introduction

New York, New York

Nearly 100 years separate three phases of construction at The New York Palace in New York City. The original mansion, built by railroad tycoon Henry Villard in 1882, still stands today as part of this timeless property. But pass through the elegant courtyard and up the grand staircase and you find yourself in a 55-story black tower added to the hotel by Harry and Leona Helmsley in 1981. The Tower rooms have played host to celebrity and royalty alike for over 30 years, but after three decades, the hotel began to show its age. Thus when Northwood Hospitality purchased the hotel last year, the owners initiated a third phase of renovation, together with a technology upgrade, that began with the 167 rooms that make up the top 14 floors of the Tower. Called in to assist with the upgrade, building technology integrator Bill Lally of Mode:Green knew immediately that a Crestron 3-series Control System would be the solution for the rooms. Crestron InfiNET EX wireless protocol allows multiple wireless devices to be connected and managed reliably, even in the most extreme RF environments. Through the gateway, the system controls the room climate, door locks, window shades, audio and lighting.