Name: Many kind architects, homeowners and institutions
Location: Manhattan below 30th Street
Favorite: so many things
This past weekend, hundreds of homes, offices and institutions opened their doors--even their bathrooms and bedrooms--to the public for free tours.
The event is sponsored by the non-profit OpenHouseNY. This generous gesture extended to all 5 boroughs! When I didn't have to wait on a really long line, I found it very life-affirming. The spaces were majestic and inspiring. I tried to focus on otherwise private sites that integrated sustainable techniques--using salvaged or renewable sources--into the design and construction of the space.
Here's a couple things I learned at OHNY:
Cole Porter lived in the Waldorf Astoria hotel for 30 years, the Waldorf had a steinway piano made for him and put it in the suite. After he died, Frank Sinatra lived in the that suite and the woman who lives there now pays $80,000 a MONTH - but she gets twice a day cleaning service.
The Grand Ballroom at the Mason's building on 23rd St. was built in 1908. A mason from Liverpool came to visit and copied the room when he built the ballroom on the Titanic. And, incidentally, you can't be a Mason if you are an athiest. No God? No fancy ballroom for you.
Is the lower pic the Masons' Grand Ballroom? Fancy.
How come more people aren't posting?! Didn't ATers go this past weekend? What did people see? What did you think?
If only every day was Open House NY...
The views from the penthouse apartment pictured above were amazing. Amazing. Bad case of Apartment Envy.
Thanks so much for the photos! I wanted to be there myself. Are there any more? Would you take submissions from readers?
To respond:
No, that ballroom is the Prince George Hotel--you can see a couple of other photos from that site in the slide show with additional details.
Yes, I have many other photos. I had to narrow my 216 photos to 40 so as to not dominate slide show viewers' lives. --jill
That's not an apartment, that's an office! It's the client reception lounge area at PS260, an editing house.
I know it's used as an office...but I still wanted to move in when I saw it on Saturday!
Personally, i'm not into touring hotels just to look at their grandeur[?],If i stayed at a place that nice,then i would take the time.
how do i get in touch with maxwell Ryan for a professional service?
thank you
you can email Maxwell at Maxwell@apartmenttherapy.com
any photos of Cole & Linda Lee Porter, their homes, their apartment @ The Waldorf?
thanks!