Beekman (Panhellenic) Tower

Beekman Tower

The Beekman Tower is an Art Deco skyscraper situated at the corner of First Avenue and East 49th Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.

The tower was designed by John Mead Howells and built from 1927 to 1929. Originally named Panhellenic House, it was used as a club and hotel for women who had belonged to national Greek-letter sororities, providing affordable housing for many women entering the workforce during the period. The building features sculpture by Rene Paul Chambellan. The hotel was opened to male guests in 1932, and in 1934 was renamed Beekman Tower (Panhellenic) to present a more inviting image to both genders.[1]

The organizational meeting for Gamma Sigma Sigma, National Service Sorority was held here on October 10–12, 1952. The tower was sold in 1964 and became a conventional hotel.[2] The Beekman Tower Hotel operated until 2013, when it was sold to Silverstein Properties, the developer of the World Trade Center, and converted to long-term furnished corporate apartments.[3]

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Coordinates: 40°45′12″N 73°57′58″W / 40.75333°N 73.96611°W