User:Mirandafraser/Hampshire House

Origins
Hampshire House started as an addition to the Hotel Maurice on West 58th Street, designed by Caughey & Evans. The original plan of this tower, in 1926, was an apartment hotel called “Medici Tower” with 39 floors. The tower would also include offices. Later, the tower piqued the interest of the Architectural League of New York which attracted a lot of attention throughout the country. By 1930, H.K Ferguson Company of Cleveland, Ohio was the new owner. Caughey and Evans designed a new plan: an “apartment hotel” with 34 floors, called “Central Park Suites.” In this new design, which would be shortly named “Hampshire House”, Caughey and Evans wanted a balance between traditional and modern architecture. The New York Times describes it as “an adaptation to the modern tall building of the Georgian style such as is found in many old homes in the County of Hampshire, England. The exterior will be a black and white chromium steel.”

Hampshire House already had a planned media event for its opening in 1931, like other famous projects of the roaring twenties. The 1932 Real Estate book New York: The Wonder City and it would select the best selection of art, and design for 1931. Hampshire House was listed as a new way of luxurious living of suites in an ideal location, proximity to a lot of the most famous amusement sites.

Complications
The great depression began and a few months later the plan for the building fell apart. The builder walked away; the Mortgage foreclosed and Hampshire house like a lot of other buildings in New York City were in receivership. It joined a group of buildings around the area, known as “Series C-2 guaranteed mortgage certificates” who had defaulted mortgages from the New York Title and Mortgage Company. The C-2 properties were rescued by the New York State Supreme court Justice Alfred Frankenthaler and were forced to complete the building themselves, as they could not find any reasonable buyers, by hiring Caughey and Evans to design the building again.

Subsequent Events
The previous trustees of the Hampshire House sold it to the Kirkeby Group in 1946. The Kirkeby group controlled a lot of other prestigious hotels around the country. Later, they merged with Hilton chain.

Today
Hampshire House does not offer short-term stays anymore. All co-operative apartments are owned by someone and continues to thrive due to its luxurious and elegant residency. The building is known for its welcoming staff, interiors, architectural distinction and outstanding location.

Interiors
The trustees hired Dorothy Draper, an interior designer, in order to make people want to live in a building which was at some point an empty shell on one of the most visible streets. Draper envisioned the building as a traditional London townhouse. She included a small lobby, and a garden with a fountain and pool to create the atmosphere of a Georgian townhouse in Britain. She also designed a restaurant within the building called “The Cottage,” that soon became one of New York’s well known party rooms.

The Cottage Room
This room was a major venue for luxurious events like wedding receptions, dinners, luncheons and other celebrations. There were several famous celebrations including: Bee Gees performance in 1971, Eubie Blake’s 90th birthday party, Calvin Klein’s wedding, among others. The cottage completely closed in 1986.

Publications
The Hampshire House opened on October 16th, 1937. The New York Times ad campaign noted: “New York’s newest exclusive apartment hotel - has the entire length of Central Park as its footstool - suggests a London town house in a Hyde Park setting.”

Architectural Record posted a photo of the Hampshire's house lobby in January, 1938.

Due to its beautiful hotel and restaurant, Hampshire house appeared a lot in magazines and guides of New York. Lawton Mackall says: "decor by Dorothy Draper creates [the] illusion that this is [the] dining room of a fabulous country estate looking out through [the] orangerie."

Craig Clairborne says it is "one of New York's most stylish dining rooms."

Services and Amenities
Hampshire House used to have a florist shop, and not just any florist shop: it was run by Beatrice Mann,"florist to the stars," who operated in the shop for more than 40 years. There was also a barber shop and beauty salon that closed as they became unnecessary. As the hotel was evolving to a high-end cooperative the "turndown" service became optional.

The Hampshire House replaced a news stand in its lobby (as seen in many hotels), to direct New York Times delivery to each resident in the co-op.

Entirely new services have been introduced like a gym, car services for residents and a pianist who plays twice a week in the lobby.

Residents and Guests
Some of the residents at the Hampshire House stayed for a short time, as it also functioned as a regular hotel, while others were long-term residents.

Early Residents
Some of the first residents in the building according to the New York Times, were: John Hemingway, Ann Morgan, Rodman Wanamaker 2nd, Edward H. Rice, Charles Warren, etc.

Ray Bolger leased an apartment at the Hampshire House in 1940.

Guests
George Abott stayed at the Hampshire House during Broadway season. Some of the other guests included Lucille Ball, Ingrid Bergman, John Wayne, Greta Garbo, Peter Sellers musician Django Reinhard, among others. Marilyn Monroe stayed at the Hampshire House for some time, with Joe DiMaggio.

Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner were seen staying together at the Hampshire House for the first time. The newspapers announced "Frank and Ava at the same hotel." Soon enough, Hampshire House was filled with reporters and paparazzi.

Residents
Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti all lived at the Hampshire House. Carreras bought his apartment in 1955, Pavarotti in 1983, and Domingo in 1977.

Boxer Barney Ross had an apartment at the Hampshire House to store items during the state of Israel's establishment. Director William Wyler also lived at Hampshire House with his wife, Talli. Other residents include novelist Vladmir Nabokov, Art Garfunkel, Sonja Henie and other notable celebrities.