Ritz-Carlton Atlantic City facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Ritz Condominiums |
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The Ritz Condominiums from the beach
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| General information | |
| Type | Hotel (former) Condominiums (current) |
| Location | Atlantic City, New Jersey |
| Coordinates | 39°21′10″N 74°26′37″W / 39.3526883°N 74.4435793°W |
| Construction started | 1919 |
| Completed | 1921 |
| Cost | $6.25 million (original) |
| Height | |
| Roof | 222 ft (68 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 18 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Charles D. Wetmore |
| Main contractor | Thompson-Starrett Company |
The Ritz-Carlton Atlantic City was once a fancy hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey. It opened in the 1920s, a time known as the "Roaring Twenties." This hotel was famous for its beautiful look and the many well-known people who stayed there. Later, in 1969, it became an apartment hotel. In 1982, it changed again and became The Ritz Condominiums, which are homes people can buy.
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History of the Ritz-Carlton
Building the Grand Hotel
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company decided to build a hotel in Atlantic City in 1911. A New York architect named Charles D. Wetmore designed the building. The Thompson-Starrett Company built it. The hotel opened on June 21, 1921. It cost about $6.25 million to build. This would be like spending almost $70 million today!
The Ritz-Carlton stands at the end of Iowa Avenue. It has 131 feet of space facing the famous Boardwalk. The building is 222 ft (68 m) tall and has 18 stories.
When the hotel first opened, its president, Richard Harris, said it was for "the average American citizen." However, the Ritz-Carlton quickly became a place for very wealthy people. It showed off luxury and high status. Many things in the hotel were very modern for their time. For example, each room had faucets for both fresh and salt water. There was also a special well that provided spring water. Each floor had pantries to make room service faster. The elevators even had rubber walls and cork floors. This allowed people coming from the beach to use them without getting the lobby wet.
The hotel had several restaurants. These included the Ritz, the Trellis Room, and the Ritz Grill. There was also an outdoor dining area that looked out at the ocean. A unique bar shaped like a merry-go-round was also a popular spot. The Maude Earl Room was a special writing room. It had rare and old art.
Changes Over the Years
During the Great Depression in 1937, the hotel faced money problems. Its owners could not pay their loans. The Ritz-Carlton was then reorganized. During World War II, the hotel was used as military barracks. Soldiers stayed there for training and to recover.
After the war, the Ritz-Carlton reopened. J. Myer Schine bought it in 1946 for $2.25 million. In 1952, Schine Hotels sold it for $3.75 million. The new owners also owned the nearby Ambassador Hotel. Sheraton Hotels bought the property in 1958 for $4 million. They briefly called it The Sheraton Ritz-Carlton. Sheraton spent another $800,000 on updates. But they sold the hotel just 13 months later in 1959. They sold it for the same price they paid.
In June 1969, the Ritz-Carlton became an apartment hotel. This meant people could live there in apartments. In 1978, a group of investors bought the building. They wanted to turn it into a hotel and casino. However, this plan did not happen. In 1982, about $25 million was spent to change the building. It became 322 homes and six business spaces. Some of these are full-time homes, and others are vacation spots. At the same time, the new Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company paid the building's owners. They wanted them to stop using the Ritz-Carlton name. This was to avoid confusion with their own hotels. Since then, the building has been known as The Ritz Condominiums.
The Ritz in Pop Culture
The TV show Boardwalk Empire features a character named Enoch "Nucky" Thompson. He is based on a real person, Enoch L. Johnson. In the show, Nucky lives on the 8th floor of a fictional Ritz-Carlton. The real Enoch Johnson was a powerful figure in Atlantic City during Prohibition. He used to conduct his daily business from his suites in the actual Ritz. He even hosted a meeting of well-known figures there in 1929. This meeting was called the Atlantic City Conference. Because of the show's popularity, tours of the building have been organized. A former bellhop at the hotel, James Boyd, was an important associate of Johnson. He inspired the character Jimmy Darmody in Boardwalk Empire.
Historic Recognition
In February 2011, the building received a special certificate. This means it can be listed on the state and federal lists of historic places. This shows how important the building is to history.
Famous Guests and Events
In January 1922, President Warren G. Harding spoke to guests at the hotel. This was an early use of wireless radiophone technology. In the same year, the Ritz-Carlton company offered air travel. You could fly between its hotels in Atlantic City and New York City.
Many famous people stayed at the hotel. These included performers like Eddie Cantor, Sophie Tucker, and Lawrence Tibbett. Authors like Bruce Barton also visited. U.S. Presidents Calvin Coolidge, Warren G. Harding, and Herbert Hoover were guests. New York City Mayor Jimmy Walker also stayed there. Some well-known figures like Al Capone and Lucky Luciano were also guests.
During its most popular years, many celebrities performed at the hotel. These included Paul Whiteman, Bing Crosby, Red Nichols, and Milton Berle.
