New York’s Plaza Hotel to shut for four-year clean-up of its celebrated facade
asserted
Hotel → shut → facade
Andy Newman
AI generated
NEW YORK – One of New York City’s most iconic hotels is closing for four years for a face-lift.
asserted
One → close → lift
The 119-year-old Plaza Hotel will shut its gilded doors in January for a restoration of the 18-story building’s landmark facade, the hotel’s operators, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, announced on Oct 14.
asserted
operators → shut → Oct
Since the hotel’s opening day in 1907, when a Vanderbilt scion signed the guest register with a flourish, the Plaza, at the corner of Central Park South and Fifth Avenue, has been synonymous with a particular New York brand of opulence.
asserted
Plaza → sign → opulence
But maintaining that elegance requires periodic upkeep.
asserted
maintaining → maintain → upkeep
The hotel, which has had at least half a dozen owners over the years – including US President Donald Trump, who took it into bankruptcy in the 1990s – has undergone several rounds of renovation.
asserted
who → have → renovation
It was partly converted into condominiums in the early 2000s and now has 282 hotel rooms and 181 condos.
asserted
It → convert → rooms
The fortresslike Plaza was created by architect Henry Janeway Hardenbergh, who also designed the Dakota on Central Park West.
asserted
who → create → West
New York Times architecture critic Paul Goldberger wrote in 1982 that the hotel had been “designed in a style that is generally described as French Renaissance but is essentially New York eclectic – a French chateau blown up to the size of a small skyscraper and embellished with myriad classical details”.
asserted
that → write → details
He called the Plaza “the only hotel in the city that is as crucial a part of New York’s architectural heritage as are such public buildings as Grand Central Terminal and the New York Public Library”.
asserted
buildings → call → Terminal
Fairmont did not offer details on what exactly the work would consist of or how much it would cost, but said that the restoration plan “reflects the complexity of maintaining a property of such architectural and historical significance, with careful consideration given to preservation requirements and the building’s long-term care”.
asserted
plan → offer → requirements
The company added that “the scope and complexity of the facade works require detailed planning and coordination with relevant stakeholders”.
asserted
scope → add → stakeholders
Fairmont also declined to say whether the residents of the condos would be displaced during the restoration.
asserted
residents → decline → restoration
Receptionists at the hotel’s event rooms and the Palm Court restaurant said that those venues would also close in January.
asserted
venues → say → January
Andrew Dolkart, a professor of historic preservation at Columbia University, said that the building’s facade had been redone when part of the hotel was converted to luxury housing, and that he was surprised to hear that it required another extensive round of renovation.
asserted
it → say → renovation
He said that even if the work was only on the exterior, it made sense to close the hotel.
asserted
it → say → hotel
“It’s going to be noisy, and they must figure they can’t charge luxury prices for a hotel when there’s construction work going on outside your window,” he said.
asserted
he → go → window
As for the fate of the Plaza’s staff, a spokesperson for the Hotel & Gaming Trades Council, which represents hotel workers, said that the 378 members who worked at the Plaza would have the right to resume their jobs at the same pay when the hotel reopened.
asserted
hotel → represent → pay
In the meantime, the union will try to find them other jobs.
asserted
union → try → jobs
The Plaza’s customers over the years have included F. Scott Fitzgerald, Truman Capote, the Beatles and the children’s book heroine Eloise.
asserted
customers → include → Fitzgerald
Her all-pink quarters can be reserved for more than US$4,000 (S$5,100) a night.
asserted
quarters → reserve → 4,000
A room with a king-size bed was listed for US$1,421 on booking.com.
asserted
room → list → booking.com
The “Grand Penthouse,” a two-bedroom terrace suite, goes for US$36,140 – plus US$5,329 in tax.
asserted
Penthouse → go → tax
The Aporia
