Famed NYC hotel reopens, shedding migrant shelter past for Times Square tourists

ROW NYC, the once-infamous Manhattan migrant hotel that was a shelter site for nearly three years, quietly reopened to tourists last week.

Fresh flowers beautified the front and wheelie suitcases crowded the lobby on Friday as the 1,300-room Midtown property was back offering “modern” rooms and “inviting” stays for a few hundred bucks a night.

“When they said that they reopened today I was wondering what are the things they did to fix it because it looks good,” said guest Efrain Santiago, 50.

“The room is really clean and neat. I’m on the 24th floor with a great view. The employees and manager have been great to us,” added Santiago, who is visiting from Puerto Rico.

The glossy reboot includes Percy All Day, a new 90‑seat bar and café that stretches along the lobby, offering espresso and croissants in the morning and cocktails and small plates at night.

Message from Jim Robinson:

Dear FRiends,

We need your continuing support to keep FR funded. Your donations are our sole source of funding. No sugar daddies, no advertisers, no paid memberships, no commercial sales, no gimmicks, no tax subsidies. No spam, no pop-ups, no ad trackers.

If you enjoy using FR and agree it's a worthwhile endeavor, please consider making a contribution today:

Click here: to donate by Credit Card

Or here: to donate by PayPal

Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794

Thank you very much and God bless you,

Jim

Migrant illegal watching on 80 inch TV in his government paid apartment: “You just wait, baby, we’ll be back up there in the hotel when I put together some Minnesota style fraud deals. We’ll be having room service up there again.”

Song by Al Kooper on his album Black Coffee.

COMIN’ BACK IN A CADILLAC
Words & Music by Al Kooper
(Black Coffee, 2005)

Right now I dont have a dime
Most folks say the way I live is a crime
My telephone it dont get no call
I guess I dont amount to too much at all
But I know that one day everything’ll be okay
Just ya wait & see

You might say I dont live high on the hog
Im unemployable - no one will front me a job
I live from day to day on a handout or two
And I can’t say a word when someone asks me whats new
But I know that pretty soon that i might hang the moon
Just ya wait & see

Hey I’ll be comin’ back in a Cadillac
Livin in some mansion
Not some shotgun shack
I’ll be comin’ back
Sho nuff in a Cadillac

I dont own no suit, no fancy dress shirt
Anything I wear is usually covered with dirt
I dont have a woman or a girlfriend to love
All I have is faith in the Creator above
But I know that one day everything’ll be okay
Just ya wait and see

Then I’ll be comin back in a Cadillac
Right from the direction of the right side of the tracks
I’ll be comin back
Sho nuff in a Cadillac

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.