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{{good article}}{{Short description|Hotel in Manhattan, New York}}{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}}

factoids

| opening_date = December 1, 1989| closing_date = | developer = KG Crowne Corp| architect = Alan Lapidus| operator = Intercontinental Hotel Group| owner = Vornado Realty Trust| number_of_restaurants = | number_of_rooms = 795| number_of_suites = | floor_area = | floors = 46480|ft}}| parking = 159 spaces| website = }}The Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan (originally the Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza Manhattan) is a hotel at 1601 Broadway, between 48th and 49th Streets, in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. The hotel is operated by third-party franchisee Highgate and is part of the Intercontinental Hotels Group's Crowne Plaza chain. It has 795 guest rooms.The hotel was designed by Alan Lapidus and is {{convert|480|ft}} tall with 46 floors. The facade was designed in glass and pink granite, with a {{convert|100|ft|m|-tall|adj=mid}} arch facing Broadway. The hotel was designed to comply with city regulations that required deep setbacks at the base, as well as large illuminated signs. In addition to the hotel rooms themselves, the Crowne Plaza Times Square contains ground-story retail space, nine stories of office space, and a 159-space parking garage. The hotel's tenants include the American Management Association, and Learning Tree International; in addition, New York Sports Club was a former tenant.Developer William Zeckendorf Jr. bought the hotel's site in 1985 and subsequently razed the existing structures there. Construction commenced in 1988, and the hotel opened on December 1, 1989. For the first several years of the hotel's operation, its office space and exterior signage was empty. Adam Tihany redesigned the interior in 1999. The City Investment Fund, a joint venture between Morgan Stanley Real Estate and Fisher Brothers, bought the Crowne Plaza in 2006 and renovated it again two years later. Vornado Realty Trust then acquired majority ownership of the hotel in 2015. The hotel closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City and reopened in 2022.

Site

The Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan occupies the eastern end of the city block bounded by Eighth Avenue to the west, 49th Street to the north, Broadway to the east, and 48th Street to the south. It is one block north of Times Square in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City.AIA5, 303, WEB, 1601 Broadway, 10036,weblink March 25, 2021, New York City Department of City Planning, The mostly trapezoidal land lot covers {{convert|35,275|ft2|m2}}, with a frontage of {{convert|203|ft}} on Broadway and a depth of {{convert|194.48|ft}}. The surrounding area is part of Manhattan's Theater District and contains many Broadway theatres. Nearby buildings include the St. Malachy Roman Catholic Church to the northwest; The Theater Center, Brill Building, and Ambassador Theatre to the north; 750 Seventh Avenue to the northeast; 1585 Broadway to the south; and the Longacre Theatre, Ethel Barrymore Theatre, and Samuel J. Friedman Theatre to the southwest.Historically, the site had contained Churchill's Restaurant, which had been built in 1910 and redesigned as a theater in 1937. The theater later became an adult movie theater called the Pussycat Cinema.{{harvnb|Stern|Fishman|Tilove|2006|ps=.|pp=647–648}} Just prior to the hotel's construction, the site had contained six pornographic businesses owned by Michael Zaffarano,NEWS, Adams, Anne L., October 12, 1986, Zeckendorf finds a way to skin a Pussycat, 55, 59, New York Daily News, 2692-1251, newspapers.com,weblink February 20, 2022, including the Pussycat Cinema and the Kitty Kat and Mardi Gras Topless Disco.NEWS, Henican, Ellis, November 2, 1986, Times Square's Sizzle Fizzling, 6, 27, Newsday, 2574-5298, newspapers.com,weblink February 20, 2022, NEWS, Dunlap, David W., October 9, 1986, Column One: Changes, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 20, 2022, 0362-4331, The Pussycat had contained a large neon sign; David W. Dunlap of The New York Times described the sign as an "exuberant cynosure of a naughtier, gaudier, vanishing Broadway". There had also been some "pinball and souvenir shops" on the site.NEWS, Gottlieb, Martin, November 1, 1986, Surge of Times Sq. Projects Raises Questions on Effects, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 20, 2022, 0362-4331, Songwriter Irving Berlin had once also occupied a building on the site,NEWS, Collins, Glenn, December 23, 2005, Dreaming of Irving Berlin in the Season That He Owned, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 21, 2022, 0362-4331, as the offices of Irving Berlin Inc. had been at 1607 Broadway between 1921 and 1933.

