DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Metropolitan New York City

569 Lexington Avenue

Company type	Dormitory (formerly hotel)
Industry	Hospitality, Real estate
Founded	1961
Founder	Morris Lapidus (architect)
Headquarters	New York City , United States
Area served	Manhattan, New York City
Key people	Hawkins Way Capital (owner)
Products	Hotel (formerly), Student residence (currently)
Owner	Hawkins Way Capital

569 Lexington Avenue—initially known as the Summit Hotel and later operating under names such as the Loews New York Hotel, Metropolitan Hotel, and DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Metropolitan New York City—is a former hotel now functioning as a dormitory located in East Midtown, Manhattan, New York City. The building was conceived by architect Morris Lapidus in collaboration with Harle & Liebman, showcasing the distinctive Miami Modern aesthetic. It stands at the southeast intersection of Lexington Avenue and 51st Street. Currently owned by Hawkins Way Capital, the property was transformed into Found Study, a student residence, in 2022. This edifice is recognized as a New York City designated landmark.

Rising twenty stories, the structure is characterized by an S-shaped form with a facade composed of marble, turquoise glazed bricks, and dark-green tiles. Retail spaces occupy the ground level along both 51st Street and Lexington Avenue. Above the main entrance, a vertical sign once displayed the hotel's original name. The building's lower levels originally contained the lobby, three restaurants inspired by Latin American cuisine, retail shops, and conference rooms. When it debuted as the Summit Hotel in 1961, it offered 800 guest rooms, including 200 featuring balconies.

Before this development, the location was home to Loew's Lexington Theatre from the 1910s. In early 1960, Loew's Theatres announced intentions to replace the theater; construction began on June 21, 1960. Opening on August 1, 1961, the Summit was Manhattan’s first newly built short-term hotel in three decades. Initial public and critical reception of its exterior and interior design was largely unfavorable, although opinions on its unique shape were divided. Over time, the hotel underwent multiple renovations and rebrandings: it was renamed Loews New York Hotel in 1991, became the Metropolitan Hotel in 2000, and adopted the DoubleTree brand in 2005 following its acquisition by a joint venture in 2003. RLJ Lodging Trust took ownership in 2011. The hotel ceased operations indefinitely in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic before being sold to Hawkins Way Capital in 2022 and repurposed as a dormitory.

Site

Situated at the southeast corner of Lexington Avenue and 51st Street within Midtown Manhattan, New York City, 569 Lexington Avenue occupies the northwest segment of a city block bordered by Lexington Avenue to the east, 50th Street to the south, Third Avenue to the west, and 51st Street to the north. The parcel is nearly rectangular and encompasses an area of . The lot extends approximately along Lexington Avenue and about along 51st Street.

Prominent neighboring structures include the Benjamin Hotel directly to the south; St. Bartholomew's Church and the General Electric Building situated to the west; the Waldorf Astoria New York positioned southwest; and 345 Park Avenue located northwest of the site. Adjacent to the building’s northern edge are entrances for the New York City Subway's Lexington Avenue/51st Street station, which serves the .

Historically, this location contained two buildings, notably much of Loew's Lexington Theater constructed during the early 1910s by Oscar Hammerstein I and subsequently acquired by Marcus Loew of Loews Corporation. The theater encompassed a smaller structure at Lexington Avenue and 51st Street measuring . Prior to these developments, during the nineteenth century, this land was occupied by the Nursery and Child's Hospital.

Architecture

The design of 569 Lexington Avenue was crafted by Morris Lapidus in partnership with the firm Harle & Liebman, originally intended as the Summit Hotel. Harle & Liebman consisted of interior designers Abby Harle and Harold Liebman, who worked alongside Lapidus until the mid-1960s. Both firms maintained offices in New York City and Miami Beach. When the Summit debuted in 1961, it marked Lapidus's inaugural hotel project in New York City and was Manhattan's first newly constructed hotel in thirty years. Its architectural style reflected the Miami Modern aesthetic, reminiscent of Lapidus’s earlier Miami Beach projects such as the Fontainebleau and Eden Roc hotels.

