The History of Jumeirah Essex House

• October 30, 1929:  Construction begins in the hotel designed by Frank Grad. The hotel Was originally called Park Tower and then Seville Towers.  The New York Stock market crashed and the Great Depression hits New York.
• October 1, 1931: The Essex House opens!  To commemorate the opening, a gala event was hosted by Albert Auwaerter, the hotel’s first General Manager,  in the hotel’s Colonnades ballroom for 1000 guests in evening attire. 
• 1932 : The six-story sign is erected to identify the hotel.  The Reconstruction Finance Corporation takes the title and retains ownership for nearly 15 years.
• 1930’s: Sunday Brunch.  An innovation at the Essex House, the stroller’s brunch, as it was called, was designed originally to attract those who were completing Sunday morning walks in Central Park.  Then, as now, these elaborate meals were leisurely affairs, starting at noon and lasting until late afternoon. 
• 1939: The New York World’s Fair opens in 1939 and rooms are filled at the Essex House
• 1940-1945: During World War II many of the rooms of the Essex House are set aside for military use only.  The sign on top of the roof is blacked out.
• 1946:  Samuel H. Goling, chairman of Sterling National Bank and Trust Company purchase the Essex House
• 1968 -1998: More ownership changes; Marriott purchases the hotel in 1969 and then Nikko Hotels takes over in 1985.
• January 16, 2006:  Jumeirah takes over the, now, Jumeirah Essex House.  A 90 million dollar refurbishment program beings.
• October, 2007: the hotel refurbishment is finished.
• February, 2008: South Gate opens. New York’s new dining destination opens inside the Jumeirah Essex House.