History and architecture
Henry J. Hardenbergh designed the Plaza Hotel, built from 1905 to 1907 at Fifth Avenue and Central Park South. Its white-brick and marble exterior rises to steep roofs and dormer windows inspired by French Renaissance architecture. The hotel opened on October 1, 1907.
The open space of Grand Army Plaza is part of the experience. Unlike a hotel pressed into a continuous street wall, the Plaza can be seen from several directions and across the park's edge. Compare the Fifth Avenue side's gables with the Central Park South side's roof and dormers, joined by the corner towers.
What to look for
- Steep roofs, dormer windows, and ornamental copper cresting.
- Rounded corner towers joining the two main facades.
- The hotel front seen across the Pulitzer Fountain in Grand Army Plaza.
Sources and further reading
Reviewed September 5, 2026.