Form and facade

The structure occupies the entire site, featuring a single-story base at the eastern edge that rises higher due to the slope of the land. The main hotel tower extends 15 stories and follows an S-shaped massing from west to east. By curving the building’s form, Lapidus was able to accommodate 800 guest rooms—significantly more than the typical 500 rooms for a comparable site. This innovative approach aligned with other avant-garde New York architectural works of the period, including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and TWA Flight Center. The upper floors stand free on three sides, connecting only to the Girl Scouts Building on the eastern side.

The exterior combines materials such as marble, glazed brick, and tile. To create a distinctive identity for the hotel, Lapidus incorporated dark-green mosaic tiles alongside turquoise bricks, drawing inspiration from Raymond Hood’s McGraw Hill Building. The western and eastern facades are notably devoid of windows, contributing to the building’s unique visual character.

Base

The primary entrance of 569 Lexington Avenue faces Lexington Avenue itself, positioned at a slight angle relative to 51st Street. It features metal doors flanking a revolving door beneath a stainless steel marquee equipped with recessed lighting. Initially, this entrance was bordered by a small plaza paved with light terrazzo tiles and supported by stainless-steel columns that extended up to the third floor.

Originally, two dining establishments flanked this entrance: El Gaucho on the south side and Casa Del Cafe on the north. El Gaucho's facade was set below street level and featured molded stone-like latticework combined with stained-glass inserts, while Casa Del Cafe’s entrance was distinguished by stainless steel pillars. By the early 2000s, these restaurants had been replaced by retail storefronts occupying what had been plaza space. Adjacent to the northern storefront stands a raised planter retaining globe-shaped lamps from the original design; this planter once held palm-like plants. The southern storefront underwent renovation in 1990, adopting a dark-red metal facade accented by glass brick windows and a curved corner.

Along 51st Street, the western portion of the base is windowless. Its initial green mosaic tile and precast concrete exterior were replaced in 2005 with light-green rectangular glass tiles. A recessed service entrance is centrally located within this section, above which remains a band of green mosaic tile adorned with aluminum globe lamps and steel planters. The central section of the base contains three recessed storefronts separated by steel piers into bays; each bay includes four windows topped and bottomed by green-glass transoms. The easternmost segment comprises concrete panels enclosing a loading dock and parking garage entrance, both highlighted by vertical neon signs advertising garage access.

Upper stories

The upper levels, shaped in an S-configuration, are segmented into three parts: the eastern section aligns with Manhattan’s street grid, the central portion is oriented toward the northwest, and the western segment faces southwest. Both the north and south facades display vertical bays set against a backdrop of dark green mosaic tiles. Windows are separated by slightly protruding light-green brick spandrel panels that incorporate ventilation openings. Each window corresponds to two hotel rooms and is divided into a pair of sections. Beige aluminum panels cap the main window sections.

Above the Lexington Avenue entrance, the facade originally consisted of a plain Vermont marble surface without any windows. Extending from the 7th to the 13th floors near the north end of the west elevation is an illuminated sign approximately 70 feet tall, visible from all directions except the east. This sign comprises seven vertically stacked oval disks, each roughly 8.5 feet in diameter, supported by triangular braces between them. Initially, these disks spelled out "Summit," but during the hotel's rebranding in the 1990s, they were rearranged to read "Loews." When the hotel was renamed "Metropolitan" in 2000, letters were mounted in front of the brackets and ovals rather than directly on them.

Atop the building sits a three-story penthouse set back from the roof edge, featuring a green-glass curtain wall divided into two distinct sections with private patios, flanking a central mechanical area.

Features

The Summit Hotel was pioneering in New York City as the first hotel constructed with a reinforced concrete superstructure, which eliminated reliance on steel ceiling beams. This innovation enabled higher ceiling heights and more adaptable room configurations. The concrete framework also proved to be more economical and offered superior soundproofing. Architect Lapidus, drawing on his expertise with reinforced concrete, intentionally excluded steel from the design. The hotel was equipped with four passenger elevators alongside two service lifts.

