of US$ 238 million, for a 24,000 square feet (2,200 m ) penthouse apartment overlooking Central Park at 220 Central Park South . The COVID-19 pandemic and hybrid work models have prompted consideration of commercial-to-residential conversion within the neighborhood's real estate sector. In August 2023, Mayor Eric Adams announced
10488-666: The West Side, and Murray Hill , Kips Bay , Turtle Bay , and Gramercy Park on the East Side. It is sometimes broken into "Midtown East" and "Midtown West", or north and south as in the New York City Police Department 's Midtown North and Midtown South precincts. Neighborhoods in the Midtown area include the following: Midtown is the original district in the United States to bear the name and included historical but now defunct neighborhoods such as
10626-547: The annex's second and third stories in 1913. The clubhouse had its own entrance on 44th Street, which ascended directly to the second story. The second floor contained a lounge, a reading room, and a cafe that connected with the hotel, while the third floor included the club's parlor , pool , and billiards rooms. The Rocky Mountain Club house was used by the Beethoven Association from 1922 to 1934. The third floor
10764-597: The attacks. Anthony Melchiorri was hired as the hotel's new general manager. Miller Global spent $ 3 million on renovating the hotel. When the hotel had been sold, the previous owner had relocated the first painting to the Martha Washington Inn in Virginia, so Miller Global hired Ascencios to create another painting of the Round Table's members. This painting was installed in the Oak Room in advance of
10902-437: The bar can be cordoned off for private parties. The rooms and suites were originally arranged in square groups, each with its own hallway connecting to the elevators and stairs at the core. The largest suites available in the hotel contained a private hallway, a sitting room, a library or dining room, three bedrooms, and three bathrooms. Each unit originally contained mahogany woodwork and waxed-oak floors. Sliding doors separated
11040-466: The block. The Algonquin is also one of six hotels on 44th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, the largest concentration of hotels on a single block in New York City during the early 21st century. The Algonquin Hotel was designed in 1902 by architect Goldwin Starrett of the Thompson–Starrett Company . Albert Foster, who headed the Puritan Realty Company, developed the hotel. The building
11178-507: The brightly illuminated hub of the Broadway Theater District , is a major center of the world's entertainment industry. Sixth Avenue also has the headquarters of three of the four major U.S. television networks . Midtown is part of Manhattan Community District 5 . It is patrolled by the 14th and 18th precincts of the New York City Police Department . Geographically, the northern boundary of Midtown Manhattan
11316-401: The center and with nearby academic, medical, and research institutions. The New York City Economic Development Corporation 's Early Stage Life Sciences Funding Initiative and venture capital partners, including Celgene , General Electric Ventures, and Eli Lilly, committed a minimum of US$ 100 million to help launch 15 to 20 ventures in life sciences and biotechnology. Real estate is
11454-507: The center bay, and a marquee projects above the sidewalk in front of the main entrance. This marquee contains details such as old English lettering, wrought-iron scrolls, and a scalloped awning. There are two segmental arches on either side of the main entrance, all of which have canopies above them. There are glazed wooden doors in the westernmost bay, as well as metal service doors in the easternmost bay. The second-westernmost and second-easternmost bays contain tripartite windows. The second story
11592-445: The city's other hotels. Even so, Ward Morehouse III wrote in 1981 that the Algonquin "just never seems to worry about the so-called 'bottom line', or profit picture, despite the fact it is one of the most reasonably priced first-class hotels in the city." Bodne sold the hotel to Caesar Park Hotels, a subsidiary of Japanese company Aoki Corporation , for $ 29 million in June 1987. The sale came four months after Bodne had publicly denied
11730-411: The citywide average of 20%. Additionally, 92% of high school students in Midtown Manhattan graduate on time, more than the citywide average of 75%. There are no public elementary or middle schools in Midtown. The New York City Department of Education operates the following public high schools in Midtown, serving grades 9–12: Private schools include The Beekman School , Rebecca School , and
