Overview
Originally constructed in 1928 as the Hotel Lincoln, the 27-story, 1,331-room tower once held the title of New York City’s tallest hotel. Designed as a symbol of modern engineering and hospitality, the building has undergone multiple transformations over its near-century history, each reimagining the structure to align with evolving design and technological standards.
In 2010, the property was acquired by the Rockpoint Group and Highgate Holdings, initiating an extensive $140 million renovation focused on modernizing the building’s infrastructure and guest experience while preserving its historic character. This project was designed by Gensler and included a full architectural and systems upgrade of all 1,331 guest rooms, public areas, and grand staircase flanked by transparent guest elevators. The modernized, structural glass elevators, designed by Sentech Architectural Systems, replace the existing opaque elevator enclosures with new, fully transparent cabs and shafts, integrating architectural glass and precision-engineered hardware to provide uninterrupted views through the vertical core. This feature serves as a dynamic design statement—showcasing both the hotel’s movement and its renewed sense of transparency. The structural glass elevator enclosures were designed using Sentech’s VetraNet Series system, which uses pre-tensioned cables to create an optical “net” effect. These systems can be designed using one or two-way cable arrangements on walls up to 100-feet tall. Inherently flexible, incredibly durable and resistant to high environmental loads, VetraNet facades efficiently transfer gravity, wind and seismic loads to the perimeter support structure. These proprietary systems can be used to design flat or curved facades, multiple varieties of facade shapes and aspect ratios, as well as blast-resistant or bullet-resistant applications. The system is typically designed with all tempered glass types, enabling the highest performance through efficient load transfer, energy savings and maximum transparency.
Credits
Architect: Gensler
Contractor: Structure Tone
Glazing Contractor: Empire Architectural Metals
Owner: Rockpoint Group
