The Waldorf Astoria - Part II
In Issue 003: The Waldorf Astoria - Part 1 we talked of family feuds, capitalism, and old money. In Part 2 we’ll talk about glamour and luxury.
The New York Central Railroad owned the land that the Waldorf was to be built on and invested $10 million in the hotel along with many outside investors. The second iteration (or perhaps third or fourth, depending on how you look at it!) opened in 1931. At the time it was the largest and tallest hotel in the world. It spanned the entire block and stood 47 stories high. The hotel was also the first to have many modern amenities - electricity on every floor, ensuite bathrooms in every room, and 24-hour room service!
Photo: MCNY
Over the last century, the hotel hosted numerous heads of state, celebrities, and foreign diplomats as guests. Some of these guests included Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, Queen Elizabeth, Marlon Brando, Albert Einstein, and Pope Paul IV. Ella Fitzgerald had a residency at the Starlight Ballroom and President John F. Kennedy even had one of his birthday parties there!
Frank Sinatra and Sy Oliver. Photo: NYPL Digital Collection
Marylyn Monroe with her husband Arthur Miller in 1955 at The April in Paris ball. Photo: New York Daily News
In 1972, the Hilton Hotels Corporation bought the Waldorf (one of Conrad Hilton’s favorite properties since its opening).
In 2014, Anbang Insurance Group purchased the Waldorf for $1.95 billion, making it the most expensive hotel sale in history. Their intention was to turn the Waldorf into condominiums. Soon after the sale, the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission declared that the interior of the hotel, including the lobby, could not be altered during the condo conversion.
The hotel lobby pre renovation. Photo: Wiki Commons
Recently I was able to get a sneak peak at the new condos. Being a history aficionado, I have been worried about this conversion since hearing about it in the news in 2014. I wondered if the developers would alter the original details. I’m pleased to report that they have done a fabulous job!
Studios start at $1.8 million and 4 bedroom units start at $19 million.. The real selling point is the privacy and the amenities. There is a private porte cochère with valet service on 50th Street - not even the paparazzi could get in a shot! The amenities include numerous bars and lounges, a billiards room, wellness spa, 25 meter swimming pool, and a stage, and theater for entertaining. You can check out the full package here: Waldorf Towers - Amenities
Photos: Noe & Associates/The Boundary
These Condos are going to be the height and new standard of luxury city living for some time to come. I hope you enjoyed this 2-part tour through history at one of New York City’s most notable landmarks. If you’d like to take a look or have an interested associate, I’d love to get us in for a property tour!
Before I leave you, let me tell you about one of the mysteries of the Waldorf that has always intrigued me. Way below Park Avenue, the Waldorf had Track 61 - its very own railway platform connecting it to the New York Central Railroad (now Metro-North). It was notably used by Franklin D. Roosevelt during WWII to travel without being detected. The south side of the hotel on 49th Street has a secret gold garage door which was used to transport his car from the train platform to the city streets. How amazing is that?
Photos: Atlas Obscura
