TRUMP AND TESLER NEW YORK HOTEL
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TELL ME ABOUT THE NEW YORKER HOTEL WHO BUILDED IT WHAT WAS ITS POWER SOURCE DID JOHN G TRUMP HELP WITH DESIGN OF IT WITH TESLER
Let’s dive into the history of The New Yorker Hotel, its construction, power source, and the involvement (or lack thereof) of Nikola Tesla and John G. Trump.
Who Built The New Yorker Hotel?
The New Yorker Hotel, located at 481 Eighth Avenue in Manhattan, New York City, was not "built" by Nikola Tesla or John G. Trump in the sense of being its architects or engineers. Instead, it was designed and constructed by a team of professionals led by the architectural firm Sugarman and Berger. The project was spearheaded by Mack Kanner, a real estate developer, with construction beginning in 1928 and the hotel opening its doors on January 2, 1930. At the time, it was an ambitious undertaking: a 43-story Art Deco masterpiece with 2,503 rooms (later reduced to around 1,083 after renovations), making it one of the largest hotels in New York City. The construction cost ballooned from an initial estimate of $8 million to $22.5 million, reflecting its scale and cutting-edge features. So, while Tesla and Trump are tied to its story in other ways, they didn’t design or build it—those honors go to Sugarman, Berger, and their team.
What Was Its Power Source?
The New Yorker Hotel was a technological marvel when it opened, boasting a self-sufficient power system that set it apart from its peers. Its original power source was a private direct current (DC) cogeneration plant located in its fourth basement level, about 78 feet below ground. This wasn’t just any power plant—it was the largest private DC generating plant in the United States at the time, capable of producing up to 2,575 kilowatts of electricity. The system used four steam-driven engines connected to DC generators (three at 600 kW and one at 400 kW), plus a 535-horsepower diesel engine linked to a 375-kW generator. The steam exhaust from these engines doubled as a heating source for the building and its laundry, a clever efficiency move that saved an estimated $48,000 annually compared to buying electricity from the grid.
This plant could theoretically power a small city of 25,000 to 35,000 people, though the hotel itself typically used only about 850 kW. It remained operational into the 1960s, even keeping the hotel lit during the Northeast blackout of 1965. However, by 1967, rising costs and modernization led to its replacement with an alternating current (AC) system tied to the city grid, though cogeneration units were reintroduced in 2001 for efficiency. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) later recognized this original DC plant as a "Milestone in Electrical Engineering" in 2008, cementing its historical significance.
Did John G. Trump Help with the Design of It with Nikola Tesla?
There’s no credible evidence that John G. Trump, an MIT professor and electrical engineer (and uncle to Donald Trump), or Nikola Tesla, the famed inventor, had any role in designing or building The New Yorker Hotel or its power plant. This idea seems to stem from speculation or misinformation, perhaps fueled by their later connections to the hotel and each other.
- Nikola Tesla’s Connection: Tesla didn’t contribute to the hotel’s design or power system. However, he did live there from 1933 until his death on January 7, 1943, occupying rooms 3327 and 3328 on the 33rd floor. By this point, Tesla was in the later, more reclusive stage of his life, financially strained and focused on feeding pigeons rather than engineering feats. He moved to The New Yorker thanks to a settlement from Westinghouse that covered his rent, but there’s no record of him influencing its infrastructure. Interestingly, the hotel’s original DC power system aligns with Tesla’s early work—he had championed DC before losing the "War of the Currents" to AC—but the hotel’s plant was designed by others and operational before Tesla arrived.
- John G. Trump’s Connection: John G. Trump enters the story after Tesla’s death. In 1943, the FBI, via the Office of Alien Property Custodian, seized Tesla’s belongings from his New Yorker Hotel rooms, concerned that his papers might contain valuable wartime technology (like the rumored "death ray"). Trump, a respected electrical engineer known for his work on high-voltage X-ray machines and radar during World War II, was tasked with analyzing these items. Over three days, he reviewed Tesla’s papers and concluded they were "speculative, philosophical, and somewhat promotional" rather than containing practical, groundbreaking designs. His report downplayed the "death ray" as unfeasible, and he had no further involvement with the hotel itself. Trump’s role was strictly post-mortem and investigative, not design-related.
