After 119 years as one of New York City’s most celebrated addresses, the Plaza Hotel in Midtown Manhattan is preparing to close for at least four years as it undergoes extensive restoration work.
The Plaza’s management team announced the plans Wednesday, saying the landmark property’s exterior will be repaired and restored.
“Due to the complexity of this undertaking and significant intrusion to operations, The Plaza Hotel will be closing for at least four years commencing January 2027 while the work is underway,” management said in a statement.
The cost of the project has not been disclosed. Officials said the renovation will center primarily on the hotel’s façade.
The French Renaissance-style hotel became even more famous after appearing in the 1992 movie Home Alone 2, which starred Macaulay Culkin and included a cameo by Donald Trump, then a businessman.
One Plaza employee told Our News Outlet that she learned of the planned shutdown Wednesday. It remains uncertain whether staff members will be transferred or otherwise supported during the lengthy closure.
The announcement also leaves questions for residents of the iconic building. Located at 1 Central Park South, the Plaza includes 181 privately owned residences in addition to its 282 hotel rooms.
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, the company that operates the Plaza, said the restoration will involve extensive coordination with stakeholders and must meet strict historic-preservation standards.
The property’s last major closure came during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when the hotel remained closed for more than a year.
New York City’s landmark Plaza Hotel will close for at least four years beginning in January 2027 to allow for extensive restoration work.
The Plaza gained global recognition after featuring in the 1992 film Home Alone 2, starring Macaulay Culkin and including a cameo by Donald Trump, now president.
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Fairmont Hotels & Resorts said restoring the Plaza will demand extensive planning, stakeholder coordination and compliance with historic-preservation rules.
The hotel previously received a sweeping makeover from 2005 to 2008. That $450 million restoration revamped the property from its lobby all the way to its roof.
The Plaza is estimated to be worth about $600 million.
Designed by architect Henry Janeway Hardenbergh, the 18-story hotel opened its doors in 1907.
A $450 million renovation carried out between 2005 and 2008 updated the Plaza throughout, extending from its grand lobby to the rooftop.
The Plaza has hosted influential figures across literature, entertainment and architecture, among them novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts said the hotel, which opened in 1907, will restore its landmark-protected exterior.
Its ornate French Renaissance-inspired design has helped make the Plaza one of Manhattan’s most recognizable landmarks.
Throughout its history, the hotel has attracted notable guests from the worlds of literature, film and architecture, including F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda, actress Marlene Dietrich and architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
The property was also once owned by Donald Trump, who purchased the hotel in 1988 and sold it in 1995.
Our News Outlet reached out to The Plaza Hotel for further comment.