Architecture

(File:1601Broadway.jpg|thumb|Daytime view from 49th Street and Broadway)The Crowne Plaza Times Square was designed by Alan J. Lapidus, son of modernist architect Morris Lapidus.NEWS, Roberts, Sam, October 21, 2021, Alan Lapidus, Architect of Hotels and Casinos, Dies at 85, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 20, 2022, 0362-4331, Operated by InterContinental Hotels Group as part of the Crowne Plaza chain, the hotel is {{convert|480|ft}} with 46 floors.WEB, GmbH, Emporis, Crowne Plaza Hotel, New York City {{!, 115392 {{!}} EMPORIS|url=https://www.emporis.com/buildings/115392/crowne-plaza-hotel-new-york-city-ny-usa|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151105132424weblink|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 5, 2015|access-date=September 6, 2018|website=www.emporis.com}}NEWS, May 9, 2018, Vornado Refis Times Square Crowne Plaza With $250M Loan, en-US, Commercial Observer,weblink September 6, 2018, In addition to the 795-key hotel, the Crowne Plaza Times Square's building contains {{convert|7,700|ft2}} of ground-story retail space, {{convert|197,000|ft2}} of office space, and a 159-space parking garage. The American Management Association's Executive Conference Center, is on the sixth through eighth floors with a total of {{convert|88,066|ft2}}. Learning Tree International has {{convert|25,000|ft2}} and the New York Sports Club has {{convert|28,418|ft2}}.

Facade

The facade was designed with glass and pink granite.NEWS, Kates, Anne, July 14, 1989, Big Apple hotel to mimic lights of Broadway, 06B, USA TODAY, {{ProQuest, 306230794, }}NEWS, Goldberger, Paul, January 30, 1987, An Appraisal; New Times Sq. Zoning: Skyscrapers With Signs, en-US, The New York Times,weblink live, February 14, 2022,weblink February 10, 2022, 0362-4331, Most of the facade is clad in reflective glass. The southeast and northeast corners are covered with granite, concealing the elevator shafts inside.{{harvnb|Stern|Fishman|Tilove|2006|ps=.|p=648}} The center of the Broadway facade contains a granite arch measuring {{convert|100|ft}} tall.NEWS, Kates, Anne, October 20, 1989, Architect designs fantasy, 09B, USA TODAY, {{ProQuest, 306274116, }} According to Lapidus, he wanted the arch's design to evoke the design of Wurlitzer organs from the 1930s and 1940s.NEWS, Lyons, Richard D., December 13, 1989, Real Estate; A 'Jukebox' Hotel for Times Square, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 20, 2022, 0362-4331, The New York Times compared the hotel to a "giant jukebox".The hotel was designed to comply with city regulations that required deep setbacks at the base, as well as large illuminated signs. Accordingly, the hotel rooms are deeply set back from Broadway, and the first seven stories were initially planned to contain curving signs. Lapidus wanted to include holographic displays, laser lighting displays, and waterfalls in the Crowne Plaza's design. At the time of the hotel's construction, light meter technology was not advanced enough to determine how much light these features emitted, so Lapidus left provisions so these features could be installed later. As built, the hotel had large billboards on its first 12 stories to comply with the regulations. At the time of the hotel's opening, these signs had an annual maintenance cost of $100,000. In 1995, a sign measuring {{convert|100|by|20|ft}} was installed on the southern wall.NEWS, Dunlap, David W., April 30, 1995, Along Times Sq., Signs of New Life Abound, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 21, 2022, 0362-4331,

