Hilton New York
Encyclopedia
The Hilton New York is the largest hotel
in New York City
and world's 101st tallest hotel.
The 44-story building located on the northwest edge of Rockefeller Center
at Sixth Avenue
and 53rd Street
has hosted every President since John F. Kennedy
as well as the Beatles during their 1964 visit to the Ed Sullivan Theatre. The first world's first handheld cell phone call was by Martin Cooper while a guest at the hotel, in front of the hotel in 1973.
Corporation, the Rockefeller Group, and the Uris Building Corporation. The original architect was Morris Lapidus
and he proposed to build a curved Fontainebleau Hotel
style building. However, Lapidus had to withdraw since he was also designing the competing Americana Hotel (now the Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers
) a block away.
William B. Tabler
was then tapped to finish the project and he designed it with slabs. It open June 26, 1963 and offered 2,153 rooms, New York City hotels making it the largest in the city
.
On April 3, 1973, Martin Cooper made the world's first handheld cellular phone
call in public when he called Joel S. Engel
at the hotel with a 2 pound Motorola DynaTAC
phone. Cooper, a Motorola
inventor called his rival at Bell Labs
to tell him about the invention. The cell phone base station was next door atop the Burlington House
.
The hotel owned the property immediately west of it which was the site of the Adelphi Theatre where episodes of The Honeymooners
were filmed. The Adelphi was torn down in 1970. In 1989 an office tower 1325 Avenue of the Americas was built on the site. It is connected to the Hilton with a walkway and keeps the Hilton's Sixth Avenue address even though it is midblock and closer to Seventh Avenue
. Exterior shots of Elaine's
workplace in Seinfeld
show the building.
In 1990 a $100 million renovation decreased the number of guest rooms to 1,980 guest rooms. It was renovated again in 1991–1994 and underwent another $100 million renovation in 1998–2000 including a total overhaul of the lobby, the addition of an 8000 square feet (743.2 m²) Precor USA
Fitness Center on the Fifth Floor. In 2007, the hotel completed its fourth renovation. It now has 47 suites on floors 42 through 44. Each suite includes between 600 to 2000 square feet (185.8 m²) of space.
New York City hotels
-Number of hotels:Most of the hotels are represented by the Hotel Association of New York City trade organization. As of 2009, the organization had 245 members, representing 69,587 rooms and 32,000 employees. Private hotels, such as the Yale Club, are members of the group.Four out of five of New...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and world's 101st tallest hotel.
The 44-story building located on the northwest edge of Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commercial buildings covering between 48th and 51st streets in New York City, United States. Built by the Rockefeller family, it is located in the center of Midtown Manhattan, spanning the area between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue. It was declared a National...
at Sixth Avenue
Sixth Avenue (Manhattan)
Sixth Avenue – officially Avenue of the Americas, although this name is seldom used by New Yorkers – is a major thoroughfare in New York City's borough of Manhattan, on which traffic runs northbound, or "uptown"...
and 53rd Street
53rd Street (Manhattan)
53rd Street is a midtown cross street in the New York City borough of Manhattan, that contains buildings such as the Citicorp Building. It is 1.83 miles long. The street runs westbound from Sutton Place across most of the island's width, ending at DeWitt Clinton Park at Eleventh Avenue...
has hosted every President since John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
as well as the Beatles during their 1964 visit to the Ed Sullivan Theatre. The first world's first handheld cell phone call was by Martin Cooper while a guest at the hotel, in front of the hotel in 1973.
History
The project was developed by Hilton HotelsHilton Hotels
Hilton Hotels & Resorts is an international chain of full-service hotels and resorts founded by Conrad Hilton and now owned by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton hotels are either owned by, managed by, or franchised to independent operators by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton Hotels became the first coast-to-coast...
Corporation, the Rockefeller Group, and the Uris Building Corporation. The original architect was Morris Lapidus
Morris Lapidus
Morris Lapidus was the architect of Neo-baroque Miami Modern hotels that has since come to define the 1950s resort-hotel style synonymous with Miami and Miami Beach....
and he proposed to build a curved Fontainebleau Hotel
Fontainebleau Hotel
The Fontainebleau Miami Beach or the Fontainebleau Hotel is one of the most historically and architecturally significant hotels on Miami Beach. Opened in 1954 and designed by Morris Lapidus, it was considered the most luxurious hotel on Miami Beach, and is thought to be the most significant...
style building. However, Lapidus had to withdraw since he was also designing the competing Americana Hotel (now the Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers
Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers
Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers is a hotel located in New York City near Times Square. Its addresses are on 7th Avenue, West 52nd Street, and West 53rd Street. At 501 feet , it is one of the world's top 100 tallest hotels, and one of the tallest hotels in New York City. It has 51 floors. It was...
