July 13, 2005
The Plaza's Oak Bar and Palm Court get landmarked
The Oak Bar, Palm Court, Terrace Room and several other public spaces in The Plaza have been granted landmark status just as the new owner of the historic hotel begins a massive renovation to convert much of the structure into condominiums.
The renovation will also recreate a 1907 domed glass ceiling in the Palm Court, according to the New York Times: Walter B. Melvin, an architect for Elad, said he had spent the past two weeks planning a recreation of the original Palm Court "laylight," the glass ceiling with patterned lead canes that once formed the decorative interior of a 40-foot skylight.
A 1921 addition to the hotel blocked the natural light, and the skylight itself was removed around World War II, according to Elad representatives, to prevent it from being a beacon during air raids. The new plan calls for artificial lights above the glass ceiling to create the impression of sunlight. The latest changes still don't go far enough to please many preservationists who plan to continue their fight at the City Planning Commission.
July 13, 2005 02:19 PM in Architecture, History, Hotelology, Midtown
Comments (0)
®Copyright 2006, All Rights Reserved
|
