The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-27
HOTEL COMMODORE
WILL OPEN TO-DAY
Management Of New Hostelry
Expects 100000 Guests
This Year.
1000 OUTSIDE ROOMS
Thirty-three Story Structure
Has 1000 Help and %
Elevators.
1000 OUTSIDE ROOMS

Whatever New York's shortcomings
In transportation facilities or other pub
lie utilities may be the first month OF
1919 finds tho city better equipped in
first class modern hotels than ever be-
fore in It's history
To-day will mark the unofic,al ant
Tomorrow the official opening Of the
new Hotel Commodore. The new hote
faces south In For;y-second street
adjoining the Grand Central Termina
and overlooking Pershing Square. The
Commodore, according to the word Of its
builders and the management, is the last
word in hotel construction. and It's oper-
ators promise that Its service will be the
sum total OF what the most discriminat.
ing traveller may require.
The Commodore IS the second large
New York hotel to be opened within a
veeN saturday tho doors OF the Hote
Pennsylvania. opposite the Pennsylva-
MIA terminal and to be operated as a mem
Der Of the Statler group. threw It's doors
open to the public The Commodore will
be operated as ono Of the Bowman group
under the direction Of John MoN Bow.
man, president Of che Biltmors, Manhat-
tan. AnsoniA, Belmont and Murray Hill
hotels. George w. Sweeney will bs the
resident manager.
The new Commodore Is a thirty-three
story structure. Ave below tho stree,
level and twenty-eisht above. Like most
of the hotels In the neighborhood OF the
Grand Central Terminal, II 10 connected
with the depot and the Forty-second
street subway station by underground
passages Approximately $4,000 tons OF
steel were used in the skeleton OF the
building.
All Outside Rooms.
The architectural plans Of the Com
modore were prepared by Warren a
Wetnore and have provided that every
one OF the 1000 rooms Ia an outside
room. Each-ts supplied with a bath and
each connected with an artificial venti-
lation system that supplies a constant
flow Of filtered air.
l"eHty-tWO nlHn speeu eleCITlC Gle
vators equipped with the most modern
safety devices have been installed. The
main lobby Of the Commodore 10 said to
be the largest OF any hotel In the world
and Is entirely surrounded by q mezza-
nine balcony. The decorations of the
lobby are tapestries and tile panels OF
ancient design imported from Africa
The walls are OF stucco with a wains-
coting OF travatine stone, and the floor it
of marble. Leading from Depew place,
between the Commodore and the Grand
Central. Is an automobile driveway with
an entrance 10 the meZ3anine floor OF the
balcony, a new and distinctive feature
OF hotel construction
The ballroom of tho Commodore Is
81 by $50 feet. and the claim is also
made for il that it is the largest room
OF its kind In the world.
The cuisine OF the new Commodore
will be under the direction OF Chef Leony
c. Derouet, the French gastronomic ex-
pert who Is remembered by New York
ers az the epicurean genius who cooked
the famous Bradley Martin dinner. The
main kitchen a well as the smaller ones
are all above the street level.
The space areas Of the new hotel in
clude for the public 81 500. service g..
900, bedrooms $40 900. corridors 10l 400
stairs 2,622 square feet and the tota
length OF the corridors is 1890 feet
Ready for Many Guests.
Robert J. Kennedy. publicity director
OF the Bowman group OF hotels, said
yesterday that the management expected
to register a million guests at tho new
hotel before the end OF the year. More
than 1000 employees will be on the irf
Stitution's payroll.
We have already received great
many wires reservlng accommodations
practically from the opening date" Mr.
Kennedy said. I'VE also have a great
many important banquets and public
functions booked for the coming season
Speaking generally OF the service thai
the Commodore will seek to provide Mr.
Kennedy said
1T may not occur TO the avearge per.
son that the wants OF a population o,
2,00o--from water supply to a tooth
pick-must be provided in hotel and
town alike. with the difference that
the needs OF the hotel population are or
an incomparably higher plane. rendering
their supply a more extensive and q
more expensive proposition.
ION each floor OF the Commodore there
will be a clerk who will be the persona
representative OF the management, who
will supply the needs OF the residents
with accuracy and expedition. For these
purposes and such emergencies as fire
and Illness the floor clerk in a hote
OF this great size Is absolutely indIspen.
sable.
"A glance at the telephone service
installed In the Commodore should make
most OF those who have battled against
suburban telephone service entertain
ideas Of removing permanently TO IN,
new hotel. To operate the system will
require a force OF fifty persons. The
installation cost Ia more than $4,000
The contract calls for one million loca
messages year. and there are more
than two hundred trunk lines. Will
two thousand private extensions scat.
tered throughout the building, the sery
Ice will be more extensive than that ir
the Kingdom OF Greece, which has nj
area Of $4,000 square miles
The silverware contract Is a tire
mendous one, calling for over one hun
dred and fifty thousand pieces, costiul
over 100000.
THE linen contract is tho largest eve,
given Tor single organization. and two
mills were worked to capacity at Bel
fast Ireland. In order 10 avoid IN,
danger OF losing the entire order through
U-boat activities the linen was shippet
during the war TO this country in SINAI
lots.
THE carpets, rugs and tapestries con.
tracted for would furnish the homes ir
n city the size OF Yonkers.
THE kitchens, as might be guessed
will be numerous, and the largest am
finest and most complete OF their kim
OF any hotel In the world. It is esti
mated that from them will he served
over six million meals this year"
Plan 10 Reduce street Accidents,