Features

When the hotel was being built, it was variously cited as containing 765,NEWS, Dunlap, David W., July 6, 1988, From Dust of Demolition, a New Times Square Rises, en-US, The New York Times,weblink live, February 19, 2022,weblink November 7, 2021, 0362-4331, MAGAZINE, Agovino, Theresa, February 8, 1988, Building Rooms at the Top, 4, 6, 3, {{ProQuest, 219126061, |magazine=Crain's New York Business}} 770,NEWS, Lander, Estelle, June 26, 1989, Hotels Hope Times Square Hospitable, 119, Newsday, 2574-5298, newspapers.com,weblink February 20, 2022, 778,MAGAZINE, Moss, Linda, August 31, 1987, How Marriott Makes It Here: With Discounts, 3, 35, 1, {{ProQuest, 219094408, |magazine=Crain's New York Business}} 780,NEWS, May 23, 1988, A Vibrant, Growing New York City, b18, Wall Street Journal, 0099-9660, {{ProQuest, 135315142, }} or 785 rooms.NEWS, Selvin, Barbara W., August 3, 1987, The Changing Face of the Great White Way, 118, 125, 126, Newsday, 2574-5298, newspapers.com,weblink live, February 14, 2022,weblink February 14, 2022, A 1992 news article cited the hotel as having 770 rooms and 25 suites. The top four floors were known as the Crowne Plaza Club, which charged an additional fee.NEWS, Shea, Barbara, September 27, 1992, The New York Hotel Scene, 137, 138, 139, 140, Newsday, 2574-5298, newspapers.com,weblink February 21, 2022, Following a renovation in 2008, the 46th story was turned into a "butler floor" with 16 rooms; the floor was so named because guests were given complimentary services such as laundry and private transportation. In addition, the 128 rooms on the 41st through 45th floors were collectively labeled the "concierge levels".WEB, August 26, 2008, Crowne Plaza Times Square Finishing Renovation,weblink February 21, 2022, Hotel Business Review, At ground level, escalators led to a lobby and reception area on the second floor.MAGAZINE, Schulz, David P., March 13, 1989, Manhattan Sprouts Another Upscale Inn, 5, 11, 33, {{ProQuest, 219160145, |magazine=Crain's New York Business}} The lobby area connected to a lounge and three restaurants.NEWS, Metzler Lavan, Rosemary, July 24, 1989, Hotelier hopes to wear the Crowne in midtown, 21, New York Daily News, 2692-1251, newspapers.com,weblink February 20, 2022, Holiday Inn originally reserved six floors for business patrons, who would pay an additional fee for extra services such as complimentary breakfast.NEWS, Berkowitz, Harry, July 4, 1988, Manhattan's Poshest Hotels Are Competing in Extravagant Style, 56, Newsday, 2574-5298, newspapers.com,weblink February 20, 2022, To attract guests, each suite was designed with technologically advanced amenities of the time, such as modem connections and phone lines, as well as bathrooms clad with marble. In addition, there was a fitness center originally covering {{Convert|8800|ft2}}. The fitness center included a swimming pool measuring {{convert|50|ft}} long. The fitness center was expanded to two floors in 1992. Following a renovation in 2008, the New York Sports Club started to operate the fitness center. The building was designed with approximately {{convert|200000|ft2}} of office space on nine of the lower stories.NEWS, McCain, Mark, May 21, 1989, Commercial Property: New Times Square Hotels; 3 Hostelries to Join the Marquis, a Hit on Broadway, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 20, 2022, 0362-4331, The office space was placed on the 6th through 14th floors, with hotel rooms above and below. When it opened, the hotel had a business center with computers, stock quote machines, fax machines, and a secretarial service. The hotel also had a ballroom and over 20 conference rooms, which covered {{convert|18000|ft2}}. By 2015, the ballroom could be rented as workspace.NEWS, Kadet, Anne, May 15, 2015, Rent a Desk, or Bathroom, in New York City With an App, en-US, Wall Street Journal,weblink February 22, 2022, 0099-9660,

History

Times Square's Theater District had evolved into a business district after World War II.NY1960, 441, Nonetheless, there were relatively few large developments there in the mid-20th century. Between 1958 and 1983, only twelve buildings with at least {{convert|100000|ft2}} of space were developed in the 114-block area between Sixth Avenue, Times Square, Eighth Avenue, and Columbus Circle.NEWS, Gottlieb, Martin, December 4, 1983, Developers Looking West of Sixth Avenue, en-US, The New York Times,weblink live, February 10, 2022,weblink August 19, 2021, 0362-4331, By the 1980s, there was high demand for office space in New York City.NEWS, Deutsch, Claudia H., May 2, 1993, Waiting for Act 2 Around Times Square, en-US, The New York Times,weblink live, February 11, 2022,weblink February 11, 2022, 0362-4331, During the decade, several hotels were developed around Times Square,{{harvnb|Stern|Fishman|Tilove|2006|ps=.|p=647}} as well as in New York City in general, as a result of growing tourism.NEWS, May 23, 1988, Growing Big Apple Tourism Yields New Crop of Hotels, B13, Wall Street Journal, 0099-9660, {{ProQuest, 135300041, }} These hotel developments were spurred by the success of the nearby New York Marriott Marquis, which had an occupancy rate of over 80 percent across nearly 2,000 rooms. In addition, the city government had enacted a zoning bonus in 1982 for large new buildings in West Midtown, but the bonus was scheduled to expire in 1988.NEWS, McCain, Mark, May 22, 1988, Commercial Property: West Midtown Development; 15 Projects Rising as 6-Year Zoning Bonus Ends, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 20, 2022, 0362-4331,

