Re-creating a Waldorf Astoria That No One Remembers
Briefly

The Waldorf Astoria, a historic New York hotel which has been closed since 2017, will soon reopen following a significant renovation. This process included museum-quality restoration and extensive structural rehabilitation. Craftsmen restored intricate details throughout the building and recreated various features. The hotel has been transformed from 1,400 old rooms into 375 suites and 372 condos, leading to a substantial redesign. Although luxurious, there is irony in that guests seeking the vintage charm associated with the Waldorf may find themselves experiencing less of the original atmosphere.
The Waldorf Astoria, which opened in 1931 and has been shuttered since 2017, is about to reopen after a renovation that combines museum-quality restoration mixed with back-to-bare-steel rehab.
Artisans have re-created paint colors in the Basildon Room that had degraded over time, reproduced decorative grilles on the façade, touched up murals in the Silver Corridor, and recast crumbling plaster reliefs in Peacock Alley.
The renovation architects at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill calculate they transformed 96 percent of it. In effect, a new building has sprung up in the tattered carapace of an old one.
The irony is that those who plunk down large sums for a taste of vintage luxury and glamour by association will get the least of both.
Read at Curbed
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