Hotel Restoration*
American Youth Hostel
New York, NY
Originally built in 1883—by the Association for the Relief of Respectable Aged Indigent Females—as a residential facility, this neo-classical landmark is one of the surviving works of the renowned 19th century architect Richard Morris Hunt. It features dormer windows, a mansard roof and two-foot-thick lower walls. Other surviving examples of Hunt’s work in New York include the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty and the facade and great hall of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
After serving as a nursing home in its later years, the 90,000 SF structure stood abandoned and boarded up for more than ten years. A victim of neglect and arson, it gradually fell into a state of disrepair.
In the 1990s, the building was bought and restored by American Youth Hostel. Its interior was converted to a 477-bed youth hostel with a 126 seat restaurant. The original chapel was also restored and modernized for use as a meeting space and theater. Anton Martinez*, principal at daSILVA Architects, served as project architect for the survey and restoration of the building.
Because the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and also has landmark designation, all changes were reviewed and approved prior to implementation.
* Anton Martinez was the project manager for the American Youth Hostel prior to joining daSILVA Architects.