11868-400: The corner of Rector Street and Trinity Place up Trinity Place / Church Street , then west for a block at Murray Street, then north again on West Broadway , west again across West 3rd Street to the foot of Sixth Avenue, and then north to 59th Street. The following year, ownership passed to the Manhattan Railway Company , which also controlled the other elevated railways in Manhattan. In 1881,
12006-460: The early 1920s, the Algonquin had become popular as a short-term residence for "Hollywood stars and Broadway producers". The Algonquin's success prompted Case to consider opening a similar hotel in Hollywood in the early 1920s. Case bought the property in 1927, paying Andrew Smith's family $ 1 million. By then, the hotel contained 250 rooms. The hotel's Blue Bar opened in 1933, sixteen years after
12144-443: The electrical systems were replaced as well. The owners installed a plaque in the lobby, describing the hotel's history; the plaque had to be remade because it contained so many spelling and grammatical errors. The renovation took five years to complete, as the contractors only renovated three floors at a time; it ultimately cost $ 20 million. The Algonquin was one of several hotels around Times Square that were developed or renovated in
12282-553: The elevated were rediscovered in the early 1990s during a Sixth Avenue renovation project. In order to alleviate any concern that the scrap metal might be exported to the Japanese , demolition contractor Tom Harris, who had received $ 40,000 to demolish the structure provided affidavits to the New York City Council that none of the iron would leave the United States. The inaccurate rumors were later included within
12420-405: The eleventh and twelfth stories, there are panels with roundels between each of the three middle windows; a similar panel is placed above the twelfth-story windows. At the twelfth story, the four outermost windows are flat rather than angled, as on the second story. The western annex was originally a two-story stable but was expanded to a three-story brick structure in 1905. The first story contains
12558-475: The facade are made of rusticated limestone blocks, while the upper stories have a Renaissance Revival brick facade, with limestone, metal, and terracotta details inspired by the Beaux-Arts style. When the hotel opened, it contained a large restaurant and a smaller cafe, which later became the Oak Room cabaret. The annex contains the Blue Bar on its ground story, while the upper stories were formerly used as
12696-463: The ground floor of the annex and was originally the Pergola's rear section. The Oak Room Supper Club opened within part of the Pergola in 1939, with European chanteuse Greta Keller as the room's first star. The club closed during World War II. The Oak Room reopened as a regular venue in either 1980 or 1981 under the management of cabaret operator Donald Smith. Its first regular and star was singer-pianist Steve Ross . Other performers who have appeared at
12834-452: The guests by name, and its valet was friends with many of the hotel's theatrical guests. Following an extensive marketing campaign in Europe in the mid-1960s, the Algonquin became popular among European travelers. To cater to these new guests, Smith designed a new marquee above the entrance, which was installed in 1965. The New Yorker magazine, which had been established at the hotel, hosted
12972-574: The hotel for sale in January 2001, receiving bids from about 20 potential buyers. The hotel saw decreases in visitation following the September 11 attacks in 2001. Bernard Goldberg , who had been in contract to buy the hotel at the time, canceled his plans following the attacks. Miller Global Properties acquired the Algonquin from Camberley in June 2002 for an estimated $ 35 million. The Algonquin's visitor numbers largely recovered within two years of
13110-453: The hotel had many repeat guests. Staff recorded each guest's needs and preferences on index cards. Many of the hotel's staff were employed there for several years, long enough to memorize guests' preferences. The "Algonquinites list" comprised nearly 5,000 names. The hotel's Oak Room reopened as a cabaret venue at the end of 1980. The units were refurbished again in the mid-1980s. The Algonquin's room rates continued to be cheaper than those at
13248-503: The hotel the Algonquin to complement the nearby Iroquois, which was also named after a Native American tribe. The historian John Tauranac , which attributed the "Algonquin" name to Case, claimed that the Algonquin had been named before the Iroquois was. Either way, the Algonquin had been planned with a gentlemen's billiards room, but, under Case's supervision, that room was converted to a kitchen. The hotel opened on November 22, 1902, and