Construction

(File:Times Sq Nov 2021 228.jpg|thumb|The main entrance arch)The block of Broadway between 48th and 49th Streets was owned by Michael Zaffarano, who for years resisted selling off his pornographic businesses, even as other landlords nearby were being cajoled to shutter their adult businesses. Zaffarano's son John inherited the sites in 1981 and was more agreeable to selling them after his father's death. Developer William Zeckendorf Jr. bought the sites in 1985 and planned to replace them with a hotel.NEWS, Gottlieb, Martin, October 5, 1986, Pornography's Plight Hits Times Square, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 20, 2022, 0362-4331, The site had also been contemplated as a location for an office building.NEWS, Hughes, C. J., January 20, 2008, A City That Needs More Places to Sleep, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 21, 2022, 0362-4331, In August 1986, Zeckendorf announced plans for the hotel, to be designed by Alan Lapidus.NEWS, Gottlieb, Martin, August 6, 1986, Times Square To Stay Bright In City's Plan, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 20, 2022, 0362-4331, The hotel was variously planned to be 44, 45,NEWS, Lowenstein, Roger, August 4, 1987, Zeckendorf Gets Loans to Build New York Hotel: Credit Totals $227.7 Million; Holiday Corp. Will Run Midtown Manhattan Site, 18, Wall Street Journal, 0099-9660, {{ProQuest, 135280438, }} or 46 stories tall. At the time, the New York City Planning Commission (CPC) was considering enacting regulations that would have forced new buildings along Times Square's northern section to include bright signage as well as deep setbacks.NEWS, Oser, Alan S., December 14, 1986, Perspectives: Great White Way; Planning for a Brighter Times Sq., en-US, The New York Times,weblink live, February 14, 2022,weblink February 14, 2022, 0362-4331, Accordingly, Zeckendorf planned a hotel with five types of signs, including a horizontal zipper and five-story-high displays. Zeckendorf demolished the pornographic businesses in October 1986 and developed the hotel with several partners.NEWS, Selvin, Barbara, March 9, 1990, Scruffy West 40s Now Dressing For Wreckers' Ball, 7, 32, Newsday, 2574-5298, newspapers.com,weblink live, February 10, 2022,weblink February 10, 2022, The Holiday Corporation (later Holiday Inn) agreed to operate the hotel in October 1986,NEWS, Moritz, Owen, October 30, 1986, Apple Sauce, 336, New York Daily News, 2692-1251, newspapers.com,weblink February 20, 2022, and the hotel became known as the Crowne Plaza Times Square. It was to be the Holiday Corporation's first hotel in Manhattan and would be the Crowne Plaza chain's flagship.NEWS, Meislin, Richard J., August 10, 1987, Times Sq. Development: Boom of Private Projects, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 20, 2022, 0362-4331, The hotel building was planned with {{convert|800000|ft2}} of space,NEWS, Oser, Alan S., February 21, 1988, Perspectives: Times Square; A Major Mall in a Broadway Building, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 20, 2022, 0362-4331, of which about {{convert|200000|ft2}} would be reserved for offices. Zeckendorf received $227 million in financing for the hotel in August 1987, with the Bank of Nova Scotia providing the loan.MAGAZINE, McNatt, Robert, May 15, 1989, In Real Estate, It's 'O, Canada', 5, 20, 1, {{ProQuest, 219103113, |magazine=Crain's New York Business}} The CPC approved a planning regulation that September, which required large new developments in Times Square to set aside about five percent of their space for "entertainment uses", such as broadcast studios or ground-floor stores.NEWS, Dunlap, David W., September 3, 1987, New Rule for Times Sq. Space, en-US, The New York Times,weblink live, February 10, 2022,weblink February 10, 2022, 0362-4331, The ordinance also required the developers of such buildings to install large signs facing Times Square.NEWS, Lyons, Richard D., December 27, 1989, Real Estate; Mandating More Glitter On Times Sq., en-US, The New York Times,weblink live, February 14, 2022,weblink February 15, 2022, 0362-4331, The Crowne Plaza's design was directly influenced by this ordinance.When construction started in 1988, the Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza was one of four large new office projects being erected around Times Square, as well as the largest of four hotels being erected there.NEWS, Lyons, Richard D., April 10, 1988, Manhattan Hotel Construction Surges, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 20, 2022, 0362-4331, By that July, the hotel's superstructure was up to the fourth story. The Crowne Plaza planned to charge a minimum of $175 per night for a single room, making it more expensive than its competitors nearby. Nonetheless, Holiday Inn projected that the hotel would be profitable because the company already had a large number of frequent guests and business clients. The Crowne Plaza was primarily targeted toward domestic business travelers, followed by international business clients and then leisure visitors. As such, management planned to set aside 20 percent of its rooms for business clients, twice as much as in comparable hotels. By 1989, the number of annual visitors to New York City had decreased for the first time in eight years due to the effects of Black Monday.NEWS, Tamarkin, Roxanne, August 15, 1989, Gloom service as biz travelers are staying away, 401, 403, New York Daily News, 2692-1251, newspapers.com,weblink live, October 24, 2021,weblink October 25, 2021, Nonetheless, the Crowne Plaza's manager Michael Silberstein expressed optimism that the decline was temporary.NEWS, Hevesi, Dennis, August 20, 1989, Fewer Travelers Place New York On the Itinerary, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 20, 2022, 0362-4331, Prior to the hotel's opening, Silberstein sent some of the Crowne Plaza's employees to Walt Disney World for training, saying that "Disney gives top-level service".

