This iconic hotel opened in 1924 to serve passengers at nearby Grand Central Terminal and has weathered many historic events, from the Restriction era, the Great Depression, World Wars, to the tragedy of 9/11.
The Roosevelt Hotel, a historic New York City landmark for more than 100 years, is once again facing uncertainty. Last month, the city announced plans to end its use as a migrant shelter and processing center by the summer.
This iconic hotel opened in 1924 to serve passengers at nearby Grand Central Terminal and has weathered many historic events, from the Restriction era, the Great Depression, World Wars, to the tragedy of 9/11.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 forced the hotel to close due to losses. Three years later, the hotel was reopened as a holding center for undocumented migrants flooding the city.
Over the years, the Roosevelt, nicknamed the “Grand Dame of Madison Avenue, ” has been the backdrop for many classic Hollywood films and favorite TV shows.
Although his fate remains unclear, Roosevelt's past, captured in photographs and film, reflects a small slice of New York City and American history, as follows:
1924: The hotel was named in honor of President Theodore Roosevelt and opened just four years after the start of alcohol restriction, a national policy that lasted for 13 years in the United States. Although the restrictions forced the closure of several hotels in the city, the area around Grand Central boomed after the war, attracting many commercial developers, including those involved in the Roosevelt's construction.
While not New York’s most luxurious hotel, this four-star property towers over Midtown Manhattan, rising 19 stories to the skyline. Due to alcohol restrictions, the Roosevelt deviated from tradition by featuring storefronts on the ground floor, replacing lounges and bars. It was also one of the first hotels in the world to offer pet services, child care, and an on-site doctor.
1929: With alcohol unavailable, Roosevelt became a popular destination for tourists and music fans. At the height of the Restriction era, famed bandleader Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians played their first show at the Roosevelt Grill and continued to entertain fans for the next three decades. Their performance, including the song "Auld Lang Syne," became an iconic New Year's Eve tradition.
Variety magazine even called Lombardo "the only Canadian ever to create an American tradition," further strengthening Roosevelt's legacy.
1943: Hotel magnate Conrad Hilton buys the Roosevelt, along with The Plaza hotel, calling it "a fine hotel with magnificent rooms," and moves into its Presidential Suite. The acquisition makes Hilton the first American hotel chain to serve an entire coast.
Four years later, the Roosevelt made history again by becoming the first to provide televisions in every room. However, Hilton's ownership ended in 1956 when his company was forced to sell the property as part of an antitrust lawsuit filed by the government.
1948: The Roosevelt became a political center in the mid-20th century, serving as the campaign headquarters for Republican presidential candidate Thomas Dewey in 1944 and 1948. Dewey lost both elections and delivered both of his conceding speeches from the hotel. The hotel has continued to host a number of other important political events since.
1970s to 2010s: Since the 1970s, the Roosevelt, with its neoclassical facade and classic-style interiors, has been a favorite filming location for Hollywood studios. Some of the films produced there include: "The French Connection" (1971), "Wall Street" (1987), "Presumed Innocent" (1990), and "Maid in Manhattan" (2002). In addition, several TV shows have been filmed at the hotel, including "Mad Men" and "Law & Order."
1979: The hotel changed hands several times before Pakistan International Airlines, backed by Saudi Prince Khalid bin Faisal Al Saud, took over from the New York real estate family. The agreement included an option to buy the hotel for $36.5 million after 20 years, a deal the airline finally completed in 2000.
Considered a national treasure by the Pakistani government, the Roosevelt has become the preferred accommodation for Pakistani prime ministers and other dignitaries visiting New York. In the late 1990s, the hotel also hosted live performances in its Grand Ballroom by Junoon, Pakistan's biggest rock band.
2020-2023: The Roosevelt has struggled financially in recent decades. In 2020, the hotel closed its doors to guests, citing the “unprecedented environment” caused by the pandemic. In 2023, the hotel got a new lease of life when New York City signed a three-year, $220 million lease to turn it into a migrant shelter and processing center.
But the lease was only a temporary solution for the struggling hotel. In February 2024, Mayor Eric Adams announced that the city was canceling the lease, marking the end of an era in New York City history
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