Photo Credit: International Hildreth Meière Association (2009)
Iconic Art Deco skyscraper One Wall Street, a 56-story Art Deco landmark in Manhattan’s Financial District built in 1931 for the Irving Trust company and designed by architect Ralph Walker, has been voted unanimously by the Landmarks Preservation Commission to designate the historic “Red Room” as an interior landmark. The “Red Room,” widely recognized as one of New York City’s most beautiful spaces, will open to the public as part of the first US location of Parisian luxury retailer Printemps in Spring 2025.
The “Red Room” was designed by Hildreth Meière, who was named by The New York Times “the most prominent muralist of her time.” Meière was commissioned to create “an inviting and friendly” reception area solely for the clients of Irving Trust Bank. The result was a 5,000-square-foot, 33-foot high Art Deco space with a triple-height floor-to-ceiling mosaic in oxblood reds, oranges, and gold-leafed glass tesserae. A reflection of the ‘Roaring 20’s’, the “Red Room” was built following the Wall Street crash of 1929, allowing the building, particularly this room, to be constructed at what would have otherwise been considered an unprecedented cost.
One Wall Street is regarded as one of New York City’s premier Art Deco landmarks, with the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designating the original 1931 portion of the building as a New York City landmark in 2001, and a contributing property to the Wall Street Historic District, a National Register of Historic Places district in 2007. The building celebrated its Landmarks designation with the unveiling of Landmark Plaques in the front entrance in September 2023.
The “Red Room” underwent a $1 million restoration by Macklowe Properties during the building’s conversion, and now celebrates interior landmarking status.
A rendering of Printemps at One Wall Street, set to open Spring 2025.
Printemps will open its first US store at One Wall Street in Spring 2025, with the historic “Red Room” featured as one of the many highlights of the store. This branch, designed by internationally multi-awarded Parisian architect Laura Gonzalez, will cover 54,365 square feet with two levels and bring a local approach and focus on increased omnichannel and seamless experiences. James Beard award-winner and Top Chef finalist Chef Gregory Gourdet will serve as the Culinary Director, overseeing five culinary concepts ranging from fine dining to a casual café.
The “Red Room” is not Printemps’ first foray into restoration and preservation. With its 159 years of history, the Paris landmark flagship location on Haussmann Boulevard stands as a testament to Printemps’ unwavering dedication to preserving the city’s architectural legacy and sharing it with the public. The “Red Room” will further advance the efforts and enable Printemps to continue their long heritage of preservation, this time in the city of New York.
One Wall Street was developed by Macklowe Properties in a restoration comprising 566 condominiums complemented by 100,000 square feet of amenities and a residential lifestyle. The residences at One Wall Street maintain the elegance of the building’s pre-war proportions and architecture, from which the team created modern layouts that reflect the way people live today. Residences feature soaring ceiling heights and breathtaking views of the Manhattan cityscape, New York Harbor, and other New York City landmarks.
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