New Britain herald., 1916-03-18
GOTHAM WILL HAVE
 2,500 ROOM HOTEL
Greatest in the World, Will Rep resent $15,0O0,000 Investment

New York, March 1S.-The 1arg- ! est hotel in the world is to be erect ed in New York city. It is to be l situated somewhere in the Times 1 Square district close to the conver-
 gence of two of the city's principal subways. It is to cost 15,OOO,OOO and
 is to have 2,500 rooms or more,
 which is nearly twice as many rooms
 as the largest hotel now in existence. 1 The S15, 100000 is to be divided be-
 tween the cost of the site and the ] cost or erecting and equipping the 1 building. The hotel is to be called The Commonwealth
 The largest single building contract
 ever made for the erection of hotel
 Is the one signed by the Comm on-
 wealth Hotel Construction corpora
 tion with Hoggson Brothers. con-
 tracing designers. This single con- | tract, in accordance with the prac tce of Hoggson Brothers, covers the
 designing, the construction, the dec
 oration and the equipment of the building. The work is to be done
 within certain limit of cost which l the builders guarantee they will not | exceed.
 Starrett & Van Vleck, and Beverly 1
 which have many notable buildings
 to thelr credit, are the architects. H. L. Merry, until lately of the firm
 of Merry & Boomer, managers of the 1 McAlpin and Claridge hotels in New
 York, is to be manager of the pro- 1 posed hotel. Mr. Merry is among the
 five most noted hotel managers in the | United States his partner being an- l other of the five. MT. Merry has 1 signed two contracts, one with the l Commonwealth Hotel Construction corporation by which he becomes ! manager of the hotel upon it's com l pletion. The other is with Hoggson l Brothers, by which the famous hotel 1 manager becomes an expert adviser in 1 the planning of the proposed hotel. 1oO,OOO Stockholders. The. plan by which the new hotel project is being financed is one of the many unique aspects of the enter prise. The $15,OOO,OOO in capital stock in the company has been di- vided into 150, 0,000 shares of $10O each. These are being sold to ap- proXimately 15O,O0O people. Under a cooperative plan, one shareholder will be on the same basis as another and none of the shareholders will own more than one share of stock except the directors.
 The directors are required to hold at least three shares of stock. Thirty prominent bankers, merchants and manufacturers will act in this ca pacity.
 Other cooperative features of the enterprise are distinctly novel. Each shareholder is to be entitled to re- bates up to twenty per cent. on all money spent by that shareholder for food and lodging at the hotel. He or she is also entitled to the service of a shopping bureau which, in ad- ditiOn to giving expert advice upon buying, is to procure substantial dis counts upon all purchases made through it.
 The whole plan of the Hotel Com monwealth is in fact almost entire- ly different from anything else that exists.
 Private Door for Men.
 The bachelor who comes to New York longing for club life will find a floor esigned to meet his needs, which no woman will be permitted to invade. Close at hand he will find swimming pool, gymnasium, squash and handball courts indoor golf course, billiard rooms and Russian and Turkish baths,-and all the rest of the equipment of a frst-class club. 1
 The woman who comes to New York unattended will find haven of ] refuge on the floor devoted entirely to 1 unattended women. There will also ] be well equipped hospital and 1 nursery for the children of guests.