13386-529: The hotel until his death in June 1946. Chemical Bank , the trustee of Case's estate, placed the Algonquin for sale that August. At the time, the hotel had 192 units (143 of which were suites), as well as a bar and three restaurants. In September 1946, Chemical Bank sold the hotel for $ 1 million to Ben Bodne of Charleston, South Carolina , who acquired the title to the property the next month. Bodne and his wife Mary had stayed there during their honeymoon in 1924, and Ben had promised Mary that he would one day buy
13524-516: The hotel's bar in 1917, saying he did not want to fund his children's college tuition with "saloon money". Within two years of its closure, a soft-drink bar had been added. Following World War I, the hotel became a meeting place of the Algonquin Round Table, a group of actors, critics, wits, and writers, between 1919 and 1929. In addition, the Beethoven Association moved into the hotel's annex in 1922, staying there for twelve years. By
13662-463: The hotel's traditions, including an official hotel cat as well as discounts for struggling authors. The hotel is a New York City designated landmark and a member of Historic Hotels of America , a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation . The hotel building is mostly twelve stories high, except for the extreme western end, which is three stories high. The first two stories of
13800-435: The hotel's traditions, including maintaining the Oak Room and Rose Room as dining spaces. The hotel's elevators were in dire need of upgrades; decades earlier, writer James Thurber had joked that the hotel's literary guests "became writers while waiting for the elevators". In 1989, Aoki began renovating the hotel to designs by architect John Ciardullo and designer Laura Gottwald. Tishman Realty & Construction carried out
13938-566: The hotel, his first project in Manhattan. Starrett's firm, the Thompson–Starrett Company, was to build the hotel for $ 500,000 or $ 600,000. The Puritan Realty Company acquired a $ 250,000 loan from the Century Realty Company at the end of 1901. Albert T. Foster and Ann Stetson Foster obtained a majority ownership stake in the Puritan Realty Company in February 1902. At the end of the month, the company submitted plans to
14076-436: The hotel, raise nightly room rates from $ 180 to $ 200, and resell the Algonquin in five to seven years. The new owners were initially unaware of the hotel's historical significance, as Camberley president Ian Lloyd-Jones said: "We thought we were looking at a normal piece of real estate with a great location that had been underperforming in the hands of absentee owners for the last 10 years." The New York Observer wrote that, at
14214-492: The hotel. The modern-day lobby includes modern furniture designed in an early 20th-century style, as well as original furniture from the same time period. The walls and columns are stained to resemble chocolate-ebony wood. The space also contains black-and-white tiled floors, which were installed in 1998 in a vintage style; the floors are covered by imported British rugs. The lobby contains an oil painting of several Algonquin Round Table regulars, designed by Natalie Ascencios on
14352-418: The hotel. Ben and Mary's sons-in-law Sidney Colby and Andrew Anspach initially were hired as the hotel's vice presidents. Colby became the hotel's manager in 1951, and Anspach had taken over as managing director by the 1970s. Bodne announced plans in 1947 to renovate the hotel for $ 100,000. John Martin, the hotel's general manager of nine years, helped Bodne with the improvements, which included refurbishing all
14490-475: The hotel. The hotel's plumbing had not been updated in two decades, and the basement had sustained water damage following the demolition of the Hippodrome several years prior. Bodne owned the hotel for the next four decades, occupying the suite in which Case and his family had once lived. Ben and Mary Bodne had two daughters, both of whom were married; their respective husbands both eventually became managers of
14628-547: The late 1980s and 1990s. Arthur Kaptainis of the Montreal Gazette wrote that the project had "cleared the funny smells without stripping the lobby of its cushiony Edwardian elegance". The hotel was no longer known for its cheap room rates; the Gazette noted that the neighboring Hotel Iroquois charged much less. Even so, the Algonquin remained popular among those visiting nearby Broadway theaters. In 1995, Aoki added
