The Plaza Department Store

Following up last summer's news about the Plaza Hotel's sale to a developer to be converted to condos, it turns out that retail stores and a small hotel will be included in the plan. Gothamist is relieved that the Oak Room will be reopened; the Palm Court will reopen as well, since it's a landmark. The developer, Elad Properties, says that their goal is to bring the Plaza to the public: "The reality of the ballroom, for example, is that if you're not invited to a wedding there, you may never use it. Now, most of these gorgeous rooms will be open to the public. They should be an amenity for the city." An amenity in the form a three to four story department store within the Plaza! (Elad has been talking to high-end department stores to take over the space.)

It's the passage of time, sure, but there's something a little less romantic about the notion of the Plaza; there had been something deliciously old New York about it. To get over it, Gothamist will read the Eloise books by Kay Thompson, and watch North by Northwest again, for Roger O. Thornhill's fateful drinks at the Oak Room. Plus, there's Plaza Suite and our favorite Baldwin, the fat one, had a cocaine-induced psychosis while at the Plaza.

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By Jen Chung in News on January 26, 2005 8:41 AM

Comments [rss]

theresa zelnick

i wonder what if anything they will be doing with th famous Beatle suites of 1964?? i remember standing outside for hours (in february)hoping to get a glimpse of them. couldn't get near the lobby at that time....but since i've walked through several times and it seemed very nostalgic for me.

Gio

Anybody out there care about the 1000 Plaza Employees that will lose there jobs, and only to receive a petty four days pay, per years worked for severance pay, or hotel management not receiving severance pay at all?

How can it be that a Real Estate company called Elad, which is based in Isreal, buy the Worlds most famous hotel, The Plaza and close it only to make it into a 200 room condo and retail?

SAM

A few weeks ago there were some rumors that groups were going to lobby for landmark status for the Oak Room and the Ballroom so they'd be preserved during renovations. I haven't seen anything about it since- does anyone know if any preservationists are actively pursuing this?

Michael

In response to the tennis-shoed tourists: my cousins from Indiana stayed at the Plaza and watched Notre Dame football on tv there last Thanksgiving. Need I say more?

S.D.

...

"They've put a giant ugly television in the Oak Room"??

Great. This is a venue where a large Screen TV does not work. What's Next? Super Bowl Party? Maybe Scores could open up there.

KeithS

They've put a giant ugly television in the Oak Room, and the lobby is perpetually clogged with tennis-shoed tourists. The Plaza hasn't been relevant or appealing since Cary Grant was mistaken for George Kaplan there 56 years ago.