DOING BUSINESS IN
NEW
YORK CITY
If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere
by Joseph Pedro
The primary raison d’etre for New York City is
business. This overcrowded, overpriced metropolis boasts
the world’s first and second largest stock exchanges,
the second largest city economy in the world, and one
of the biggest business districts on Earth. It is a
major center for finance, insurance, real estate, media,
foreign affairs, and the arts.
From the mid-19th to the first half
of the 20th century, twenty million immigrants flocked
to New York to try their luck in America. For these
people, New York City was a beacon of hope where the
American Dream could become a reality. Through their
labor, these newcomers aided the existing workforce
and helped American businesses flourish. Many became
entrepreneurs whose companies would one day become major
corporations like Pfizer and Intel. Today, while the
city may not openly welcome the world’s tired,
poor, and huddled masses, it still remains an economic
promised land to the 19 million people that call the
New York Metropolitan Area home.
Besides nearly one million small businesses,
New York also harbors more Fortune 500 companies than
any other city in the United States. Forty-three have
their headquarters here. These US businesses share the
city’s 353.7 million square feet of office space
with both their domestic and international counterparts.
Currently, one in ten private sector jobs in NYC are
with a foreign company.
Internationally accessible and rife
with resources, New York is a perfect locale for expos
and meetings. NYC & CO, New York City’s
tourism board, makes planning easy with a team that
works closely with NYC convention spaces and hotels.
The Jacob Javits Center is a popular option for
many businesses planning conventions in the city. As
one of the largest event venues in the US, the complex
features 11 halls, with 814,400 total square feet of
exhibit space, and isn’t quite done growing. After
years of conflict, a $465 million renovation is finally
underway. It will improve the facility and add a new
110,000-square-foot structure on the south side. In
addition, an expansion of the 7 Flushing Subway Line
will make the center even more accessible once it’s
completed in 2013.
New York is also home to a bounty of
other event spaces including Chelsea’s Metropolitan
Pavilion. This large venue hosts many gay and lesbian
affairs, which include the New York City GLBT Travel
Expo, GLAAD’s OUTAuction, and the Lambda Legal
Liberty Awards. Additionally, a smattering of major
convention hotels is found throughout the city, like
Hilton New York, Grand Hyatt New York, New York Mariott
Marquis, Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers, and the
Waldorf Astoria. While these are wonderful lodgings,
many business travelers may choose not to sleep where
they work—so Passport did some investigating to
find out what options are available when it comes to
accommodations in the Big Apple.
It may be dubbed the city that never
sleeps, but the 73,333 hotel rooms in New York City
tell a different story. In addition to these rooms,
a New York Times article found that the Big Apple will
be home to 43 new hotels this year alone, an astounding
number when considering the state of the US economy.
 One
of New York’s newest hotels is the Kimpton-operated
property, Eventi. This 292-room hotel, designed
by Colum McCartan, opened this spring in North Chelsea.
It’s a sleek and stylish place that balances the
excitement of the neighborhood with luxurious comforts.
Each room features an oversized bed with Frette linens,
bath amenities from Etro, and 24-hour room service.
Business travelers will appreciate the large workstations
in every room and the complimentary Wi-Fi throughout
the hotel. Tired of staying in the room? Bring your
laptop to the various working nooks on each floor or
even out onto the 1,600-square-foot terrace with beanbag
chairs and fire pits. For a much-needed break, head
to the fitness center and spa, or plop onto a plush
couch and catch a movie in the screening room. For larger
engagements, the hotel has over 15,000 square feet of
meeting spaces, complete with large windows and all
the modern technology you’ll require.
If you’re in town to do business
in the Financial District, you’ll be excited by
the new Hyatt-owned property, Andaz Wall Street.
The 253-guestroom hotel, designed by the Rockwell Group,
is pure sophistication. Featuring loft-height ceilings
and gorgeous marble bathrooms with rainfall showers,
each room stays true to the Andaz brand by perfectly
blending style and functionality. Want to take a warm
bath while watching television? No problem. Don’t
want to walk into the bedroom to get to the bureau?
No problem. Both the television and wardrobe rotate.
Walk down the sculptural staircase for a quick spa visit,
receive a treatment, and have your outfit pressed and
waiting for you. Grab a perfectly made martini with
colleagues at the 7even 5ive bar, which is a much-needed
addition to the district’s nightlife scene.
If you want to be closer to the excitement
of the West Village and Chelsea, try the Meatpacking
District. The Standard hotel features floor-to-ceiling
windows in each room, which offer stunning Hudson River
vistas and allow plenty of natural sunlight. Take a
bath in the deep tub while looking out at the Manhattan
skyline, or work on your fitness while overlooking the
river. The gym space gives the impression that you are
running on a treadmill on a cruise ship rather than
in Manhattan. Impress a business client by enjoying
cocktails in the Boom Boom Room, The Standard’s
penthouse bar that offers 360-degree views. Get there
before nine, or you may be competing with Madonna for
a seat.
For a more traditional, and smaller,
business hideaway, book a room at the Library Hotel.
This home-away-from-home hotel, near the New York Public
Library, threads the cozy book theme throughout. Getting
work done is easy in the comfortable common areas—you
may even get bursts of academic inspiration from the
motif. Each of ten floors is dedicated to a different
category of the Dewey Decimal System. Your room will
come fitted with the appropriate set of books. The rooms
are decorated with soothing browns that instantly evoke
a sense of warmth and comfort. Every night, after a
long day of meetings, the hotel hosts a wine and cheese
reception and offers cocktails reminiscent of The Great
Gatsby in the bar, Bookmarks.
With over 18,696 restaurants in the
five boroughs, it isn’t hard to take a bite out
of the Big Apple. When dining in your hotel is top-notch,
why settle for something else? Try Wall & Water
at Andaz Wall Street. With an open kitchen and views
of downtown New York, this unpretentious spot wants
you to feel comfortable and enjoy the market-to-table
fare. Famous Argentinean chef Maximo Lopez May serves
up seasonal, local foods. Try the seared scallops with
slow-cooked peppers, roasted garlic, and lemon preserve.
Equally exciting is the Standard
Grill, which stays true to the Meatpacking District’s
roots by dishing up masterfully crafted protein dishes.
Be sure to book a table early, this hot spot can get
crowded. Start with the charred Spanish octopus with
sweet potatoes and chiles. For a main course, try the
flash-seared lamb chops with polenta and basil. If the
food doesn’t have your mouth watering, the good-looking
wait staff surely will.
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