14766-413: The latter was a guest at the hotel, and Case allowed guests to defer payment of their bills. The Toronto Star wrote: "Through the years, the hotel has played an important role in keeping various (literally) starving artists and actors alive until their next job, their future book or Broadway hit." The hotel's restaurant caught fire in February 1909. After Andrew Smith died in 1910, the hotel's ownership
14904-497: The lights were suspended from plaster holders on the ceiling. There are multi-room suites and single rooms on the third through eleventh floors. The core of the H-shaped hotel contains two elevators. Above the second floor, the elevators open into a public hallway that connected all of the rooms on that floor. The core also contains a dumbwaiter leading from the hotel's kitchen; a set of stairs; and service rooms. The roof contained
15042-503: The line was connected to the largely rebuilt Ninth Avenue Elevated; it was joined in the south at Morris Street, and in the north by a connecting link running across 53rd Street. And it ran 24/7. Due to its central location in Manhattan and the inversion of the usual relationship between street noise and height, the Sixth Avenue El attracted artists; in addition to being the subject of several paintings by John French Sloan , it
15180-418: The lines of E. E. Cummings 's 1944 poem "plato told." Twenty thousand tons of scrap metal from the El was sold to a dealer on the west coast who was in the export business. The New York Times pointed out in December 1938 that even if the scrap did not go directly to Japan, for possible use against China, such a large amount of scrap metal arriving on the market would free up metal to be sent to Japan. At
15318-510: The neighborhood was 64.1% (18,351) White , 4.6% (1,310) African American , 0.1% (34) Native American , 20.8% (5,942) Asian , 0% (8) Pacific Islander , 0.3% (92) from other races , and 2% (569) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 8.1% (2,324) of the population. The entirety of Community District 5, which comprises Midtown Manhattan, had 53,120 inhabitants as of NYC Health 's 2018 Community Health Profile, with an average life expectancy of 84.8 years. This
15456-639: The north sidewalk between Sixth Avenue and Fifth Avenue , in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City . The rectangular land lot covers 9,221 sq ft (856.7 m), with a frontage of 91.83 ft (27.99 m) on 44th Street and a depth of 100.42 ft (31 m). On the same block, the Iroquois New York , the Sofitel New York Hotel , the New York Yacht Club Building , and
15594-720: The offices where they were at the last minute. Global Infrastructure Partners has an office in Midtown Manhattan. Silicon Alley , the common metonym for New York City's high tech sector, is based in Midtown South , specifically the Flatiron District . Prominent Silicon Alley companies in Midtown include AppNexus , Blue Apron , Gilt , Betterment , Oscar , SoFi , Rent the Runway , Warby Parker , and WeWork . The technology sector has been expanding across Midtown Manhattan since 2010. The biotechnology sector
15732-481: The original bar had closed. The Algonquin retained its popularity in the literary and theatrical industries; Case wrote in 1938 that it was not uncommon to see "five or six or seven well-known writers" at the Algonquin simultaneously. After the New York Drama Critics' Circle was founded at the Algonquin in 1935, it started hosting annual dinners at the hotel, wherein the group voted on the best play of
15870-566: The parlors and bedrooms in each suite; the master bedrooms were illuminated by the bay windows on the facade. Unusually for hotels of the time, each bedroom had its own bathroom, with a shower, hot and cold water, and electric lights. Except for bookshelves and fireplace mantels , the units were otherwise unfurnished. By the 2000s, the rooms had black-and-white wallpaper with framed cartoons from The New Yorker magazine. The hallways also contain cartoons taken from The New Yorker . The modern-day hotel contains 156 rooms and 25 suites. Each suite has
16008-567: The project. The hotel's 170 rooms were redecorated in a Victorian style, with wooden trim and sliding doors in each room, as well as wallpaper, tapestries, and fabrics with early-20th-century designs. Some of the rooms on the second floor were removed to make way for an expansion of the hotel's meeting rooms. One of the suites was renamed the Round Table Suite and filled with Algonquin Round Table memorabilia. The old operator-controlled elevators were supplanted by self-service elevators, and
16146-440: The restaurant offered discounted lunches to authors. Melchiorri developed a $ 10,000 martini to mark the completion of the renovation. Bodne's grandson David Colby pushed for Miller Global executives to revive the hotel's literary traditions, saying: "The Algonquin has greater potential than 100 percent occupancy." The hotel also started lending iPods with audiobooks to its guests. Miller Global hired Cushman and Wakefield to find
