Architect Morris Lapidus designed over-the-top hotels in the 50s and 60s. In his own time many of his buildings were largely unloved by the larger design community and dozens (with the exception of the Eden Roc and Fontainbleau in Miami) have been altered beyond recognition. In New York City, two that still exist in a more recognizable form are the Summit Hotel (now a Doubletree) and the Americana, now the Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers from 1962. While the base of the Americana is now fairly unrecognizable due to a 1980s recladding, the overall massing of the building still highlights Lapidus’ interest in form and material.
This vintage postcard however shows that the building from a basic standpoint is almost completely unchanged. Because of the massive size of the building it’s hard to get in one shot but here are a few recent images.
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