A rendering of the Empire Lounge
Nothing in New York is more iconic than the Empire State Building, and one can only imagine the massive renovations it's currently undergoing should only add to its legendary status. The lobby’s ceiling now glows with silver and gold leaf, etched glass has been uncovered and the marble floors are lustrous. What better time to open Empire Room, a sophisticated lounge in a space formerly dominated by fast-food joints and a brewery? And who more fitting to do it than Mark Grossich, whose company, Hospitality Holdings, has opened such chic watering holes as The Campbell Apartment in Grand Central Terminal, The World Bar in Trump Tower, The Carnegie Club in CitySpire Center, and Bookmarks in the Library Hotel? The Buzz chatted with Grossich while he was overseeing construction of the 3,500 sq.-ft. lounge, due to open before the end of the year.
Zagat Buzz: This space is totally gutted. What was here before? A pizza place? A doughnut shop?
Mark Grossich: It was a post office, but it’s true that there are no high-end restaurants here. The area is changing and the building is being repositioned. The owners are putting half a billion dollars into the restoration and attracting more high-profile tenants. I feel that we got in at just the right time.
ZB: Will the theme of the Empire Room be in keeping with the building?
MG: I always look for architecturally significant spaces, and, much like the Campbell Apartment, we are trying to leverage the history. The building is unbelievable. It was apparently inspired by those Ticonderoga pencils with erasers that everyone used to have, and it was built during the Depression in 18 months. Our theme is "a toast to another time," and everything will flow from that. Goodman Charlton, the architects, are staying with the art deco style – we are using wood veneer paneling, stark custom carpet and tables on raised platforms. Uniforms will be custom-made black dresses with pearls for women and black suits for men. We will serve things that were popular during the time when the building was constructed, like deviled eggs and stuffed tomatoes. The drink list will be grounded in classic cocktails like sidecars and pink ladies, and we are working on a classic gin-based cocktail served in a snifter edged with the Empire State Building logo.
ZB: This building is a major tourist attraction, but your other venues are full of affluent New Yorkers. Who will this lounge be geared to?
MG: The challenge will be to appeal to native New Yorkers, but also recognize that this will be a tourist destination. There is always a line at the elevator which goes up to the observation deck. I didn’t realize it before, but the deck is open until 2 AM! There are several high-end residential buildings going up right around here, and we would like to cater to the people who live there, and also the 14,000 to 15,000 people that work right here in the building. If I get 10% of those people as my customers, I’ll be happy.
ZB: This is a landmark building, and obviously a potential terrorist target. Was the insurance a problem?
MG: We definitely had to pay extra liability costs, and it’s a union building, so construction was also expensive.
ZB: Seems like the lounge could potentially be a popular spot for large gatherings. Are people ready to spend on parties again?
MG: I’ve gotten tons of calls for parties and from film companies wanting to shoot here. I keep telling them it’s not built yet. This is our eighth place, and party business is the only area we’ve felt some slippage, but it is absolutely starting to bounce back.
ZB: I get the feeling this room will have a very different vibe come New Year’s Eve.
– Beth Landman