A Golden Renaissance for the Plaza Hotel’s Interior Landmarked Lobby
May 22, 2025
ADP Architects had the honor and pleasure of leading the restoration of the Plaza Hotel’s luxurious residential lobby, which involved replacing the century-old marble floor mosaics and floor tiles, restoring the restrained classical detailing and gold leafed plaster ceilings, and planning the renovation of the double height Beaux Arts-style entrance on 59th Street toward Central Park South.
Designed by renowned hotel architect Henry Janeway Hardenbergh in 1905-07 with interior finishes by L. Alovoine & Co., the Plaza Hotel’s U-shaped lobby features white marble walls and Breccia marble pilasters with Corinthian capitals and striking bronze elevator doors.
Over the years, the impressively ornate space experienced significant wear and tear, which lead to the cracking of marble floor mosaics and the application of multiple layers of paint over badly-oxidized metal detailing. ADP Architects surveyed and documented the deteriorating condition of the Landmarked mosaic and stone floors; recommended specific areas for restoration of the lobby’s floor, ceiling and walls; and orchestrated a careful and concerted effort of replacing hundreds of damaged mosaic floor pieces.
Project Facts:
Sector: Hospitality
Location: New York, NY
Scope: Architectural Design and Planning; Historic Preservation
Project Type: Restoration of Interior Landmarked Lobby
Status: Ongoing
Restoring the plaza’s elevator doors involved re-finishing and polishing the elaborate bronze details, as well as cleaning and resetting select marble plinths, pilasters and wall panels.
The Sterling Bronze Co. chandelier hanging over the lobby was taken apart, cleaned, re-bulbed, re-wired, UL-listed and re-installed to meet current lighting standards and building codes.
Column capitals containing layers of gold spray paint over badly oxidized brass metal were stripped of its paint, cleaned, and re-finished with a bronze metal lacquer.
The ceiling, which features decorative plaster with gold paint, was repaired and repainted with a base and glaze layer, as well as gold leaf on selective areas. Cove lighting was implemented to gently and elegantly illuminate the restored golden details.