Usage

Opening and early years

(File:Times Sq Nov 2021 218.jpg|thumb|Seen from the ground on 48th Street)The Crowne Plaza opened on December 1, 1989,MAGAZINE, Schulz, David P., February 26, 1990, Newest City Hotel Faces Test, 6, 9, 17, {{ProQuest, 219124807, |magazine=Crain's New York Business}} at a cost of $300 million.NEWS, Span, Paula, December 31, 1990, Times Square: Out with the Old;...and In With the New as Redevelopment Threatens to Dim Its Flashy Character, D01, The Washington Post, 0190-8286, {{ProQuest, 307321483, }} For the hotel's construction, Zeckendorf had received a municipal tax abatement that lowered his tax bill by several million dollars.NEWS, Fee, Walter, December 17, 1991, Getting All of the Breaks Plan gives tax relief to richest, 7, 94, Newsday, 2574-5298, newspapers.com,weblink live, February 14, 2022,weblink February 14, 2022, Only 200 rooms were completed at the time, but the hotel's operators wanted to uphold their promise of an "autumn 1989 launch". According to Silberstein, 129 guests made reservations for New Year's Eve in the first twelve hours of its operation, even though the hotel did not conduct any advertising. The Crowne Plaza was one of several new hotels in the Times Square area with a combined 4,200 rooms, even as visitation rates in the city remained sluggish.NEWS, Navarro, Mireya, February 5, 1990, Tourist Love For New York Grows Chilly, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 21, 2022, 0362-4331, While the hotel was operated by Holiday Inn (then by Bass plc after early 1990), the building itself was owned by several partners.{{efn|In a 1989 filing with the New York State Liquor Authority, the listed owners included Zeckendorf, Jason D. Carter, Arthur G. Cohen, Elie Hirschfeld, Frank Stanton, and Zev Wolfson, as well as KG Crowne and KG Crowne Associates.}} A restaurant named Samplings Bar had opened within the Crowne Plaza by April 1990,NEWS, Miller, Bryan, April 6, 1990, Diner's Journal, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 21, 2022, 0362-4331, followed the next month by the Broadway Grill.NEWS, Miller, Bryan, May 4, 1990, Diner's Journal, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 21, 2022, 0362-4331, NEWS, Schwartz, Arthur, May 25, 1990, Good food, bad mood, 232, New York Daily News, 2692-1251, newspapers.com,weblink February 21, 2022, The Crowne Plaza was largely staffed by union workers, with the Broadway Grill being the only exception.NEWS, Weber, Bruce, July 2, 1995, In One Hotel, Exception Proves the Rule, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 21, 2022, 0362-4331, Several months after the hotel opened, Zeckendorf had not leased the office space at the hotel's base.NEWS, Dunlap, David W., May 13, 1990, Commercial Property: West Midtown; Zeckendorf Is Ready for Another Burst of Building, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 21, 2022, 0362-4331, Furthermore, there were no tenants for the signage, so parts of the exterior were covered up.NEWS, Goldberger, Paul, August 15, 1990, Once a Hotel Desert, Times Square Blooms, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 21, 2022, 0362-4331, The amenity space was expanded by one story in 1992.NEWS, McKinley, James C. Jr., February 26, 1992, Tax Incentive For Builders Is Extended, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 21, 2022, 0362-4331, The same year, the Crowne Plaza was selected to host delegates for the 1992 Democratic Party presidential primaries from Arkansas, the home state of Bill Clinton, who eventually won the 1992 United States presidential election. The "relatively unknown" Crowne Plaza become more popular as a result.MAGAZINE, Kramer, Louise, February 24, 2003, Hotels vying for nods from top delegations, 19, 8, 30, {{ProQuest, 219144012, |magazine=Crain's New York Business}} The Crowne Plaza added a large sign on the southern wall in 1995, and the words "Holiday Inn" were removed from the signs on the hotel's exterior. The hotel's office space had also remained empty until the same year, when the American Management Association indicated its intent to sign a {{convert|150000|ft2|adj=on}} lease there. The AMA was supposed to have been the original tenant of the space when the hotel was being developed. Among the advertisers on the Crowne Plaza's facade was the Poland Spring Corporation, which in 1998 signed a three-year lease for a curved billboard at 48th Street and Broadway.NEWS, Cropper, Carol Marie, July 10, 1998, The Media Business: Advertising -- Addenda; A 'Corner of Maine' In Times Square, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 21, 2022, 0362-4331, The hotel also hosted events such as spirits expositionsNEWS, Kirby, David, March 28, 1999, Neighborhood Report: Times Square -- Buzz; A Night for Spirits, Both Dark and Light, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 21, 2022, 0362-4331, and media conventions.NEWS, Elliott, Stuart, December 3, 1996, Banner Ads On Internet Attract Users, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 21, 2022, 0362-4331, In addition, the Crowne Plaza was one of New York City's few hotels that accommodated sequestered jurors, as New York state law required jurors to remain sequestered during some types of criminal trials.NEWS, Cardwell, Diane, December 1, 2000, 12 Angry Guests (Well, Cranky, at Least); Sequestered Juries Help Revive a Hotel, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 21, 2022, 0362-4331, The hotel's operators hired Adam Tihany to redesign the interior in 1999.PRESS RELEASE, {{ProQuest, 449568677, |title=Crowne Plaza Selects Fallon McElligott PR to Help Transform Times Square Property|work=PR Newswire|date=September 9, 1999|page=1}}MAGAZINE, Kramer, Louise, June 12, 2000, Times Sq. bed spread, 16, 24, 3, {{ProQuest, 219167863, |magazine=Crain's New York Business}} The modifications included a renovation of the bar, which cost $2 million. The Crowne Plaza's manager, Drew Schlesinger, said the hotel's operators allowed management to refurbish the hotel "in tune with the whole gentrification of Times Square".