Supporting the hotel was a five-level parking garage accommodating 250 vehicles, including three subterranean floors. Initial designs proposed between 225 and 300 parking spaces. Upon opening, the Summit provided an assortment of foreign automobiles for international visitors, featuring several right-hand drive cars tailored to guests from countries with opposite driving orientations.

Lobby

Lapidus incorporated multiple functions within the hotel's lower floors: a reception area, three dining venues, a men's clothing store, a barber shop, and meeting rooms. The public dining spaces comprised three Latin American-themed restaurants: Gaucho Steak House, Colombian Coffee House, and Carioca Cocktail Lounge. Each establishment was styled whimsically to evoke imaginative interpretations of Latin American culture. The Gaucho Steak House featured metal light fixtures modeled after steer skulls and gold naugahyde wall coverings; the Carioca Lounge included a rosewood bar, Venetian glass walls, redwood paneling, calf-hide accents, and wooden draperies; while the coffee shop showcased cast stone panels inspired by pre-Columbian art along with a sculpture made from machine components, decorated in shades of pink, purple, mauve, and orange. Additionally, an event venue known as the Embassy Ballroom was located within the hotel.

To compensate for its relatively small size, the lobby employed a vibrant color scheme designed to divert attention. It boasted gold mosaic ceilings alongside Indian rosewood walls and columns accented with gold strips. The reception desk was finished in mosaic tile. Walls were adorned with blue-green fabric panels and ornamental lighting sconces shaped like wreaths. Originally outfitted with white terrazzo flooring inlaid with blue-green tiles, this was initially covered by blue-green rugs paired with transparent plastic chairs; however, within three months of opening, these were replaced by brown-gold rugs and upholstered seating. The lobby underwent renovations inspired by Art Deco aesthetics during the 1990s and experienced further updates in the early 2000s.

An open staircase leading from the lobby down to restrooms and the ballroom featured a mural representing an abstract concept of ascending toward a summit. Bright lighting guided visitors toward elevators; due to their intensity, these lights required a dedicated air-conditioning system. Elevator doors were decorated with porcelain enamel panels showcasing hues of blue, green, turquoise, purple, and black.

Guest Accommodations

When the Summit Hotel first opened, it comprised 800 rooms for guests, with 200 of these featuring balconies on the upper levels. Each accommodation included a separate pantry area equipped with a refrigerator/bar and washbasin, set apart from the main living space. The furnishings consisted of a combined bureau and desk with mirror and drawers, a bench designed for multiple occupants, and metal studs intended for securing suitcases. Every room was outfitted with movable television sets, electric shoe polishers, and two telephones—one installed in the bedroom and another in the bathroom. Ceilings measured 8 feet in height, and the floors were fully carpeted throughout.

The hotel’s top three floors contained five distinguished suites named Continental, Presidential, Sunset, Summit, and Villa d'Este. Each suite boasted floor-to-ceiling windows alongside private terraces that offered panoramic views of the city skyline.

History

The completion of Grand Central Terminal's underground section in 1913 triggered swift growth in Terminal City and brought about a rise in property values. This development included prominent office structures such as the Chanin Building, Bowery Savings Bank Building, and New York Central Building. Lexington Avenue emerged as a center for prestigious hotels like the Lexington, Shelton, Belmont Plaza, Barclay, Waldorf Astoria, and Beverly. These establishments catered to visitors attending events at the Grand Central Palace exhibition hall and later accommodated guests visiting the United Nations headquarters established during the 1950s.

Project Genesis

In January 1960, Loew's Theatres’ board approved a feasibility study to replace the Loew's Lexington Theatre following a proposal from major stakeholder Laurence Tisch. Early concepts involved constructing a hotel alongside an integrated movie theater; however, plans shifted to eliminate the theater component in favor of a separate nearby venue. The Loew's Lexington Theatre ceased operations on April 3, 1960, and was demolished shortly thereafter. Subsequently, Loew's revealed intentions to build an 800-room hotel designed by Morris Lapidus along with Kornblath, Harle & Liebman—marking the company's inaugural hotel venture. Tisch projected a "tremendous" net profit from this investment. Diesel Construction Company was engaged as general contractor, with initial designs featuring an S-shaped building containing four dining areas and a garage accommodating 150 vehicles.

