Times Square Hotel
Why it's listed
Located at 255 West 43rd Street on the corner of Eighth Avenue, this fifteen-story hotel was built in 1922-23 by developer Henry Claman and designed by the firm Gronenberg & Leuchtag. It has tan brick walls, a two-story rusticated limestone base, and terra cotta trim inspired by Italian Renaissance architecture. Four wings, separated by light courts, rise from a shared base, a hotel form also used at the nearby Hotel Pennsylvania. Inside, an L-shaped, two-story lobby retains pink marble walls, terrazzo floors, a mezzanine balcony and an ornate plaster ceiling. Claman first planned the hotel for single men, but the idea failed and within a year it had new management, a new name and was open to all guests. It was the first hotel erected in the Times Square district after World War I and helped start the 1920s building boom that shaped the area as New York's entertainment and tourist center. It was listed for its role in that development and for its architecture.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the hotel was the first built in the Times Square district after World War I, starting a building boom and setting a precedent for later hotels. It is also an example of a hotel in the traditional Renaissance-inspired style popular in the early 1920s, and it represents the work of its architectural firm.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 95000530, listed May 4, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 255 W. 43rd St., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Manhattan |
| Listed | May 4, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000530 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1922-44 |
| Architect / builder | Gronenberg & Leuchtag (architects); Henry Claman (builder/developer) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals/Italian Renaissance |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture, Entertainment/Recreation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function is listed as multiple dwelling; the form says the building retains a very high degree of integrity, though all windows above the second story have been replaced. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.75798, -73.98894 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 95000530.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7806559
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.