16284-410: The rooms and adding a refrigeration plant. The renovations also included new air-conditioners and televisions in each room. Bodne replaced 300 chairs, beds, and tables with new furnishings in the same style, and he also repainted the walls to their original colors. Under Bodne's ownership, the Algonquin became the first hotel in New York City to replace its hotel keys with electronic key cards. The hotel
16422-400: The site of a former bar. Next to the painting is an imitation round table, for which guests can make reservations. There is a blue-and-red marble desk with a shelter for the hotel's cat (see Algonquin Hotel § Cats ) and, near the eastern window, a shelf with a small staircase for the cat. Above the reception desk is an artwork composed of salvaged guest books, which was added in 2022. There
16560-495: The steel from the El, and carried out his obligation to the letter. Reports of the supposed sale of the scrap to Japan persisted. In 1961, an attorney for the Harris Structural Steel Company, which was involved in the demolition, told syndicated columnist George Sokolsky that continued reports of the sale of steel from the El to Japan were not accurate. The attorney said that none of the steel from
16698-426: The subsequent owners, Ben and Mary Bodne, lived there from 1947 until their respective deaths in 1992 and 2000. The largest suite in the hotel is suite 209 on the annex's second floor, which is named after John Barrymore and covers nearly 700 square feet (65 m). The Algonquin was the third hotel to be built on the surrounding city block, after the Iroquois and Royalton, which had opened in 1900. In November 1901,
16836-523: The surrounding neighborhood was rapidly developing into an entertainment district. The New York Hippodrome opened directly across 44th Street in 1905, which Case described as "an important event for us". Manhattan's theater district also shifted to Times Square during the first decade of the 20th century; several Broadway theaters , including the Belasco, Broadhurst , Forty-fourth Street , and Winthrop Ames (now Hayes ), were developed on 44th Street in
16974-426: The time of Camberley and Olympus's acquisition, "the publishing scene [had] long since dispersed". Camberley officials announced plans to spend $ 4 million on a "discreet" renovation of the entrance and lobby. Some hotel regulars wrote letters to Lloyd-Jones, daring him "to change a thing". Camberley hired Alexandra Champalimaud to design the renovation, which ultimately cost $ 5.5 million. The hotel's owners demolished
17112-509: The world's highest retail rents and is the most expensive shopping street in the world. Midtown Manhattan is the country's largest commercial, entertainment , and media center, and is also a growing financial and fintech center. Many of New York City's skyscrapers , including its tallest hotels and apartment towers , are located in Midtown Manhattan. The neighborhood hosts commuters and residents working in its offices, hotels, and retail establishments, tourists and students. Times Square,
17250-598: The year. The hotel's staff joined a labor union affiliated with the American Federation of Labor in 1939, and they went on strike . Case negotiated a contract with the labor union that April, and the Algonquin's staff have remained unionized since then. In addition, the Algonquin Supper Club, the hotel's first-ever nightclub, opened in November 1939. Case remained the owner and manager of
17388-403: Was $ 101,981, though the median income in Midtown individually was $ 120,854. In 2018, an estimated 11% of Midtown Manhattan residents lived in poverty, compared to 14% in all of Manhattan and 20% in all of New York City. One in twenty residents (5%) were unemployed, compared to 7% in Manhattan and 9% in New York City. Rent burden, or the percentage of residents who have difficulty paying their rent,
17526-448: Was also painted by Francis Criss and others. As of 1934, the following services were being operated: As with many elevated railways in the city, the Sixth Avenue El made life difficult for those nearby. It was noisy, it made buildings shake, and in the line's early years, it dropped ash, oil, and cinders on pedestrians below. Eventually, a coalition of commercial establishments and building owners along Sixth Avenue campaigned to have
17664-655: Was among the first in New York City to give walkie-talkies to its staff and install smoke detectors in its rooms. After Bodne's purchase, the hotel continued to host literary and theatrical meetings, including those of the Drama Critics' Circle; the Outer Circle , composed of theatrical critics who did not live in the New York metropolitan area; and the PEN Club, composed of fiction writers. Colby said in 1952 that
