History and architecture
The Hotel Belleclaire, one of a number of luxury apartment hotels constructed on the Upper West Side at the turn of the century, was the first major commission awarded to Emery Roth, at the time a struggling young architect. Roth went on to specialize in apartment house design, and during a career spanning more than forty years and well over two hundred projects, was to play an important role in the shaping of the Manhattan skyline. Best known for his towered apartment buildings on Central Park West, Roth's early work has gone largely unrecognized. The Hotel Belleclaire of 1901-03 with its references to the Art Nouveau and Secessionist movements of Europe, represents not only an interesting early phase in Roth's career, but also a fascinating stylistic anomaly in the history of New York City architecture.
Sources and further reading
This history comes from the Landmarks app’s historical catalog. Names and building uses may reflect the period described.