Martinique New York on Broadway, Curio Collection by Hilton facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Hotel facts and statistics
Martinique New York on Broadway, Curio Collection by Hilton
Quick facts for kids Martinique New York on Broadway, south facade

Location	49 West 32nd Street (also known as 1260-1266 Broadway) Manhattan, New York United States
Coordinates	40°44′54″N 73°59′16″W / 40.74833°N 73.98778°W / 40.74833; -73.98778
Opening date	1898
Architect	Henry Janeway Hardenbergh
Management	Hilton Hotels
No. of restaurants	Petit Poulet
No. of rooms	531
No. of floors	19

The Martinique New York on Broadway, Curio Collection by Hilton is a historic hotel in Manhattan, New York City. It has 532 rooms and is located at 53 West 32nd Street. The famous architect Henry Janeway Hardenbergh designed it, and William R. H. Martin built it. The hotel was built in a beautiful French Renaissance style.

The Martinique was built in three parts between 1897 and 1911. It is now a special New York City designated landmark and is part of the Historic Hotels of America. When it was first finished, the hotel had 600 rooms. The building has sides facing Broadway, 33rd Street, and 32nd Street. Its outside walls are made of shiny brick, terracotta, and limestone. It also has balconies, fancy decorations, and sash windows. The top of the hotel has a large green roof with decorated windows. Inside, the hotel had many fancy public rooms like a lobby, cafe, and dining rooms. Today, it has two restaurants and space for events.

William R. H. Martin bought the land for the hotel between 1892 and 1895. The first part of the hotel opened in 1898. It was first used as an apartment hotel, where people could live for longer periods. The Martinique was made bigger twice, in 1901–1903 and 1907–1911. Over the years, the hotel had many different owners and managers. From 1973 to 1988, the Martinique was used to house families who needed temporary homes. This period of its history became very well-known. In 1989, a developer named Harold Thurman leased the building. He reopened it as a Holiday Inn in 1998. Later, it became a Radisson hotel in 2005. In 2019, it joined Hilton's Curio Collection. After some financial difficulties in 2020, Burnett Equities bought the hotel and reopened it in late 2021.

Exploring the Hotel's Location

The Martinique New York is located in the Koreatown and Midtown South areas of Manhattan. It sits on the east side of Herald Square. The hotel has sides that face Broadway to the west, 33rd Street to the north, and 32nd Street to the south.

The hotel was built on several plots of land. It covers a large area of about 19,975 square feet. The building is made up of two 17-story parts on Broadway and 32nd Street. It also has a six-story section on 33rd Street.

The Martinique is close to many other famous buildings. These include the Empire State Building and Macy's Herald Square. There are also subway and train stations right outside the hotel, making it easy to get around New York City.

The Hotel's Amazing Design

Construction work at the Hotel Martinique, circa 1910

Partial view of the Hotel Martinique, upper part, 32nd Street elevation

Partial view of the lower part, 32nd Street elevation

The Martinique hotel is described as being 16, 17, or 19 stories tall. Its design was made to take advantage of the open space of Greeley Square (now Herald Square). People in 1918 said that "New York is noted for its beautiful buildings, and the Martinique is no exception." The building is a special New York City designated landmark. It is also part of the Historic Hotels of America, which means it's recognized for its historical importance.

The hotel was built in three main parts. The first part on 33rd Street was built in 1897–1898. Then, an extension was added to the middle of the Broadway side in 1901–1903. The last section, at the corner of 32nd Street and Broadway, was built in 1909–1911. This included the entire 32nd Street side. The 1911 addition had a French Renaissance design. It connected to the older parts with a large courtyard in between.

Outside Look of the Hotel

The outside of the hotel is covered with shiny brick, terracotta, and limestone. The 32nd Street side has nine sections, while the Broadway side has six, and the 33rd Street side has five. On all three sides, the bottom floor is made of rough stone blocks and has storefronts. The upper floors are covered in terracotta and brick. The hotel also has aluminum sash windows. When it was built, the hotel had "stone balconies and important decorations on all three of its facades." The back of the hotel, which faces other buildings, is made of plain brick. The top of the hotel has a large green roof with decorated windows.

32nd Street Side Details

The south side of the hotel on 32nd Street is the main entrance. It was built during the 1911 expansion. This side looks balanced and has five central sections that stick out a little. The main entrance is on 32nd Street. It's a three-section-wide marble doorway in the middle of the ground floor. Above the entrance is a sign with "Hotel Martinique" written on it.

The 2nd through 4th floors have stone walls with nine windows on each floor. Each window has an iron railing. The windows on the 2nd and 3rd floors in the middle sections have fancy decorations. There are also balconies on the 5th floor.

On the 5th through 11th floors, most windows have simple sills and terracotta frames. Some windows on the 8th and 10th floors have small balconies. The 12th and 13th floors have terracotta shells next to the windows. Large supports hold up a balcony on the 14th floor. The 15th floor is inside the roof and has windows that stick out. The middle of the roof has a square tower with round windows.

