Westin New York at Times Square opens

Real Estate Weekly, Dec 11, 2002

Ceremonies held recently at The Westin New York at Times Square marked the debut of New York's newest landmark hospitality destination. Located on W. 43rd St. and 8th Ave., in the vibrant Times Square district, the 45-story, $300-million property is the largest new-build hotel to open in Manhattan in 17 years.

Developed, owned, and built by Tishman Realty & Construction Co., Inc., the 863-room hotel is operated by Westin Hotels & Resorts. Westin is a division of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., one of the largest hotel operators in Manhattan.

Just steps away from the Broadway theaters and a multitude of Times Square entertainment venues, The Westin New York is the perfect choice for leisure travelers and theatergoers. In addition, with several million square feet of office space added to Times Square in recent years, the hotel is ideally suited for business travelers.

Designed by the internationally-renowned architecture firm, Arquitectonica, the Westin New York's style captures the unique spirit and energy that make Times Square a center of cultural expression. The hotel tower is a 45-story prism with a unique skin comprised of 8,000 sheets of glass, back-painted in ten different colors, intended to serve as a microcosm of the-multifaceted forces that converge on Times Square.

The vertical, rectangular profile of the tower is sliced in two by a curved beam of light. This 355-foot-long lighted band originates in the hotel's atrium and runs the entire height of its 42nd St. facade, in essence creating two unique sculptural forms. The western volume is covered in shades of intense blue and pale purple glass, representing the sky, while the eastern portion is clad in horizontal bands of shimmering bronze and copper glass in various tones, depicting the earth.

Since construction began, The Westin New York has had a significant positive economic impact on both the City and the State of New York.

Building of the hotel created approximately 2,000 construction jobs. Now open, it is creating 600 permanent hotel and hotel-related jobs.

Through the construction period and the first 20 years of operations, the hotel will generate more than $297 million in occupancy and sales taxes to the City and State. During that same period, the hotel is projected to pay $50.1 million in ground rent.

The interiors of the Westin New York complement its exterior architecture, translating the style and flair of the illustrious fa~ade on a smaller scale inside. Colors and shapes are revisited and reintroduced in both public spaces and in the individual rooms of the hotel. All 126 Westin executive club rooms and suites, and 737 guest rooms and suites feature contemporary design statements including bold abstract art on muted wall coverings, sleek black furnishings, and comfortable modern chairs.