InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has reopened the InterContinental New York Barclay hotel following a 20-month, $180 million renovation. The revitalization of the iconic property included necessary upgrades and the restoration of the original design by Cross & Cross, the former architecture firm famous for its design of the flagship Tiffany & Co. building on Fifth Avenue.
IHG Design Studio oversaw the project, which was completed by Stonehill & Taylor Architects, HOK, and Shawmut Construction. A new, more open lobby now leads to a Carrara marble grand staircase, while artwork, such as antique maps and Hudson River School landscapes from the 1800s, was selected to honor the Barclay’s 1920s heritage. Classical furnishings, from urns and sculptures to pieces with damask and rinceau patterns, accent the Federalist design motif, seen in elements such as the eagle medallion doorplates gracing the doors of each of the 704 generously sized guestrooms—among the original design details still intact.
Two ballrooms—the 4,954-square-foot Grand and the 3,500-square-foot Empire—feature 17-foot=tall coffered ceilings, stunning chandeliers, and custom crown molding and millwork. Included in the Barclay’s 15,000 square feet of social space is the Club InterContinental and the Gin Parlour, which is inspired by 1920s Dutch and English gin bars.
The Barclay has also set a goal to become the first hotel to align with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
