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Introducing the World's Tallest Holiday Inn

Introducing the World's Tallest Holiday Inn

The 467 foot tower is organized around the clean lines of a 4 mm thick aluminum composite material (ACM) panel system.

Tourists in Manhattan might now be overheard saying something to the effect of:

“Did you go to the observation deck at the Empire State building!?”

“No, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn.”

Rightfully so, as there is a new way to experience the Big Apple: 50 stories in the air, in a bed, at the “world’s tallest” Holiday Inn just three blocks south of the World Trade Center.

The 490-room, full-service hotel was designed by Gene Kaufman Architect (GKA) in collaboration with Gwathmey Siegel Kaufman & Associates Architects (GSKA), who created the façade. When asked about the “world’s tallest” designation, Kaufman recounts, “The building was originally 42 stories and after development rights were obtained for an additional seven stories, we figured out how to make it an even 50. Only then did someone suggest finding out if that would make it the tallest Holiday Inn.”

The 176,600-square-foot Holiday Inn has a low-rise base that complements the surrounding streetscape. Atop the plinth is a dramatic tower with graduated setbacks, from which striking views of the city, the harbor and the Hudson River can be seen from a large number of rooms.

  • Facade Manufacturer
    Allied Specialty Group, Inc./Allied Metal (metal panel fabricator); Crystal Window & Door Systems, Ltd (windows)
  • Architects
    Gene Kaufman Architect, P.C.
  • Facade Installer
    Cava Construction and Development Inc. (General Contractor), PG Drywall (installer)
  • Facade Consultants
    Gwathmey Siegel Kaufman & Associates Architects (GSKA)
  • Location
    New York, NY
  • Date of Completion
    September 2014
  • System
    Estolga® 3000 Dry-Seal
  • Products
    115,000 square feet of 4 mm Reynobond® aluminum composite material (ACM) with a fire-resistant core, Champagne Metallic Colorweld® 500XL paint finish; Windows: Custom Powder Coat “Red” finish, Energy-efficient Glazing featuring PPG(r) Solarban(tm) Low-E, Sound-Reduction glazing configuration

A preliminary building shell design incorporating modular bricks presented both geometric and weight issues. Because the site has limited space for construction staging and is constrained by irregular property lines, Kaufman and his team sought out a more lightweight, flexible system that allowed for an angular floor plate. “Although we like brick and use it for most of our projects, we looked for and found a very slender metal panel system that could accommodate all of these conditions and all of the issues related to the building’s height.”

According to PG Drywall, installing the Reynobond material going up 467 feet with perfectly aligned metal panel joints running from the bottom to the top of the building was presented a unique challenge. The setbacks required frequent reworking and moving of swing scaffolding and mast climbers in a limited staging area.

The project was completed in just 10 months. The installation was aided by the use of Allied Metal’s patented Dry-Seal Gasket System, an open V-joint system with snap-in silicone gasket (110 PSF) and locking progress that exceeds the New York City Building Code requirements and is compatible with the attachment and panel in the 1.5-inch space mandated by the limited space air rights.

Another advantage to selecting a metal panel system was contextual, says Kaufman: “People refer to the streets in this area as ‘canyons’ because they are so narrow and the buildings so tall that the streets can be very dark. We chose a very light color with a metallic finish that would reflect light down into the streets. We also created a setback tower on a base. These decisions, and taking advantage of being only one block from the river, help light the streetscape.” The jewel-like, multifaceted facade, with its silver cladding that captures and reflects the light, creates a striking image while brightening the street-level pedestrian landscape.

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