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FACTS about THE WALDORF-ASTORIA Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library Gift of Seymour B. Durst Old York Library FACTS about THE WALDORF-ASTORIA THE HOTEL WALDORF-ASTORIA CORPORATION LUCIUS BOOMER President MAURICE NEWTON ........ Vice-President CLARKSON POTTER Vice-President AUGUSTUS NULLE .... Secretary and Treasurer DIRECTORS SIR EDWARD W. BEATTY, G. B. E. GEORGE MacDONALD Chairman of the Board and President, Canadian Pacific Railway Company STUART McNAMARA McNamara & Seymour LUCIUS BOOMER MAURICE NEWTON ROBERT K. CASSATT Hallgarten and Company Cassatt and Company AUGUSTUS NULLE T. JEFFERSON COOLIDGE Vice-President, First National Bank CLARKSON POTTER of Boston Hayden, Stone and Company ARTHUR V. DAVIS ALFRED P. SLOAN, Jr. Chairman, Aluminum Company Chairman, General Motors of America Corporation THOMAS N. DYSART President, Chamber of Commerce, FRANK W. SMITH St. Louis, Mo. DONALD S. STRALEM SAMUEL L. FULLER Hallgarten and Company Fuller, Rodney and Company HAROLD E. TALBOTT, Jr. JOHN A. HARTFORD President, Great Atlantic and JUAN T. TRIPPE Pacific Tea Company President, Pan American Airways, Inc. LOUIS J. HOROWITZ PERCY H. JOHNSTON JOHN L. WEEKS Chairman, Chemical Bank Luke, Banks & Weeks and Trust Company CLARENCE M. WOOLLEY G. HERMANN KINNICUTT Chairman, American Radiator Kidder, Peahody and Company and Sanitary Corporation T Volumes have been written* about the old Waldorf-Astoria, in May 1929, the new Wal- ™ Waldorf-Astoria and the new . about their dorf-Astoria was projected. Plans for this physical features, their radical innovations in tremendous undertaking aroused world-wide hotel-keeping . and about the unique place interest. Like those drawn for its predecessor which they have in the traditions of American three decades previously, their completeness public and social life. and extraordinary scope marked a new era in From the very day of its opening in 1893, the the development of the American hotel. old Waldorf-Astoria established new standards In every detail of its architecture and equip- in hotel design, in equipment, and in service. ment, the new Waldorf-Astoria is so essentially It made a reputation for pioneering which has new that in many respects it is far in advance been amplified by every feature of the new of anything of its kind in the world. At the Waldorf-Astoria . the world's tallest, most same time, the new Waldorf-Astoria has car- spacious, most modern hotel. ried on the traditions and prestige which were Immediately upon the closing of the old associated with the original hotel. *Some of the books about The Waldorf-Astoria: THE STORY OF THE WALDORF-ASTORIA THE OLD WALDORF-ASTORIA BAR BOOK 6y Edward Hungerford—G. P. Putnam's Sons by Albert Stevens Crockett—A. S. Crockett PEACOCK ALLEY 100 FAMOUS COCKTAILS by McCarthy and Rutherford—Harper & Bros. prepared in collaboration with PEACOCKS ON PARADE Oscar of The Waldorf— Kenilworth Press by Albert Stevens Crockett—Sears Publishing Co. OLD WALDORF BAR DAYS THE WALDORF-ASTORIA by Albert Stevens Crockett—Aventine Press by Henry B. Lent, Hotel Waldorf-Astoria Corporation FIVE DISTINCT PURPOSES Five separate and distinct major purposes are the facilities of a great hotel and the economic predominant in the operation of The Waldorf- advantage of no capital investment and ar- Astoria : rangements terminable at will. First: To provide thoroughly comfortable Third: To provide restaurant services accommodations and superlative service for the worthy of the unique traditions of The Waldorf- occasional or transient visitor. Astoria; the widest possible choice of cuisine, Second: To provide residence suites for and all modern arrangements for preparation ultra-modern living in town . suites which and service of fine foods. combine the qualities of the private home with Fourth: To provide self-contained accom- Page Three modations for public functions such as balls, architectural features, equipment and furnish- banquets, expositions, conventions, receptions, ings as well as organization arrangements to concerts, theatricals and other large gatherings. carry out each of the separate purposes named; A complete stage with dressing rooms and while, at the same time, each unit has the benefit modern electrical arrangements, conditioned of an unexcelled general organization and air, movietone and technicolor apparatus and mechanical plant. sound amplification are among the facilities All this entitles The Waldorf-Astoria Man- of this general department. agement to claim that the new Waldorf-Astoria Fifth: To provide, largely by rooms en suite, means to this era as great an advance beyond the most correct and attractive accommodations other hotels as the old Waldorf-Astoria did for private social affairs and entertaining. when it was opened in the nineties and became Each of these five general divisions involves a symbol and model. separate and self-contained physical and staff It is again, quoting the New York Times, departments. In