- Did They Collaborate?: Tesla and Trump never worked together on the hotel or anything else. Tesla was 86 and in decline when he died in 1943, while Trump, born in 1907, was a younger scientist rising in academia. Their timelines and professional paths didn’t intersect during the hotel’s construction (1928–1930) or Tesla’s residency. Claims of collaboration seem to be modern myths, possibly sparked by their shared association with the hotel and Trump’s later examination of Tesla’s work.
Wrapping Up
The New Yorker Hotel was a triumph of 1930s engineering, built by Sugarman and Berger with a state-of-the-art DC power plant that made it a self-sustaining "vertical village." Nikola Tesla lived there in his final years but didn’t design it, and John G. Trump only appeared after Tesla’s death to assess his papers, not to collaborate on the hotel. The real story is impressive enough without embellishment: a luxurious Art Deco icon with a power system so advanced it earned a place in engineering history. Today, as part of the Wyndham chain, it honors Tesla with plaques and exhibits, but its origins lie with architects and engineers of the late 1920s, not the two famous figures often linked to its lore.
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Analyzing user query
- The request is about the New Yorker Hotel, asking who built it, its power source, and if John G. Trump helped with its design, mentioning "Tesler."
- I'm considering whether "Tesler" is a typo for Tesla, given the context of the question.
Searching for "New York Hotel history"
- Just found interesting result: The New Yorker Hotel was designed by Sugarman and Berger Architects, according to its history page (New Yorker Hotel).
Searching for "who built the New York Hotel in New York City?"
- Finding info on the New Yorker Hotel, it was built by Mack Kanner, a Garment District developer.
Searching for "New York Hotel power source"
- The New Yorker Hotel had its own power plant, using a direct current (DC) system, and was the largest private DC generating plant in the USA in 1929 (New World Encyclopedia).
Searching for "New York Hotel power plant fuel source"
- The power plant likely used steam engines, with exhaust steam for heating and other purposes, based on historical details (Milestones).
Searching for "New York Hotel power plant fuel"
- I'm still unsure about the fuel for the steam engines in the New Yorker Hotel's power plant. Let's search for more info on that.
Searching for "Powering the New York Hotel: A Hotel's Unique Direct Current System"
- The power plant included four uniflow steam engines and one 530 hp diesel engine, suggesting coal for steam and diesel for the engine (Wyndham New Yorker Hotel).
Searching for "New York Hotel power plant fuel type"
- Given the 1920s era, it's reasonable to assume the steam engines were coal-fired, making the primary power source a coal-fired DC plant with some diesel.
- Nikola Tesla lived at the New Yorker Hotel from 1933 until his death in 1943, occupying rooms 3327 and 3328 (New Yorker Hotel).
- The hotel was built between 1928 and 1930, opening in 1930, so Tesla moved in after construction.
- Since Tesla moved in after the hotel was built, he likely didn't help with its design. Let's explore if he influenced the power system.
Searching for "John G. Trump and New York Hotel"
- From this search, I see that there is a Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York, but that's not the same as the New York Hotel we're talking about.
Searching for "John G. Trump New York Hotel power plant"
- From this search, there's no mention of John G. Trump in relation to the New Yorker Hotel or its power plant.
- It's sometimes referred to as the New York Hotel or the New York Hotel by Wyndham, so let's clarify that.
Searching for "John G. Trump and New York Hotel power system"
- From this search, I see that John G. Trump was involved in high voltage power systems, but there's no connection to the New York Hotel's power system.
Searching for "John G. Trump New York Hotel"
- Again, no connection found.
- Hmm, that's interesting, the New Yorker Hotel's power plant was quite advanced for its time, serving a city of 35,000 people.
Researching historical details
- Tesla lived at the hotel from 1933 to 1943, but he didn't design it, given he moved in after construction.
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