Photo by myself of the Plaza Hotel, on 59th Street and Fifth Avenue.
This entire building used to be a hotel. In 2007, some of the upper floors were converted into condominium units, which would enjoy the hotel amenities. Ownership was changed and all of the Plaza fixtures were sold off. Many wound up on ebay.
According to Wikipedia, one of the Plaza apartments sold for $53 million (yes, you heard me) in May, 2007. The apartments are actually not ideal - the ceiling heights are low, because the building added central air conditioning after being built.
Of course, images like the one above are a little silly now.
It's a stressful time, and I don't want to give the wrong idea that New Yorkers are whistling and skipping merrily. Not at all. But then I don't want to post negative news, so I feel a bit torn.
I see a lot of people shopping, but most are probably tourists. Most New Yorkers are feeling very anxious. They eat and drink on Fridays and the weekend, but most are staying in, the rest of the week.
More friends were laid off this week. The mood is not so great. Fortunately our community is small and we're all looking out for each other.
Anyhow, I'm looking forward to a weekend of pure relaxation. Mark and I don't have anything definite planned...just some intense hanging out with the cat and dog, and perhaps some loafing around on the sofa!
I truly hope everyone out there is doing all right. Happy weekend!
Related posts: Queuing Up at Grand Central Terminal, Lower Fifth Avenue and TGIF.
8 comments:
I love this shot & I miss The Plaza, the way it used to be. Times were better then. & it does sort of suck right now but it has to get better, I just hope sooner rather than later.
Wow, the Plaza is so mytical...I wonder what type of people bought the flats.
What a lovely photograph.
Great photo. I loved the Plaza, although I never stayed there. We did have lunch there and visit out of town guests who were staying in on of the more modest room when I was a little girl in the city. I loved he lobby and the little amenities like writing desks for guests in kind of set off spaces. In those days, even the poor had some kind of housing so public spaces weren't on the defensive and you could simply go in right off the street for just to rest a while in that lobby if you wanted to and no one would ask you to leave. I also loved the Eloise books, which were kind of contemporanous with...well, with me. Even though I haven't set foot in the place for some forty years at least, I mourned when the Trumps bought it.
Wasn't the Oyster Bar located in the lower level? I seem to remember going there several times, but my memory is fuzzy as to which hotel it was in! This is a great shot, and I understand you are torn. But I think we see enough of the dreary in the news - to the point that the media tends to almost glorify the negative. Time to look for a little light any place we can find it.
The Plaza always reminds me of "Barefoot in the Park" and "North by Northwest" great films and it was a great hotel.
Leeds Photo Daily
The Plaza is an icon , & like with any icon people will reminisce and comment. The trouble is, is that often people seem to always focus on how good it once was “back then” while chastising the present set up. I see nothing wrong with constructive change- I see it as evolving with the times .
I would understand the commotion if all of a sudden service and accommodations worsened. But that is not the case. The exterior and interior is just as beautiful and the service, was, and still is phenomenal.
It’s great that the Plaza is now part-hotel-part-condo. The fact that the Plaza is so steadfast yet accommodating by modern times standards , shows its true versatility and commitment & sensitivity to its surroundings, tradition & community.
I've heard a lot about the plaza hotel, is it the best of all New-York's hotels? I travel a lot to NYC and I'm searching rigth now for a good hotel online, is it the one for me?
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