4 Park Avenue

4 Park Avenue
Seen from the east
Map
Alternative namesVanderbilt Hotel
General information
Architectural styleneoclassical
LocationManhattan, New York
Coordinates40°44′49″N 73°58′55″W / 40.74694°N 73.98194°W / 40.74694; -73.98194
Construction started1910
CompletedMarch 1913
OpeningJanuary 10, 1912
Height
Roof225 ft (69 m)
Technical details
Structural systemSteel superstructure, concrete floor arches
Floor count22
Lifts/elevators10
Design and construction
Architect(s)Warren and Wetmore
DeveloperAlfred Gwynne Vanderbilt
Renovating team
Architect(s)Schuman, Lichtenstein & Claman
DesignatedApril 5, 1994[1]
Reference no.1904[1]
Designated entityInterior: Della Robbia Bar (Crypt)

4 Park Avenue (formerly known as the Vanderbilt Hotel) is a 22-story building in the Murray Hill neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. Designed by Warren and Wetmore, the structure was built for Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt and opened in 1912 as a hotel. It is along the west side of Park Avenue between 33rd and 34th Streets. Following a renovation by Schuman, Lichtenstein & Claman between 1965 and 1967, the top 18 stories have been used as residential apartments. The lowest three stories above ground, as well as three basement levels, are used as commercial space and carry an alternate address of 6 Park Avenue. As of 2021, the building is owned by The Feil Organization.

4 Park Avenue's facade was originally made of gray brick and white architectural terracotta. The facade of the lowest four stories dates from the 1960s renovation and is made of glass and steel. Above that, the building retains its original facade and has two light courts facing Park Avenue. The building has a steel superstructure and had mechanical equipment in its basements. The hotel's lobby was designed in the Adam style and is partially preserved as the modern residential lobby. The first basement had a grill room known as the Della Robbia Room, decorated ornately with Guastavino tile; part of the room survives and is designated as a New York City interior landmark. The upper stories had close to 600 rooms, and the top two stories originally contained a private penthouse apartment for A. G. Vanderbilt and his family.

After several years of planning and construction, the Vanderbilt Hotel opened on January 10, 1912, as one of the first large commercial developments in Murray Hill. The Vanderbilt soon became a popular meeting place for companies in the textile and women's apparel industries. A syndicate bought the hotel in 1925, and the New York Life Insurance Company foreclosed on the hotel in 1935. Manger Hotels acquired the hotel in 1941 and continued to operate it until the hotel closed in 1965. A group led by John Marqusee bought the building in 1966 and spent the next year converting the hotel into residences and offices. The building has undergone minor renovations over the years.

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