Early 21st century

The hotel saw decreases in visitation following the September 11 attacks in 2001.NEWS, Howard, Theresa, October 8, 2001, NYC tries to get tourism on track; Ads ask travelers: Come back, please, B05, USA TODAY, {{ProQuest, 408914424, }}NEWS, Herman, Eric, September 28, 2001, Big season gone bad for hotels, 95, New York Daily News, 2692-1251, newspapers.com,weblink February 21, 2022, Around the same time, the area evolved into a business district and there was growing demand for meeting space, as well as numerous new restaurants. Consequently, the Crowne Plaza closed two of its restaurants and replaced them with a ballroom.MAGAZINE, Goff, Lisa, November 18, 2002, Site for the times, 18, 46, 19, {{ProQuest, 219158333, |magazine=Crain's New York Business}} The Hershey Company announced plans to open a ground-level store and add a 15-story billboard in 2002.NEWS, Bagli, Charles V., June 8, 2002, Sweet on Times Square, Hershey Is to Open Store, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 21, 2022, 0362-4331, The City Investment Fund, a joint venture between Morgan Stanley Real Estate and Fisher Brothers, acquired the Crowne Plaza in 2006 for $362 million.WEB, Hinderer, Katie, November 17, 2006, Crowne Plaza Sells for $362M,weblink February 21, 2022, GlobeSt, NEWS, November 18, 2006, In Brief, 18, Newsday, 2574-5298, newspapers.com,weblink February 21, 2022, By then, rising room rates had led to decreases in visitation.MAGAZINE, Fickenscher, Lisa, October 2, 2006, Rising hotel rates price visitors out, 22, 40, 1, {{ProQuest, 219197730, |magazine=Crain's New York Business}} Two years later, the hotel conducted an $85 million renovation on its lobby, restaurants, guest rooms, and meeting space. The renovation was conducted in stages, with the hotel remaining open throughout. The renovation was finished in 2009,WEB, Pincus, Adam, Crowne Plaza suffers more than others, The Real Deal New York, January 28, 2009,weblink February 22, 2022, MAGAZINE, Fickenscher, Lisa, February 15, 2010, Inn crowd grows in Times Square, 26, 7, 2, {{ProQuest, 219155044, |magazine=Crain's New York Business}} and the Brasserie 1605 restaurant opened that April.NEWS, Fabricant, Florence, April 29, 2009, Off the Menu, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 21, 2022, 0362-4331, After the renovation was completed, the Crowne Plaza saw a lower occupancy rate than other hotels, in part because of decreased tourism.(File:Krispy Kreme 48 St construction jeh.jpg|thumb|Krispy Kreme location)Vornado Realty Trust acquired the $34 million junior mortgage in May 2011 and paid down some of the debt that December. Vornado announced the next year that it would recapitalize the hotel and take over ownership of the {{convert|180000|ft2}} of commercial space.WEB, February 17, 2012, Vornado helps recap Crown Plaza Times Square, David, Jones,weblink February 22, 2022, The Real Deal New York, en-US, WEB, Vornado Drives Recap of Crowne Plaza Times Square, Commercial Real Estate Direct, February 17, 2012,weblink February 22, 2022, Vornado bought City Investment Fund's ownership stake for $39 million in 2015, increasing Vornado's ownership stake from 11 to 33 percent. Vornado then acquired majority ownership by buying another 24-percent ownership stake for $95 million.WEB, Santani, Hiten, Pincus, Adam, January 30, 2015, Vornado pays $39M to up stake in 1601 Broadway,weblink February 21, 2022, The Real Deal New York, en-US, Vornado sued Holiday Hospitality in July 2016 for $30 million, alleging that Holiday had run the hotel poorly.WEB, July 6, 2016, Vornado Realty Trust sues New York hotel operator over underperformance,weblink February 21, 2022, Hotel Management, WEB, Brenzel, Kathryn, July 6, 2016, Vornado lobs $30M lawsuit against Times Square Crowne Plaza hotel operator,weblink February 21, 2022, The Real