NEW YORK? When it comes to having access to Wall St., Regent International Hotels wins hands down. Its direct connection comes via the $60,000 bronze door that opens onto the famed financial stretch from its five-star Regent property, which began operating last December. Being the only luxury property in the downtown financial district, while significant, is not its claim to fame in the design arena. It?s what?s behind that door. Picture standing in New York?s Grand Central Station. Take away the people, the ticket counters, the restaurants, the retail. Just leave the space, the soaring marble columns, the constellation-kissed ceilings, the echoes of millions of footsteps, the McKim Mead and White design signature. Now, hold that image, step through Regent?s bronze door and? voila? Grand Central?s little sister. ?We?re a little cozier,? said Manfred Timmel, the Regent Wall St.?s general manager, describing the 144-room property?s very grand ballroom. Still, the 12,000-square-foot expanse shows its pedigree, and almost takes on a life of its own as a feature and marketing advantage for the landmark property. The Regent is ensconced inside a structure built by architect Isaiah Rogers in 1842 to house the New York Merchants Exchange and other agencies. The four-story Greek Revival building was later converted to the U.S. Customs House. In 1907, celebrated architects McKim Mead and White were brought in by National City Bank (now Citigroup). They added floors five through nine in a courtyard design and put their stamp on what was then the bank?s main floor: Corinthian columns, gray Botticini marble floors and walls, expansive arched windows, and in the coffered ceiling 70 feet above the floor, centered an elliptical dome with the largest Wedgewood panels in the world, showing zodiac signs and compass points in relief. Over the years the building and space went through several other uses, at one point lying vacant. Now owned by investors Sidney Kimmel and Richard Butera of SK 55 Wall L.L.C. and managed by Minneapolis-based Carlson Hospitality Worldwide?s Regent International, most of the property?s historic integrity is intact and dovetailing with the property?s oversize rooms and suites. More than $50 million was spent renovating the $27.5 million purchase. According to Michael Gadaleta, AIA, partner of M/G Architects which renovated the structure, getting those noted doorways onto Wall St. came under scrutiny of the New York Landmarks Preservation Commission, which designated the site a landmark in 1965. ?Because there weren?t any entrances there at the time, the hotel doorways were new penetrations. We came up with photos from the 1860s showing doorways there, and then Landmarks was in agreement,? said Gadaleta. ?It was very difficult trying to actually let the building dictate the rooms. We had almost 100,000 square feet of hotel space and it sat on top of a room that was 200 feet by almost 300 feet, so our access to the floors was in the corners of the building. There was always a need for very large luxurious rooms. We spent about six months altering the floor plan. We did think, what if 170, 180 rooms, but there was never any attempt to try and squeeze as many rooms as we possibly could. The emphasis was on guests and meeting their luxury needs.? The interior of the building reflects the Italian Revival architecture found throughout New York City. Public spaces, incorporating tones of deep greens, burgundy and gold, were designed by Wilson & Associates, New York; rooms were done by Hablinski Interiors, Santa Monica, CA. Ranging from 525 to 1,000 square feet, the high-ceiling rooms, including 48 suites, reflect a modern interpretation of traditional Italian design. Finishes include velvets, silk damask and chenille with a color mix of greens and brown/beige tones. All guestrooms feature generous marble bathrooms, with oversize soaking tub for two and a separate shower. Unique are six loft rooms. Guests enter a front ro
