Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel
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| Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel | |
|---|---|
| Name | Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel |
| Location | 811 Seventh Avenue, New York City |
| Opened | 1962 |
| Architect | Morris Lapidus |
| Operator | Marriott International |
| Owner | Vornado Realty Trust |
| Floors | 51 |
| Rooms | 1,780 |
Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel is a large high-rise hotel on Seventh Avenue in Midtown Manhattan near Times Square and Broadway (Manhattan). Opened in 1962 during the postwar hotel boom, the property has hosted conventions connected to Madison Square Garden, accommodated delegations for the United Nations General Assembly, and served as lodging for performers from Radio City Music Hall, Lincoln Center, and touring companies tied to Columbia Records. The hotel has been involved in transactions with firms such as Host Hotels & Resorts, Vornado Realty Trust, and Marriott International, and has been featured in coverage by outlets including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Forbes.
History
The site was developed amid Midtown redevelopment initiatives associated with figures like Robert Moses and corporate investors from MetLife. Construction concluded in 1962, contemporaneous with projects such as Seagram Building and the expansion of Port Authority Bus Terminal. Over the decades the hotel witnessed shifts tied to events like the 1970s fiscal crisis of New York City, the 1990s tourism resurgence tied to Disney’s Broadway investments, and the post-9/11 recovery efforts championed by entities including Empire State Development Corporation. Major renovations were undertaken during the ownership of ITT Sheraton and later under Starwood Hotels & Resorts, preceding the merger with Marriott International.
Architecture and design
Designed with influences from mid-20th-century architects and decorators active in Manhattan, the building reflects high-rise hotel typologies appearing after projects like Lever House and Tudor City. Its slab tower and podium respond to zoning practices codified after the Zoning Resolution of 1961. Interior public spaces were reworked during renovations guided by firms that have handled projects for institutions such as Museum of Modern Art and cultural venues like Carnegie Hall. Façade treatments and the tower’s massing can be compared to contemporaneous work by architects associated with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and designers who collaborated with developers like Harry Helmsley.
Facilities and amenities
The hotel contains thousands of square feet of meeting and ballroom space used for gatherings ranging from trade shows tied to Comic-Con-adjacent conventions to corporate events for companies such as Google and Microsoft. Guest rooms are arranged across dozens of floors and have been marketed to groups including delegations for the United Nations, touring ensembles booked through Live Nation, and attendees of festivals coordinated with Tribeca Film Festival. Onsite dining and catering operations have served partnerships with hospitality operators that have worked in venues like Javits Center and Madison Square Garden, while wellness amenities reflect standards found in properties managed by Hilton Worldwide and Hyatt Hotels Corporation.
Ownership and management
Ownership has shifted among institutional investors and real estate trusts such as Vornado Realty Trust and global lodging companies including Host Hotels & Resorts and Starwood Capital Group. Management transitioned from the original Sheraton franchise network into integration within Marriott International following the Starwood–Marriott merger, aligning operations with brands including Sheraton Hotels and Resorts and corporate platforms overseen by executives who have worked with chains like InterContinental Hotels Group.
Notable events and cultural references
The hotel has been a backdrop or lodging site for performers and productions associated with Broadway (Manhattan), celebrities covered by Variety and People (magazine), and political delegations during sessions of the United Nations General Assembly. It has appeared in visual media documenting New York life alongside neighborhoods like Times Square and institutions such as Radio City Music Hall; journalists from outlets like the New York Post and broadcasters from NBC News have reported from the vicinity. Conventions and trade shows at the property have paralleled events at Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and promotional tours coordinated with record labels such as Sony Music and Warner Music Group.
Transportation and location
Located on Seventh Avenue near West 53rd Street, the hotel is adjacent to transit hubs including the Times Square–42nd Street/Port Authority Bus Terminal station complex and is within walking distance of Penn Station (New York City), Rockefeller Center, and Columbus Circle. Local subway lines serving the area include those running through stations like 42nd Street–Times Square (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line) and connections used by commuters traveling to landmarks such as Grand Central Terminal and LaGuardia Airport via shuttle and transit links. The site is strategically placed for access to performance venues including Beacon Theatre and Alice Tully Hall.
Reception and impact
Critical and commercial reception has varied with cycles in tourism, documented by coverage in publications such as the New York Times and rankings by travel publications including Condé Nast Traveler. The hotel’s scale and proximity to Times Square have made it a fixture in the hospitality landscape of Manhattan, influencing meeting capacity expectations for nearby hotels such as The Plaza Hotel and chains operating flagship properties like Waldorf Astoria New York and The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park. Its transactions and renovations have been cited in commercial real estate analyses alongside portfolios held by firms like Blackstone (company) and Brookfield Asset Management.