Deal New York, en-US, In April 2018, Vornado refinanced the hotel with a $250 million loan from Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley. The next year, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts began building a store in the retail space,WEB, Rizzi, Nicholas, Krispy Kreme to Open 24-Hour Doughnut Shop in Times Square, Commercial Observer, June 14, 2019,weblink February 22, 2022, WEB, Deffenbaugh, Ryan, June 10, 2019, Krispy Kreme bringing 'glaze waterfall' to new Times Square flagship,weblink October 3, 2020, Crain's New York Business, en, which opened in September 2020.WEB, Alter, Rebecca, September 17, 2020, We Braved Times Square to Go to the New Flagship Krispy Kreme,weblink October 28, 2021, Grub Street, WEB, September 15, 2020, Huge Krispy Kreme shop opens Tuesday in Times Square in Manhattan,weblink October 28, 2021, ABC7 New York, The Harrison, a restaurant by the BenMoha Group, was also announced for the hotel in 2019.WEB, Gourarie, Chava, BenMoha to Open Music-Inspired Restaurant in Crowne Plaza, Commercial Observer, October 18, 2019,weblink February 22, 2022, The Crowne Plaza shuttered in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, and Vornado stopped paying rent on the ground lease.WEB, Cuozzo, Steve, February 16, 2022, Crowne Plaza Hotel in Times Square entangled in legal battle,weblink February 21, 2022, New York Post, en-US, WEB, Bockmann, Rich, November 17, 2021, Andrew Penson Disputes SL Green's Crown Plaza Hotel Buy,weblink February 21, 2022, The Real Deal New York, en-US, By that June, Vornado had gone into default on $330 million of debt. The senior debt was placed for sale,WEB, Cunningham, Cathy, August 3, 2020, Senior Debt on Vornado's Crowne Plaza Hotel Hits the Market,weblink February 21, 2022, Commercial Observer, and Argent Ventures bought the $195 million senior mortgage that December for $90 million.WEB, Bockmann, Rich, December 22, 2020, Argent Ventures Buying Mortgage On Vornado Times Square Hotel,weblink February 21, 2022, The Real Deal New York, en-US, WEB, December 23, 2020, Argent Ventures buys debt on 1605 Broadway, Daily Beat,weblink February 21, 2022, en-US, February 21, 2022,weblink dead, The Crowne Plaza remained closed because it was in foreclosure.WEB, Sachmechi, Natalie, December 8, 2021, 'Sex and the City' hotel rebounds,weblink February 21, 2022, Crain's New York Business, In September 2021, SL Green Realty bought a portion of the hotel site for $121 million from the Walber Broadway Company, which had owned that portion of the site since 1987.WEB, Jones, Sasha, September 30, 2021, SL Green Buys a Stake in 1601 Broadway for $121M,weblink February 21, 2022, The Real Deal New York, en-US, Vornado, which wanted to sell its stake to Penson, claimed that the purchase violated its right of first refusal and sued SL Green. A New York state judge ruled in April 2022 that SL Green had to sell its stake to Penson.WEB, Cifuentes, Kevin, 2022-04-13, SL Green Must Sell Crowne Plaza Stake to Andrew Penson: Judge,weblink 2022-10-09, The Real Deal New York, en-US, The hotel reopened in November 2022, and its owners filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection the next month.WEB, Jones, Orion, Crowne Plaza Times Square Hotel Files for Bankruptcy, The Real Deal, December 29, 2022,weblink August 25, 2023, WEB, Coen, Andrew, Times Square's Crowne Plaza Hotel Hits Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Commercial Observer, December 30, 2022,weblink August 25, 2023, In February 2023, a bankruptcy judge allowed the hotel's legal owner, Times Square JV LLC (controlled by Vornado), to have its creditors vote on whether the hotel should be sold or restructured.WEB, Nani, James, Bankrupt Times Square Crowne Plaza Cleared To Seek Creditor Vote, Bloomberg Law News, February 1, 2023,weblink August 25, 2023,