Other Sides of the Hotel

At the corner of Broadway and 32nd Street, there's a sloped corner that connects the two sides. The three southern sections on Broadway were built in 1911 and are widely spaced. The three northern sections, built in 1903, are closer together. The ground floor has shops and windows. The Broadway side looks very similar to the 32nd Street side. The roof is a bit uneven, with a square tower on the northern part.

The 33rd Street side is part of the original hotel. It has many of the same decorations as the other sides. The ground floor has shops now. The middle three sections stick out a little. The windows in the middle section are wider than others, but they have been closed up. The central window on the 6th floor has a small balcony and a large decorated panel above it. The 2nd, 4th, 8th, and 10th floors also have small balconies. Above the roof is a central tower with a window, and two smaller windows next to it.

Inside the Hotel

Ground Floor Features

The ground floor has a large lobby, also called the concourse. This area once had a ceiling designed in the Italian Renaissance style and fancy floor tiles. The walls were made of gray and yellow marble. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling. The lobby still has a spiral staircase from 1907 and an old clock from 1691. The hotel's builder, William R. H. Martin, bought this clock. The lobby has been redecorated in yellow and blue. After the 1911 expansion, a hallway connected the lobby on 32nd Street to an entrance area on 33rd Street.

The main public rooms were designed to look like the famous Galerie d'Apollon in the Louvre museum. The Broadway Cafe was to the left of the lobby. It had light-colored stone walls and a ceiling decorated in the Italian Renaissance style. It also had marble columns and wall panels that looked like ancient Roman art. A brochure from 1910 said the cafe was "a true architectural gem."

The dining room, designed in the Louis XIV style, was to the right of the lobby. It had dark wood panels and gold panels on the walls. These gold panels had life-size paintings of people by artists Irving Wiles and Carroll Beckwith. The dining room also had rose and gold curtains. There was also a "Dutch room" with terracotta floors and murals showing scenes from Holland. Today, the hotel has two restaurants: Petit Poulet serves French food, and the Martinique Cafe offers international and American dishes.

Other Public Areas

Below the Broadway Cafe, there was a Grill room. It was decorated in a modern German style with red and orange colors. The floor was made of red tiles. The walls looked like stone and had dark wood panels. The ceiling was arched and had fancy designs. There were also two iron chandeliers. Next to the grill room was a large room for cigars, plus kitchens.

The second floor had an entrance area that led to a tea room and a banquet room. The entrance area was decorated in the Louis XIV style with dark wood and tapestries on the walls. The tea room had artificial stone walls with green wooden decorations. The banquet room was in a Flemish style with dark wood. A mezzanine (a low balcony) overlooked the ground-floor hallway. It had space for the hotel's orchestra and rooms for reading and writing. The hotel also had fancy bronze elevator doors.

Guest Rooms

The Martinique has 532 rooms. After the hotel's two additions were finished in 1910, it had 600 guestrooms and 400 bathrooms. When the hotel first opened, all rooms faced the street. The hotel also had water filters and soundproof walls. Guests could even have breakfast delivered to their rooms. The special suites at the corner of Broadway and 32nd Street had oval-shaped living rooms.

In 2006, the hotel had 14,000 square feet of space for meetings and events. This included a large ballroom and smaller meeting rooms. As of 2021, the hotel has 9,000 square feet of event space in 14 rooms, which can hold up to 500 people.

A Look at the Hotel's Past

When the Martinique Hotel was built in the late 1800s, many new businesses were appearing around Herald Square. New York City's theater district was moving north along Broadway. Many hotels were built in this area because of the growing demand for theaters and department stores. The opening of Pennsylvania Station and Macy's Herald Square also helped the area grow.

How the Hotel Began

Building and Early Years

William R. H. Martin, who owned the Rogers Peet business, built the hotel and named it after himself. Martin had bought the first part of the land in 1892. He hired Henry Janeway Hardenbergh to design the hotel in a French Renaissance style. Plans for the new hotel were filed in July 1897. The hotel was planned to be 16 stories high and cost $400,000. It was first meant to be an apartment hotel, where people could live for longer periods. Martin also had his Rogers Peet store in the same building.

Even though the hotel was built as a business risk, it quickly became popular. In April 1899, a real estate journal said the Martinique had a waiting list of 65 names. Because it was so successful, Martin soon changed the Martinique into a hotel for short-term guests. He also bought more land nearby to make the hotel bigger. The first addition to the hotel was finished around 1903.

In June 1905, Martin hired Hardenbergh again to design another addition. This new part would be at the corner of Broadway and 32nd Street. Work on this addition was delayed for two years because Martin wanted to move his Rogers Peet store first. The second addition opened on December 21, 1910. At that time, rooms cost from $3.50 to $6.00 per night. The expanded hotel could host 1,200 diners and 1,000 guests in its 600 rooms.

From the 1910s to the 1930s

The hotel's second addition opened around the same time as Penn Station. To attract visitors, the hotel offered to carry guests' luggage to and from the station for free. In the 1910s, the hotel hosted events like meetings for bankers. The Martinique was the first hotel in New York City to get a special license for entertainment.

