Why is the biltmore hotel in new york so significant in history?

Answer 1

AnswerThe Biltmore Hotel in New York City in compassed an entire city block of Madison Avenue and 43rd Street over air rights of The New York State Realty and Terminal Company (a division of The New York Central Railroad ) adjacent to Grand Central Terminal . Both structures were designed by the firm of Warren & Wetmore. The Biltmore opened to the public on January 31 ,1913 under the care of Gustav Braumann . ( unfortunetly Mr. Braumann would fall to his death at the hotel in October of that year John McEntee Bowman the hotel manager would take The Biltmore name to world recognition). Grand Central Terminal had opened on February 1 ,1913 .Both structures along with surrounding ones would become known as"Grand Central City" a city within the city . The Biltmore was one of four hotels built around Grand Central Terminal. The others were the Ritz-Carlton, one block north (torn down in 1951), The Roosevelt Hotel at Madison and 45th street (opened on September 22 ,1926, a well-run property under The Interstate Hotel Group and the only remaining hotel from that era in that complex) The Commodore Hotel opened on January 28,1919 (gutted in the late 1970s by The Trump Organization and rebuilt in The Grand Hyatt).

Another New York State Realty and Terminal hotel connected by Grand Centrals Northwest Passage would be The Barclay Hotel , 111 48th Street (operated by today by Intercontineal Group) City with in a city mean't for example The Biltmore and other hotels in the complex would allow business men traveling from Chicago could arrive by train in New York City, spend the night at the Biltmore, travel to Wall Street via subway, return to the hotel and catch a train to back to Chicago never setting foot outside in New York. The Biltmores Grand Ballroom doubled as The Cascades which had a hand cranked sliding roof and allowed diners the opportunity to watch the stars socialize or have dinner while listeng to Bert Lowan and the Biltmore Orchestra later live over WCBS. The railroad arrival room under The Biltmore Hotel called the kissing room was the meeting place of many couples who then would proceed to the Biltmore Palm Court for lunch or a drink. The Palm Court resembled the main concourse at Grand Central with skylights and mirriored windows.The famous Biltmore lobby clock of The Palm Court Lounge mentioned in books by F. Scott Fitzgerald and J. D. Salinger hangs in the lobby of the gutted Biltmore Hotel today (Bank of AmericaBuilding). The Kissing Room also had elevator access to the lobby with one elevator serving only the Presidental Suite. The Biltmore had many notable resturants in its time: The Bowman Room, Guard Room, The famous Biltmore Mens Bar where notables such has Governor Alfred Smith would meet colleuges and was the scene of protests by womens rights groups in the 1970's during Mayor John Lindseys adminatration finally letting woman in The Mens Bar, The Madison Room where you could mix your own martini. The Biltmore also hosted one of the first indoor Swimming Pools and sauna. There was an Italian Garden between the Biltmore East and West Tower which was a great escape in the summer and then an ice skating rink in the winter. The Biltmore hosted about 900 Rooms when opened. The Biltmore was almost completely restored by the Realty Hotel Group (a division of the Penn-Central Railroad) in the late 1970s when a bankrupty judge appointy Victor Palmieri recommened the railroad sell its real estate at a auction with Lowes winding up with The Barclay, Biltmore, and Roosevelt. The two latter were resold to Paul Milstein. Milstein ordered The Biltmore closed on a Friday afternoon in August 1980 , gutted and turned into the Bank of America Building before the landmarks commission could act to save it. Landmarks wound up with $500,000. grant from Paul not to pursue what was left of The Biltmore.

The Roosevelt Hotel one block north which is still a great property also has a rich history.