Reception

When the hotel was completed, Anne Kates of USA Today wrote that the "sense of adventure" in Lapidus's design had received mixed reception. Jerry Adler of Newsweek wrote in 1989 that the hotel "may be the most gorgeous building in all Manhattan".MAGAZINE, Adler, Jerry, June 26, 1989, The Temples of Lapidus: Forget mere beauty. What this architect aims for, in all he designs, is unparalleled gorgeousness., 113, 26, 64, 65, {{ProQuest, 1894151308, |magazine=Newsweek}} Inside the hotel, New York Times critic Terry Trucco wrote that the interior was "pleasingly anonymous, done in the pale colors and bland furnishings seen in big American hotels from coast to coast", though she found her 44th-story hotel room to be cramped.NEWS, Trucco, Terry, September 9, 1990, Mid-Priced Perches, en-US, The New York Times,weblink February 21, 2022, 0362-4331, Paul Goldberger of The New York Times felt that the signs were more prominent than the building, saying that "it looks vastly better at night, when it is ablaze with neon, than it does during the day, when it seems only like a failed effort at elegance". Goldberger further elaborated his dissent in a 1992 article, saying the facade "has ugly, unfinished brick waiting for a sign that may not come for years, a glaring offense at the pedestrian."NEWS, Goldberger, Paul, February 10, 1991, Architecture View; In Times Square, Dignity by Day, Glitter by Night, en-US, The New York Times,weblink live, February 14, 2022,weblink February 15, 2022, 0362-4331, Eve M. Kahn of The Wall Street Journal described the Crowne Plaza as a "glitzy pink-granite-and-burgundy-glass jukebox" that sharply contrasted with the "restrained" design of 1585 Broadway.NEWS, Kahn, Eve M., June 9, 1992, Architecture: Empty New High-Rises Preserve Anarchy of Broadway, A14, The Wall Street Journal, 0099-9660, {{ProQuest, 398261212, }} Architect Robert A. M. Stern said that he would "prefer to say nothing" of the hotel, the only Lapidus design that Stern had experienced firsthand.NEWS, Barsky, Neil, September 13, 1990, If the Garage Looks Like Ancient Rome, It's Atlantic City --- Architect Lapidus Ignores The Highbrows to Design Kitsch for High Rollers, A1, The Wall Street Journal, 0099-9660, {{ProQuest, 398182171, }}

See also

• List of buildings and structures on Broadway in Manhattan
• List of hotels in New York City

References

Notes

{{Notelist}}

Citations

{{reflist}}

Sources

• NEW YORK 2000,

External links

{{Ccat}}

• {{officialweblink}}

{{Midtown North, Manhattan}}{{Times Square}}{{InterContinental Hotels Group}}{{Hotels in New York City}}{{Broadway (Manhattan)}}