The Waldorf Astoria New York originally opened in 1893 on the current site of the Empire State Building. In 1931 it opened at its current location on Park Avenue. In 1993 it was designated an official New York City landmark. Now, in 2017, the Waldorf Astoria New York has closed its doors in order to undergo one of the most complex and intensive landmark preservation efforts the City of New York has ever seen.
Plans for the renovation were recently submitted for public review by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. The plans, which were designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon, outline the restoration all of the recently landmarked interior spaces.
If approved, the restoration will modernize the building’s functional capability and revive key elements of the Art Deco building that have been altered over time. The building’s historic public and events spaces will be restored to their original intent. Additionally, when the hotel reopens, it will feature new guest rooms, suites, and condominiums.
"Our design for the Waldorf Astoria New York reclaims the full potential of one of New York City's most legendary buildings and opens a new chapter in the hotel's celebrated history,” says Roger Duffy, Design Partner, SOM, in a release. “We are honored to be leading the effort to restore this Art Deco masterpiece, while turning it into a world-class destination for the 21st century."
SOM has previously led restoration and adaptive reuse projects for other New York landmarks such as the Moynihan Train Hall and the General Electric Building headquarters.
If everything stays on schedule, the Waldorf Astoria New York will reopen in two to three years.
Â
Lobby. Rendering courtesy of SOM and Methanoia Inc.
Â
Lexington Entry. Rendering courtesy of SOM and Methanoia Inc.
Â
Peacock Alley. Rendering courtesy of SOM and Methanoia Inc.
Related Stories
Libraries | Oct 30, 2024
Reasons to reinvent the Midcentury academic library
DLR Group's Interior Design Leader Gretchen Holy, Assoc. IIDA, shares the idea that a designer's responsibility to embrace a library’s history, respect its past, and create an environment that will serve student populations for the next 100 years.
Adaptive Reuse | Oct 22, 2024
Adaptive reuse project transforms 1840s-era mill building into rental housing
A recently opened multifamily property in Lawrence, Mass., is an adaptive reuse of an 1840s-era mill building. Stone Mill Lofts is one of the first all-electric mixed-income multifamily properties in Massachusetts. The all-electric building meets ambitious modern energy codes and stringent National Park Service historic preservation guidelines.
Brick and Masonry | Oct 7, 2024
A journey through masonry reclad litigation
This blog post by Walter P Moore's Mallory Buckley, RRO, PE, BECxP + CxA+BE, and Bob Hancock, MBA, JD, of Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr PC, explains the importance of documentation, correspondence between parties, and supporting the claims for a Plaintiff-party, while facilitating continuous use of the facility, on construction litigation projects.
Adaptive Reuse | Sep 12, 2024
White paper on office-to-residential conversions released by IAPMO
IAPMO has published a new white paper titled “Adaptive Reuse: Converting Offices to Multi-Residential Family,” a comprehensive analysis of addressing housing shortages through the conversion of office spaces into residential units.
Codes and Standards | Sep 3, 2024
Atlanta aims to crack down on blighted properties with new tax
A new Atlanta law is intended to crack down on absentee landlords including commercial property owners and clean up neglected properties. The “Blight Tax” allows city officials to put levies on blighted property owners up to 25 times higher than current millage rates.
Resiliency | Sep 3, 2024
Phius introduces retrofit standard for more resilient buildings
Phius recently released, REVIVE 2024, a retrofit standard for more resilient buildings. The standard focuses on resilience against grid outages by ensuring structures remain habitable for at least a week during extreme weather events.
Adaptive Reuse | Aug 29, 2024
More than 1.2 billion sf of office space have strong potential for residential conversion
More than 1.2 billion sf of U.S. office space—14.8% of the nation’s total—have strong potential for conversion to residential use, according to real estate software and services firm Yardi. Yardi’s new Conversion Feasibility Index scores office buildings on their suitability for multifamily conversion.
Adaptive Reuse | Aug 22, 2024
6 key fire and life safety considerations for office-to-residential conversions
Office-to-residential conversions may be fraught with fire and life safety challenges, from egress requirements to fire protection system gaps. Here are six important considerations to consider.
Reconstruction & Renovation | Aug 19, 2024
Movement to protect historic buildings raises sharp criticism
While the movement to preserve historic buildings has widespread support, it also has some sharp critics with well-funded opposition groups springing up in recent years. Some opponents are linked to the Stand Together Foundation, founded and bankrolled by the Koch family’s conservative philanthropic organization, according to a column in Governing magazine.
Sustainability | Aug 14, 2024
World’s first TRUE Zero Waste for Construction-certified public project delivered in Calif.
The Contra Costa County Administration Building in Martinez, Calif., is the world’s first public project to achieve the zero-waste-focused TRUE Gold certification for construction. The TRUE Certification for Construction program, administered by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), recognizes projects that achieve exceptional levels of waste reduction, reuse, and recycling.
