This was Donald Trump's first renovation project outside of Queens. By the late 70's the Commodore Hotel was very down on its heels. Grand Central was sheltering many of the city's homeless who were hanging around the adjacent hotel. It was funded by Hyatt who would be the operators of the hotel. There was another scheme for him to get $40 million tax abatement from the City. In order to get it, he had to show the City that he had a signed option agreement for $250,000 from Penn Central to secure the option to purchase the hotel. It appears that he didn`t have the money because he sent forms with no signature. Nevertheless, Trump's father, Fred Trump, had a long time political connection through the Brooklyn Democratic machine to then-Mayor Abraham Beame. Despite the city being in the midst of the worst fiscal crisis in its history, Beame's deputy mayor, Stanley Friedman, The abatement moved forward as if the agreement had been signed and as if Trump had paid to secure the option.Trump was then able to convince the Hyatt hotel chain to partner with the Trump Organization and purchase the Commodore.
They became the operator for the hotel. The existing hotel was reclad in bronze glass and it opened in 1980. Trump and Hyatt parted ways acrimoniously which ended in court some years later.
Exterior view with the Grand Central in the foreground
design of the building includes a reflective glass curtain wall installed directly over the old masonry skin of the Commodore, resulting in significant energy savings and the aesthetic benefits of a new look and image
The Trump Organization rebuilt the hotel at a cost of US$100 million, gutting the first few floors of the interior down to their steel frame (although the same basic layout of public rooms was retained) and placing a new reflective glass facade on top of the existing masonry exterior
The dining hall at the Grand Hyatt
1980 - Renovation
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1980 - Renovation - Images
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From left on June 28, 1978, were Donald Trump, son of the city developer Fred C. Trump; Mayor Ed Koch of New York; Gov. Carey; and Robert T. Dormer, executive vice president of the Urban Development Corp.
Donald Trump with Alfred Eisenpreis, New York City Economic Development Administrator. Sketch of new 1,400 room Renovation project of Commodore Hotel.