Waldorf Astoria Closes For Condo Conversion

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY -- The Waldorf Astoria as New Yorkers know it is officially gone. The last guests of the luxury hotel checked out of their rooms Wednesday as the hotel's new owners begin a three-year project to convert the hotel into a condominium complex.

The conversion project will turn about 75 percent of the Waldorf Astoria's existing rooms into condominiums, which will require many of the historic building's interiors to be gutted. The Anbang Insurance Co., a Chinese company which purchased the hotel in 2014 for $1.95 billion predicted the conversion could take three years and that 300 to 500 luxury rooms will be left after the conversion.

Since the project was announced preservationists have been pushing the city to landmark several of the Waldorf Astoria's interior spaces such as some grand foyers, ballrooms, staircases and the fixtures and components of these spaces — including surfaces, murals, mirrors, chandeliers, lighting fixtures, attached furnishings, doors, railings and balustrades and decorative metalwork.

The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) identified several spaces on the first four floors of the hotel which it has calendared for landmarks designation. The exterior of the hotel is already landmarked.

This story will be updated.

Photo by Jeffrey Zeldman via Flickr/Creative Commons