other words, there are special "the unofficial Palace of New York." THE BUILDING The Waldorf-Astoria occupies a double block building. In the main shaft more than 80,000 from Park to Lexington Avenues, between 49th cubic feet of selected light silver grey Indiana and 50th Streets. The building is an exception- limestone were used. Face bricks to harmonize ally fine example of modern American archi- with the Indiana limestone were made espe- tecture. It is massive and of great height. At cially for The Waldorf-Astoria. The equivalent the same time it is admirably proportioned and of 3,000,000 bricks of ordinary size were used. its strong vertical lines are entirely devoid of In addition to the face brick, 8,000,000 ordi- superfluous ornament. The building is open on nary bricks went into the building. all sides to light and air. The metal trim throughout the exterior of The exterior has been so designed that a the building for entrances, shop fronts, win- number of open-air terraces are provided for dows and so on is of bronze and nickel bronze. the use of patrons in connection with some of Marquees of nickel bronze, indirectly and semi- the residential suites, the Starlight Roof and directly lit, are placed over two entrances. other rooms. ^ Over the main entrance on Park Avenue is a Rising centrally above the main lobby of the winged symbolic figure, "Spirit of Achieve- building are the two great Towers designed ment," done in gleaming nickel bronze, by especially for residential suites. Nina Saemundsson. The hotel is supported on huge steel columns The interiors have been designed in such a whose footings rest on solid rock. The sub-struc- way that they have varied interest and at the ture alone required 2,000 tons of steel, while same time are harmonious when entered from in the superstructure 25,000 tons were used. one gallery or room to another. Rich natural This contract was one of the largest in years. materials such as marbles, matched woods, More than 3,000 cubic feet of cut Swenson marquetry panels and various kinds of stones, pink granite were used for the base of the bronzes and nickel bronzes have been used for Page Five the interiors. Lighting throughout the large interiors are simple, spacious and dignified in public rooms is indirect and semi-direct. character. The Waldorf-Astoria was designed Modern in general treatment but retaining by Schultze & Weaver, architects, and built by the influence of classic details and periods, the Thompson-Starrett Co., Inc. WORLD'S LARGEST HOTEL The new Waldorf-Astoria is the largest and wide by 405 feet long . with its 47 stories tallest hotel in the world. The building covers and twin towers reaching to a maximum height 81,337 square feet ... is 200 feet 10 inches of 625 feet 7 inches. NUMBER AND SIZE OF ROOMS Although the largest hotel in the world, as a able size. Spaciousness is one of the qualities structure. The W aldorf-Astoria is not largest distinctive of The Waldorf. The guest rooms in number of rooms . due to the fact that, have an average size of over 9.500 cubic feet. on an average, its rooms are larger than cor- This is considerably larger than similar rooms responding ones in any other hotel of compar- in other leading hotels. WIDE CHOICE OF ROOMS The privacy of all rooms is protected by en- term-resident. No other hotel provides wider trance halls or vestibules. In addition, they are choice of rooms and suites. sound-proofed. Electric bells at each door elim- Closets are unusually capacious, while spe- inate the annoyance of knocking. cial built-in sets of drawers and cupboards for The living rooms, bedrooms and suites are of storage of clothing are provided in many of the various sizes, adapted to meet all the varying bedrooms. Every facility exists for expeditious requirements of the occasional visitor and the and perfect room service. THE TOWER RESIDENCE SUITES In the Towers, residential suites are avail- apartment. Complete service by a Waldorf- able for rental by the day, the month, the year trained staff is included in the cost. Catering . whatever term patrons desire. Large suites is supplied from the Home Kitchen according provide adequate accommodations for families to individual preferences. There are many spe- with children and servants. Other suites vary cial provisions, such as boudoir-dressing in size from two rooms upwards. Some of the rooms, separate entrances, special elevators, suites have spacious outside garden terraces. and other exclusive services, to ensure the Each suite is a self-contained residence utmost privacy. Page Six ; FUNCTIONS AND ENTERTAINING The extent and scope of the arrangements Entirely self-contained accommodations of for public functions and private entertaining various capacities between these two extremes are indicated by the fact that specially designed are provided, so that each public function and accommodations exist, on the one hand, for private social affair may have its appropriate private parties and.

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