T. Coleman du Pont bought the Martinique from the Martin family in October 1919. The hotel was briefly renamed the McAlpin Annex. However, the manager changed it back to Hotel Martinique in May 1921 because the new name caused confusion. By the 1920s, the entertainment area around Herald Square had moved north to Times Square. In 1923, a climber fell to his death while scaling the hotel for a film. This led the city to ban such dangerous public stunts.

In November 1928, a company led by Louis Markel bought the hotel. Markel planned to spend $250,000 to remodel it. However, in December 1931, the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company took over the hotel because the owners had not made mortgage payments. Metropolitan Life became the owner of the building in May 1933.

From the 1940s to the 1970s

Metropolitan Life leased the hotel in 1939 to a group led by Frank W. Kridel. The hotel was being renovated at this time, including updating the guestrooms. The hotel continued to host events in the 1940s. Kridel's group bought the hotel in 1944. During World War II, some German spies stayed at the Hotel Martinique. In 1947, the hotel tried to raise the rent for its long-term guests by 30 percent.

Kridel managed the hotel until September 1954, when he sold it to Robert Selby and Eugene Moses. The new owners planned to renovate the hotel. In 1956, the Heritage Hotel Group announced plans to spend $1 million to update the hotel. This included renovating all guestrooms and adding air conditioning.

A Time as a Shelter

In the 1960s and 1970s, many hotels in New York City struggled. Some were turned into apartment buildings. In 1972 or 1973, the American Red Cross and the government of New York City began using the Martinique to provide temporary housing for families who needed a place to stay. For the next two decades, the city government spent a lot of money each year to use the hotel as a shelter.

At first, the Martinique was meant for short stays. But over time, it housed many families who couldn't find other places to live. The hotel became well-known as a place for families experiencing homelessness. By December 1985, the Martinique housed over 1,400 children in 389 families. Author Jonathan Kozol wrote about the conditions at the Martinique in his 1988 book Rachel and Her Children.

Children living at the hotel did not have a special play area. In 1986, a community group helped fund the conversion of the hotel's old ballroom into a play area for the children. Around the same time, officials received complaints that families were living in very small rooms without bathrooms or furniture. The city government fined the hotel's owners in 1988 because rooms had been divided into tiny spaces. The hotel also had problems with heating, water, and elevator service.

In 1988, the mayor announced that the city would close many hotels used as shelters, including the Martinique. The hotel stopped taking new guests in September 1988. The city then helped the 443 families living there find new homes. By the end of 1988, the hotel was closed as a shelter. The families moved to permanent apartments or other shelters.

Reopening as a Hotel

Thurman's Management

In 1989, developer Harold Thurman leased the building. He planned to reopen the Martinique Hotel as a Days Inn. The hotel remained empty through the mid-1990s while Thurman slowly renovated the inside. The renovation faced delays and legal issues. In 1996, Thurman announced plans to open the Martinique as a 530-room Holiday Inn. People who wanted to preserve historic buildings were worried that Holiday Inn might change the hotel's outside appearance too much. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission officially named the hotel a New York City landmark on May 5, 1998.

The Martinique reopened in October 1998 as the Holiday Inn Martinique on Broadway. Rooms were priced from $215 to $295 per month. In 2005, Carlson Hotels took over the hotel. They planned to renovate it and make it part of the Radisson chain. The hotel was renamed the Radisson Hotel Martinique on July 1, 2006. The guest rooms were greatly improved.

In 2018, the hotel's managers decided to partner with Hilton Hotels & Resorts instead. They felt the Radisson partnership was not as successful as they wanted. The Hilton partnership included a $40 million renovation of the Martinique. The hotel joined Hilton's Curio Collection on February 1, 2019. It was then renamed the Martinique New York on Broadway, Curio Collection by Hilton.

Recent Changes and Sale

The hotel had to close in March 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. Many of its 176 workers were laid off. Because of the pandemic, the hotel filed for bankruptcy in September 2020. When Harold Thurman passed away at the end of 2020, the hotel's operators could not make their mortgage payments. In early 2021, the hotel's lease was put up for sale. It was hard to find buyers because the lease was expensive, the building was a landmark, and it needed $15 million in repairs.

Burnett Equities bought the hotel in November 2021 for $55.5 million. The president of Burnett Equities, Andy Burnett, worked out a new deal for the land lease. He also leased out 30,000 square feet of empty shop space to three restaurants. The hotel reopened the next month with 200 rooms. Burnett Equities hired Steven Kratchman Architect, who had been renovating the hotel for 15 years. Burnett then restarted the renovation project. They expanded the retail space and continued to update the guestrooms and the lower part of the hotel's outside.

The Hotel and Golf History

The Martinique hotel has a long connection to the history of golf in the United States. The Professional Golfers' Association of America (PGA) was started at the hotel on April 10, 1916. At that time, 35 founding members and 78 golf professionals came together to create the world's largest sports organization. The Radisson Martinique is often where the American Ryder Cup team is announced. For example, in 2008, Paul Azinger announced the names of four team members there. On August 31, 2011, the PGA Gallery opened at the Radisson Martinique, celebrating PGA's 95th anniversary.