New York Marriott Marquis
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New York Marriott Marquis Times Square at 1535 Broadway opened in 1985 and was designed by architect John Portman. It is located in the heart of Times Square at Broadway and 45th Street. The hotel is famous for its high-tech elevators and atrium lobby rising 45 stories to The View, New York's only rooftop revolving restaurant. With 1,949 rooms and over 100,000 square feet of meeting space, it is one of the largest hotels in the city. The Marquis Theatre is located within the hotel at the 3rd floor level.
[edit] Creation
The hotel was born in controversy because five historic theaters-- the Helen Hayes, the Morosco, the Astor, the Bijou, and the Gaiety-- were demolished to clear the site. Protesters, including Christopher Reeve (then at the height of his Superman fame) tried to stop the destruction, even forcing a Supreme Court challenge, but it was too late. What was dubbed "The Great Theater Massacre of 1982" went forward to make way for the hotel.
The hotel has been criticized for turning its back to Times Square. However, at the time the hotel was built, Times Square was only beginning to turn around. With the still-seedy character of Times Square, Portman's style of inwardly-oriented spaces made logical sense. The present redevelopment of Times Square as an urban destination point has left the Marriott Marquis detached from the street. However, the Marriott was the first major project in the Times Square revitalization, and has been credited as the starting point for today's development node at Times Square.
[edit] References
- Nash, Eric P., Jr. (1999). Manhattan Skyscrapers. Princeton Architectural Press. ISBN 1-56898-181-3.