Groundbreaking took place on June 21, 1960. Originally named Americana, it was poised to become Manhattan’s first major hotel constructed after World War II following the cancellation of the Zeckendorf Hotel project. By August, to distinguish it from another Americana project on Seventh Avenue (now Sheraton New York Times Square), it was renamed Americana East. In November 1960, the hotel adopted its final name—the Summit—to prevent confusion; at this point, its concrete frame was rapidly ascending at a pace of two floors per week—the fastest recorded for reinforced concrete construction at that time. In February 1961, construction hours were restricted by court order due to noise complaints; by then, the structure had reached 19 stories in height. Additionally, Loew's created room mockups in the basement of the Capitol Theatre.

In early 1961, Claudius C. Philippe—formerly affiliated with the Waldorf Astoria—was appointed executive vice president by Loew's, while Robert Huyot assumed the role of managing director. The Summit undertook an extensive hiring campaign involving interviews with approximately 4,000 applicants for around 650 positions. To attract an international clientele, staff members were required to speak multiple languages; room clerks and bellhops needed proficiency in at least one foreign tongue. The hotel featured signage in several languages and stocked foreign-language newspapers and magazines in its lobby area. A $200,000 marketing initiative targeted movie theaters, radio outlets, and newspapers across Europe and South America. At opening, employees collectively spoke sixteen languages—including various Chinese dialects as well as Hebrew and Swahili—and European-style concierge services were available to guests.

Loew's management

A group of dignitaries gathered for a celebratory dinner on July 31, 1961, marking the hotel's completion. The Summit Hotel officially opened its doors on August 1, with notable attendees including Filipino diplomat Carlos P. Romulo, deputy mayor Paul R. Screvane, and Robert W. Watt from the Commerce and Industry Department. This establishment was Loew's Theatres' inaugural hotel venture and represented Manhattan’s first newly built short-stay hotel since the Waldorf Astoria’s debut in 1931. Valued at $25 million, the hotel featured nightly rates ranging between $15 and $185, with its Presidential Suite's initial occupant being comedian Groucho Marx. Despite a downturn in New York’s hospitality market in 1960, the Tisch brothers remained optimistic that the hotel's distinctive design and multilingual staff would draw clientele.

By September 1961, management secured an $8 million mortgage through Massachusetts Mutual. The hotel's bold design attracted criticism, leading to a toned-down lobby redesign the following month. In November, after receiving a $25 fine for unlicensed musical performances, the hotel applied for a cabaret license. Within its first year, international guests accounted for 12% of occupancy. During the 1965 mayoral race, Abraham Beame utilized the Summit as his campaign headquarters. In the late 1960s, aluminum paneling was added to the Lexington Avenue side, and Harrison A. Hartman Jr. assumed the role of general manager in 1967.

Throughout the 1980s, Maude's restaurant operated on the ground floor while the hotel hosted events such as dog shows and the Cavendish Invitational Pairs bridge tournament. Catering primarily to business travelers, it introduced complimentary continental breakfasts for corporate guests. The southern entrance plaza was transformed into a curved dark-red storefront, accompanied by a small annex addition to the northern plaza area. Loew's invested $26 million in refurbishments during this decade. In 1990, Maude's gave way to Lexington Avenue Grill, and by 1991, the hotel was rebranded as Loews New York Hotel.

During CEO Jonathan Tisch’s leadership, a $17 million renovation commenced in 2000 that restored the building’s blue-green exterior and revamped the lobby from its 1990s Art Deco-inspired look to a more vibrant "Coffee-Shop Modern" style. Concurrently, the hotel adopted the name Metropolitan with updated signage reflecting this change.

