Sen. Hoylman: 'I Hope My Daughter Gets to See the Interiors of Waldorf Astoria'

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — The one-of-a-kind art deco interiors of the Waldorf Astoria hotel are at risk of disappearing if they are not designated historic landmarks immediately, New York State Sen. Brad Hoylman told Patch.

"I hope my daughter gets to see the interiors of the Waldorf as they are today, in pristine condition," Hoylman said. "As it currently stands, there's no guarantee she will."

Hoylman and several preservationist groups are calling for an immediate calendaring and designation of the Waldorf Astoria's interiors by the Landmarks Preservation Commission. The hotel was bought by Chinese company Anbang Insurance Group in 2014, which plans to convert most of the hotel into condos.

Anbang is required to submit an application to the LPC anyway on its anticipated changes to the hotel to ensure its plans won't affect the exterior of the building, which was designated a historic landmark in 1993. The Department of Buildings will then have to approve the plan.

Anbang said in a statement to Patch Monday that it is happy to cooperate with the LPC in designing the interiors of the hotel.

"Anbang has never said it is opposed to landmark designation," a spokesperson for the company said. "We are committed to working cooperatively and collaboratively with the Landmarks Preservation Commission to achieve an outcome that respects and r‎einvigorates the Waldorf Astoria for the next 100 years."

The company released the statement after the New York Landmarks Conservancy told Bloomberg that Anbang had refused to work with them in prior meetings.

Hoylman said in response to Anbang's statement that without the official LPC designation, the interiors were still in danger.

The senator brought up the demolition of the Frank Lloyd Wright showroom at 430 Park Ave. in 2013 as an example. Midwood Investment & Management, the new owners of the Wright showroom, applied for a demolition permit with the Department of Buildings just six days after the LPC called them to tell them the city was considering its designation, Crain's reported. The next week, the showroom was demolished, and the LPC found out through eyewitnesses of its gutted remains, according to Crain's.

"That was one of the greatest crimes against architectural history in recent history," Hoylman said.

Without a historic designation, the same could happen to the Waldorf Astoria, the senator warned. About Anbang, Hoylman said, "I've met with them, and I appreciate their interest in this landmark, but we as New York City residents have a longer view."

The hotel was built in 1931, and its interiors boast historic art deco embellishments. The main foyer has a 10-foot by 10-foot chandelier, the elevator is made of paneled pollard oak and Carpathian elm, and the rooms are full of historic memories of when celebrities like Cole Porter, Ella Fitzgerald, Marilyn Monroe and Judy Garland used to live and party there.

Photo Credit: Jeffrey Zeldman via Flickr/Creative Commons