17802-515: Was announced, with the aim of reducing traffic congestion. Approximately 750,000 vehicles enter Midtown Manhattan on a fall business day. According to the 2011 Traffic Data Report for New York State, 777,527 vehicles a day went through select toll facilities into Manhattan. The New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division , First Department, is located at the Appellate Division Courthouse at 25th Street and Madison Avenue
17940-400: Was closed during World War I, and the bar and newsstand were both removed in the 1990s. The lobby also contains wood paneling and a grandfather clock, which were both part of the original design. There was a glazed partition between the waiting area and reception desk. To the east of the lounge was a men's smoking room and club. These features were removed during several subsequent renovations of
18078-602: Was completed in 1900 by architect James Brown Lord , who used a third of the construction budget to decorate the building with statues and murals. The Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration operates its New York office on the 22nd floor at 135 West 50th Street . Several countries, including Algeria , Argentina , The Bahamas , China , Costa Rica , Germany , Ireland , Israel , Jamaica , Japan , Luxembourg , Mexico , Morocco , Saudi Arabia , Singapore , South Africa , South Korea , United Kingdom , and Ukraine , have Permanent Missions accredited to
18216-462: Was largely conducted at night. By the early 1960s, major literary and theatrical figures were beginning to favor more upscale hostelries, and "the poorer actor could not afford Algonquin prices". Even so, the bar and restaurants were often full. The Algonquin still had a relatively small capacity compared to newer hotels, and it had only two elevators, one of which was used for freight during off-peak periods. Unlike other hotels with automatic elevators,
18354-523: Was moving its North American headquarters from Midtown to Melville , New York , in Suffolk County on Long Island . Based on data from the 2010 United States Census , the population of Midtown Manhattan was 28,630, a change of 2,823 (9.9%) from the 25,807 counted in 2000 . Covering an area of 692.81 acres (280.37 ha), the neighborhood had a population density of 41.3 inhabitants per acre (26,400/sq mi; 10,200/km ). The racial makeup of
18492-410: Was originally intended as a long-term hotel. At the time of the hotel's opening, 75 percent of the units were occupied. The Algonquin had amenities that were considered modern for its time, such as trained servants, in-suite telephones, heating, and plumbing. Guests could use the phones in their rooms to contact the hotel's concierge or to order food from the restaurant à la carte . They could also pay $ 7
18630-400: Was renovated and expanded into part of the space formerly occupied by the Oak Room. The expanded Blue Bar contained blue lighting and blue-toned backlit bookshelves, with black-and-white floors that resembled those in the main reception area. The Blue Bar was relocated to the main lobby in 2022. The modern bar contains design elements similar to those added in the 2012 renovation, but the rear of
18768-408: Was sold on July 2, 2007, for US$ 510 million, about US$ 1,589 per square foot (US$ 17,104/m ), it broke the barely month-old record for an American office building of US$ 1,476 per square foot (US$ 15,887/m ) based on the sale of 660 Madison Avenue . In 2014, Manhattan was home to six of the top ten zip codes in the United States by median housing price. In 2019, the most expensive home sale ever in
18906-472: Was split equally between his daughter Juliet E. Smith and his wife Jane Wells. The annex caught fire the same November, destroying Frederic Thompson 's residence on the top story. The Rocky Mountain Club leased the Algonquin's three-story annex in May 1913, and Frederick J. Sterner remodeled the annex into a clubhouse, which opened that December. Case had a negative perception of speakeasy operators, and he closed
19044-515: Was then used as a ballroom for much of the 20th century, while the second floor became storage space. In 2012, the annex's second floor was renovated, becoming the John Barrymore Suite. The annex's first floor has contained the Blue Bar since 1997. Originally, the front (south) portion of the ground floor contained a lounge with palms and flowers. When the hotel opened, the lobby included a barbershop, bar, and newsstand. The barbershop
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