A 1900s landmark in New York City—the Plaza Hotel—will soon close its doors for restoration of its historic façade. The iconic venue, which opened in 1907 and has hosted world leaders, celebrities, and cultural icons, will close for several years starting in January 2027 to repair and restore its landmark-protected façade. While the management team behind the hotel said the restoration will be carried out “alongside adherence to applicable historic preservation requirements,” the planning and execution of the works remain under review.
When contacted for an update on the restoration, the management team told Newsweek it has no further comment beyond its recent statement. Julie Satow, author of The Plaza: The Secret Life of America's Most Famous Hotel, told Newsweek that the Plaza Hotel “harkens back to an earlier era of grandeur and glamour for so many people, both native New Yorkers and visiting tourists.” “Its history is really the history of New York City itself,” Satow said. The Plaza Hotel is among a string of historic buildings in the Big Apple and elsewhere in the country that are undergoing work.
The Flatiron Building, the iconic 1902 skyscraper that’s being converted into luxury apartments. The building's exterior was illuminated for the first time in its 124-year history earlier this year, with a new lighting installation. Last month, plans for a milestone conversion of Brooklyn's 1909 Hotel Bossert into the Ritz-Carlton Residences, Brooklyn Heights, were also unveiled.
According to the American Institute of Architects (AIA), nearly half of America’s 125 million buildings are more than 50 years old, underscoring the scale of existing structures in the U.S. that could be reimagined, which also comes with environmental benefits. The AIA has found that reusing buildings can avoid 50 to 75 percent of the carbon emissions associated with new construction. The conversions are amid a growing call for the adaptive reuse and improvement of existing buildings, instead of constructing new structures.
According to RentCafe, nearly 25,000 apartments were created from repurposed buildings in 2024, a 50 percent increase from the previous year. Gordon Gill, the architect behind the Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia, which will be the world’s tallest building upon completion, told Newsweek in June that “the greatest opportunity in the U.S. for innovation is in the programming of cities,” noting that the real potential lies in rethinking what we already have. The architect said maintaining and refreshing existing building stock is vital for sustainability and for avoiding obsolescence.
Satow said any building “that is as old as the Plaza needs vigilant upkeep,” pointing to New York City’s Waldorf Astoria, rebuilt in its current location in 1931, which “underwent an extensive, years-long, $2 billion renovation.” The author added: “To own these buildings is a civic responsibility, and keeping them renovated and functioning is part of that.” Joseph Aiello, president of the Broadway Construction Group in New York City, told Newsweek: “The Plaza matters because buildings like it are part of how New York sees itself,” pointing to the group’s work on The Beekman, another historic New York hotel that was restored “to bring the nine-story atrium, skylight and ironwork back to life.” Reflecting on the challenges of restoring a century-old landmark like the Plaza Hotel, Aiello said: “You’re building around history,” noting how every decision around the work on The Beekman went through the Landmarks Preservation Commission and the city’s fire department. He said: “You have to keep what makes the building special while bringing life safety, mechanical systems, and guest expectations up to current standards.” Krixelle Sant, co-founder and chief financial steward at Kind House Buyers, told Newsweek: “Historic hotels have unique brand recognition that cannot be replicated by a brand-new hotel. However, they require continued heavy investment to maintain the property.
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