) a block away.
William B. Tabler
William B. Tabler
William B. Tabler Sr. was an American architect who designed more than 400 hotels. He was best known for giving Hilton hotels the clean but sometimes stark face of corporate America, most notably in the 46-story slablike New York Hilton near Rockefeller Center.-Personal life :Mr...
was then tapped to finish the project and he designed it with slabs. It open June 26, 1963 and offered 2,153 rooms, New York City hotels making it the largest in the city
New York City hotels
-Number of hotels:Most of the hotels are represented by the Hotel Association of New York City trade organization. As of 2009, the organization had 245 members, representing 69,587 rooms and 32,000 employees. Private hotels, such as the Yale Club, are members of the group.Four out of five of New...
.
On April 3, 1973, Martin Cooper made the world's first handheld cellular phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
call in public when he called Joel S. Engel
Joel S. Engel
Joel S. Engel is an American engineer, known for fundamental contributions to the development of cellular networks.Born in New York City, he obtained a B.Sc. in engineering at City College of New York...
at the hotel with a 2 pound Motorola DynaTAC
Motorola DynaTAC
DynaTAC is a series of cellular telephones manufactured by Motorola, Inc. from 1983 to 1994. With several different models, plus newer models under the Classic and Ultra Classic names, it was the first line of cell phones commercially produced by Motorola, with the first member of the DynaTAC...
phone. Cooper, a Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
inventor called his rival at Bell Labs
Bell Labs
Bell Laboratories is the research and development subsidiary of the French-owned Alcatel-Lucent and previously of the American Telephone & Telegraph Company , half-owned through its Western Electric manufacturing subsidiary.Bell Laboratories operates its...
to tell him about the invention. The cell phone base station was next door atop the Burlington House
Burlington House (New York City)
The Burlington House, the Alliance Capital Building, is a 625ft tall skyscraper in New York City, New York. The structure located on Sixth Avenue between 54th and 55th Streets, was completed in 1969 and has 50 floors. Emery Roth & Sons designed the building, which is the 68th tallest in New York...
.
The hotel owned the property immediately west of it which was the site of the Adelphi Theatre where episodes of The Honeymooners
The Honeymooners
The Honeymooners is an American situation comedy television show, based on a recurring 1951–'55 sketch of the same name. It originally aired on the DuMont network's Cavalcade of Stars and subsequently on the CBS network's The Jackie Gleason Show hosted by Jackie Gleason, and filmed before a live...
were filmed. The Adelphi was torn down in 1970. In 1989 an office tower 1325 Avenue of the Americas was built on the site. It is connected to the Hilton with a walkway and keeps the Hilton's Sixth Avenue address even though it is midblock and closer to Seventh Avenue
Seventh Avenue (Manhattan)
Seventh Avenue, known as Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard north of Central Park, is a thoroughfare on the West Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It is southbound below Central Park and a two-way street north of the park....
. Exterior shots of Elaine's
Elaine Benes
Elaine Marie Benes is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Elaine's best friend is her ex-boyfriend Jerry Seinfeld; she is also good friends with George Costanza and Cosmo Kramer...
workplace in Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
show the building.
In 1990 a $100 million renovation decreased the number of guest rooms to 1,980 guest rooms. It was renovated again in 1991–1994 and underwent another $100 million renovation in 1998–2000 including a total overhaul of the lobby, the addition of an 8000 square feet (743.2 m²) Precor USA
Precor USA
Precor USA is a manufacturer of fitness equipment for home and commercial uses. Paul J. Byrne is the president of Precor USA. The corporate headquarters of Precor USA is located in Woodinville, Washington, and is a brand name of the Amer Sports corporation....
Fitness Center on the Fifth Floor. In 2007, the hotel completed its fourth renovation. It now has 47 suites on floors 42 through 44. Each suite includes between 600 to 2000 square feet (185.8 m²) of space.