DoubleTree ownership

In July 2003, a consortium comprising Highgate Holdings, Whitehall Real Estate Funds (a Goldman Sachs affiliate), and Rockwood Capital LLC purchased the property for $122 million—equivalent to $166,667 per room. Although initially budgeting $22 million for upgrades, the owners ultimately spent $35 million enhancing all guest rooms, bar areas, restaurant facilities, windows, and penthouse suites while maintaining operations with approximately 500 rooms available during phased renovations. The total number of rooms increased from 732 to 755 by subdividing larger suites.

The hotel reopened as DoubleTree Metropolitan Hotel under the DoubleTree brand on January 26, 2005. Renovation efforts continued focusing on windows, lobby spaces, and penthouse areas. Preservation advocates expressed concerns about modifications affecting Lapidus’s original 1960s design aesthetics, leading to the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission granting landmark status to the building later that year.

RLJ Lodging Trust acquired ownership in 2011 for $135 million cash plus assumption of a $200 million mortgage; Highgate Holdings remained as operator. RLJ invested an additional $25 million renovating guest rooms with geometric patterns inspired by Lapidus’s initial design concepts.

The DoubleTree Metropolitan ceased operations permanently in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. In January 2022, Hawkins Way Capital bought the property from RLJ Lodging Trust for $146 million—less than half of RLJ’s purchase price—amounting to approximately $221,000 per room. This transaction reflected tourism declines caused by pandemic conditions in New York City. During mid-2022, amid a citywide migrant housing crisis triggered by an influx of asylum seekers, municipal officials considered repurposing the hotel as temporary housing accommodations.

Conversion into student housing

Although hotel accommodations in the city had rebounded to 92 percent of their pre-pandemic availability by late 2022, the hotel itself remained shuttered. During that period, the building was repurposed as a student dormitory named Found Study. Female residents previously housed at Webster Apartments in Hudson Yards were transferred to 569 Lexington Avenue. Furthermore, the City University of New York (CUNY) leased dormitory units within the property while its Brookdale campus in Kips Bay underwent redevelopment. In April 2025, CUNY acquired 578 dormitory rooms for $86 million and expanded its holdings by purchasing six additional floors for $125 million in August 2025.

Critical response and legacy

Upon its debut, The New York Times remarked that the Summit Hotel introduced "the sparkle and contemporary flair of Miami Beach into Midtown Manhattan." Nevertheless, overall reception was predominantly unfavorable; architect Morris Lapidus famously labeled it "the most disliked hotel in New York." Critics targeted its curved sea-foam-blue exterior and futuristic Jetsons-inspired signage as subjects of ridicule. Ada Louise Huxtable condemned the vivid color scheme as a distraction concealing cramped quarters and budget-driven compromises. Walter McQuade of The Nation dismissed the location as "too distant from the beach," while Russell Lynes likened the facade to roadside motels or bowling alleys found outside New York City. Time magazine characterized the interior style as a blend of "Bronx baroque and Mexicali modrun," though it recognized the space was utilized efficiently.

Views on the building’s form varied. McQuade regarded it as an exemplary representation of Miami Beach architecture; Time appreciated its distinctive "S" shape as a refreshing departure from Manhattan’s uniformity despite disliking the green exterior. By comparison, the similarly contoured Chatham Green apartments received more favorable critiques, which Lapidus found personally disappointing. By the 1980s, Carter Horsley acknowledged the Summit among Lexington Avenue structures noted for their "sparkle, color, and modernity." Herbert Muschamp proposed that some negative appraisals may have been influenced by prejudice rather than purely design considerations.

Among those defending the design was Philip Johnson, who commended Lapidus’s bold use of 27 different colors within a single room. Olga Guelft from Interiors magazine recognized the hotel as a significant contribution to American architecture but observed that Lapidus’s "frantic attempt to confuse the eye" resulted in visual disarray. Nearing his passing, Lapidus reflected that New Yorkers generally disliked his vibrant palette, favoring muted gray tones instead. Despite widespread criticism, he regarded the Summit as his most important project in New York City. Additionally, the hotel’s rooftop appeared in the 2007 motion picture Spider-Man 3.

See also

• List of New York City Designated Landmarks in Manhattan from 14th to 59th Streets