NEW YORK, NY (Aug. 13, 2007) � Once the largest hotel in New York, with more than 2,500 rooms when it first opened in 1930, the New Yorker Hotel has launched an aggressive program to revitalize what is still one of the biggest art deco buildings in the heart of midtown New York City.  The owners, recognizing the value of the hotel�s glorious past history, have embarked on an ambitious $65 million renovation and remodeling project to both restore its art deco reputation and add the modern edge and style that today�s guests demand. 

The scope of the project, to be completed by August 2008, includes the following:

• Installation of a new heating and air conditioning system for the entire hotel (a four-pipe HVAC system, which will allow guests to control heat and cool air all year long � not an oft-found amenity in many hotels)

• Total overhaul of furniture, carpets, wallpaper and fixtures in both the guest rooms and the hallways on the guest floors

• Complete redesign of the lobby to recapture the grandeur and feel of when the New Yorker opened in 1930

• Facelift of the entire front of the hotel on Eighth Avenue � replacing signage, re-facing the stonework, and changing the marquee

• Guest services enhancements including improved free Wi-Fi service and better television programming

• Upgrade and refurbishment of the hotel�s restaurants (La Vigna Ristorante & Bar and the 24-hour Tick Tock Diner)

�Our goal is to keep pace with the tremendous development taking place on the West Side with new hotel construction and the expansion of the Jacob Javits Convention Center.  We�re anchored in a superb location, so we�re renewing a once-tired product, infusing it with style and new amenities to unleash its character and make it a hotel in demand,� he added.

The design concept is the exotic and glamorous New York/Hollywood art deco style of the 1930�s, as a nod to the hotel�s past, but with a distinctive modern edge.  This project marks the property�s first renovation since 2000.

NYC-based Stonehill & Taylor (www.stonehilltaylor.com) has been tapped to conduct the architectural and interior design.  Established in 1963, Stonehill & Taylor has broad hospitality experience encompassing five-star, transient and extended-stay properties with an impressive client roster including Millennium Hotels & Resorts, Affinia Hotels, Hilton Hotels, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Sheraton Hotels and many other properties, restaurants, industrial and commercial buildings, showrooms, education and healthcare complexes. 

�The New Yorker Hotel will open a new chapter in its life once the renovation and refurbishment is complete in August 2008,� McCaffrey said. 

Comfortable & Stylish Guest Rooms

The New Yorker currently has 860 hotel rooms; by the time the renovation is complete, the hotel will feature 910 guest rooms, all re-styled and remodeled, located on the top 21 floors of the building � floors 19 to 40 (the first 18 floors are dedicated to commercial tenants and university housing).  Through the renovation process, 80 rooms will be converted into 40 rooms because market demand calls for a higher number of double-double configurations.

Restoring the hotel to its former glory, Stonehill & Taylor�s design will replace floral carpets and quilted bedspreads with art-deco-inspired contemporary interiors featuring geometric patterns, skyscraper-style case goods (such as bookcases and desks), customized lighting, and high-contrast gold and silver against dark zebra wood and chocolate upholsteries.

Introducing the 'new' rooms of the New Yorker Hotel

Updated lighting is introduced in the form of brushed stainless steel torchieres with mica shades and dome-topped, pull-chain desk lamps.  Overhead lighting is provided by a custom-designed, six-point star to create a Hollywood search-lights effect in beams along the ceiling.  Creating a feeling of luxury, walls with two windows are fully covered with shimmering draperies, and a geometric-patterned carpet subtly echoes the upholstered diamond-stitched headboard. 

Guest bathrooms are also getting a facelift.  Tapered pedestal sinks and arched shower curtains add curvature to the space, while custom mirror and glass shelf assemblies make the room more functional.  A panel of back-painted glass updates the previous period wall tile, while chrome-finish faucets and fittings bring the details of the room into a contemporary style. 

At this point in time, guest rooms on floors 27 and 34-40 are being renovated with completion expected at the end of August 2007.  Afterwards, the next 100 rooms will go out for renovation with this process continuing from the top of the building down to the 19th floor. 
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Plans for the lobby include restoration of the beautiful, original marble floor (currently covered by carpet), the addition of lounge seating, and the installation of a feature chandelier dramatically extending down to a mirrored coffee table to create a focal point in the large open space.  Existing traditional crystal chandeliers will be deconstructed and their crystal reconfigured to a contemporary cylindrical style.

Other changes will include a gold-coffered ceiling in the double-height lobby, brand new check-in and concierge desks, new restaurant facades opening to the lobby, and new signage throughout the public space.

Restoration plans do not stop at the building entrance.  Continuing to the hotel façade on Eighth Avenue, the hotel marquee and outdoor signage will be updated.  New, automatic revolving entrance doors will welcome guests to this revitalized gem in the heart of Manhattan.

Enhanced Guest Services

In addition to the cosmetic part of the project, the New Yorker will be upgrading various guest services including improving its free guest Wi-Fi adding more bandwidth to increase speed of access, and changing its video-on-demand supplier to provide enhanced television programming and a more extensive selection of pay-per-view movies and events. 

Hot or Cool Air � You Choose

A major aspect of the renovation project is the installation of the new four-pipe, HVAC system throughout the entire hotel.  This new, truly state-of-the-art system will allow guests to control the heat and the air-conditioning all year long, a feature not found in many hotels.  The nosiest part of this project is nearly complete, and installation of the units in the guest rooms has already started.  Once this is finished, the next stage is the interior design work in the rooms and hallways.

The hotel will remain open during the renovation; methods of buffering constructions noises are being employed so guests can enjoy their stay at the New Yorker as the project progresses.

The New Yorker Hotel

Conveniently located at 34th street and Eighth Avenue in Manhattan, across from Madison Square Garden, the New Yorker Hotel is one of the largest art deco buildings in New York City.  Well-suited for groups, business and leisure travelers as well as anyone seeking a great value and an unrivaled location in Manhattan, the New Yorker features 860 guest rooms (several with terraces and all offering spectacular views), 25,000 square feet of meeting space (two stately ballrooms and 14 meeting and conference rooms), an award-winning catering department, the 24-hour Tick Tock Diner and La Vigna Ristorante & Bar, the Sky Lounge (at the 39th floor of the hotel), a complimentary Fitness Center, and a fully-equipped Business Center. The New Yorker is a member of the Ramada Worldwide chain.

New Yorker Hotel 
www.newyorkerhotel.com