How a glitzy New York hotel became the epicenter of the migrant crisis

Daily Mail​

20-07-2025

Standing on the corner of Manhattan's 45th Street and Madison Avenue, The Roosevelt Hotel was once the pinnacle of New York City glitz and glamor. However, in recent years, the once–posh and presidential establishment has seen struggles like never before, leading to the announcement of its permanent closure by NYC Mayor Eric Adams in February 2025. The iconic hotel's shutdown earlier this month came after it spent two years housing the hundreds of thousands of migrants flooding to the US during the peak of the country's immigration crisis. In 2022 Manhattan's historic Roosevelt Hotel was transformed into a shelter to house the asylum seekers in May 2023 and, over the course of the last two years, 155,000 people from 160 countries walked in and out of the hotel's doors.
The situation was a far cry from the pomp and ceremony which marked the hotel's opening in 1924, in honor of President Theodore 'Teddy' Roosevelt. Set over 1,025 rooms, the opulent hotel boasted a luxury fitness center and an indoor swimming pool, and even sat atop a secret tunnel system. Over the next 101 years, the establishment played host to Hollywood legends, towering literary figures such as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, and influential lawmakers. In February of this year, in light of dwindling migrant numbers, Adams called time on the hotel–turned–shelter and it closed its doors for the last time in July. Now, as the Roosevelt Hotel stands empty, Daily Mail has taken a deep dive into its rich history.
The Roosevelt Hotel first opened its doors on September 22, 1924, after overcoming setbacks due to the 1916 Zoning Resolution – the city's first citywide zoning code, enacted to prevent massive buildings from blocking light and fresh air. The hotel cost $12 million to build, equivalent to around $226.4 million today. Named after US President Theodore 'Teddy' Roosevelt, the hotel was originally operated by New–York United Hotels Inc., but when the company went bankrupt in 1934, Roosevelt Hotels Inc. took over until 1943, when it was acquired by Hilton. In December 1925, several members of the Roosevelt family dedicated a plaque in the lobby to the late president. The memorial featured a Ding Darling cartoon that appeared in the New–York Tribune the day of the former president's death.
Architects George B. Post & Sons fashioned the hotel with an Italian Renaissance Revival–style façade. The group aimed to reflect the ideals of Roosevelt through its structure and building. In a nod to the president's dedication to public service, the architects envisioned the building to provide premium comfort and hospitality to visitors. Many of the architectural details were inspired by historic US buildings, according to Untapped New York. The stunning paneled walls and fluted pilasters of the hotel's primary dining hall are inspired by those in New York's City Hall. Elongated windows in the banquet hall are reminiscent of those in Annapolis's Chase House, a classic example of Georgian architecture. Other architectural features are nods to Kenmore, a colonial Virginia Mansion, and the Octagon House in Washington DC.
The 19–story structure's ground floor largely contained shops, while the first floor featured the hotel lobby, dining rooms, and other public areas. Hotel rooms, which there were 1,025 of, began on the third floor and spread up to the 18th floor. Several novel features made the hotel stand out from others of its kind – including a kennel for guests' pets, a child–care service, and an in–house doctor. In the hotel's early years, it became known for hosting a multitude of events – from country musical recitals to car exhibits, athlete luncheons to coin displays, and even pet shows. The Roosevelt was also home to award shows of all varieties throughout the years, including the Peabody Awards and the Annual Writers Guild of America Awards – which was attended by the likes of Salma Hayek and Brad Pitt in 1998.
Infamous band leader Guy Lombardo – who was responsible for making Auld Lang Syne the definitive song of New Year's Eve – also began leading the house band of the Roosevelt Grill in 1929. He held an annual New Year's Eve radio broadcast at the hotel with his band, the Royal Canadians. Several Republican Party candidates and campaigns used the Roosevelt Hotel for offices and headquarters. The National Republican Congressional Committee opened an office at the hotel in 1930, and Fiorello La Guardia operated a campaign office there during the 1941 New York City mayoral election. The Midtown hotel was not only popular with politicians, it had its fair share of celebrity guests.
In fact, the latest star to stay the night at the historic hotel was Eva Mendes, who spent the night in the swanky Roosevelt Suite, according to the Gothamist. The Roosevelt Suite was home to American hotelier and businessman Conrad Hilton – of Hilton Hotels – while he lived in the building in the 1940s. Editor and magazine publisher Hugo Gernsback had his own room on the 18th floor where he created and recorded his very own radio station, WRNY. Not only did celebrities stay in the glamorous suites at the Roosevelt, many also filmed iconic movies within the hotel's walls. The hotel appeared in classics, such as 'The French Connection', 'Quiz Show', and 'Malcolm X'. In 'Wall Street', Michael Douglas's ruthless broker character Gordon Gekko delivered the infamous 'greed is good' speech from the Roosevelt's grand ballroom.
The hotel was also used by Sacha Baron Cohen in his movie 'The Dictator' and by Martin Scorsese in his mob biopic 'The Irishman', which starred Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. Jennifer Lopez played the lead character Marisa Ventura in the 2002 RomCom 'Maid in Manhattan', which was filmed at the Roosevelt Hotel. Among its quirks: a secret tunnel three levels beneath the hotel once connected it to Grand Central Terminal. And unlike most hotels, its high-tech kitchen was proudly on display at street level. The hotel closed during the pandemic in 2020, reopened as a migrant shelter in 2023 under a $220 million deal, then closed again in July 2025. Adams said it would save taxpayers 'millions'. As the Roosevelt shut its doors, diapers remained stocked in the gift shop, and a handwritten map in Spanish reminded migrants: 'You are here.'