Future of Houdini's Hotel Shelton uncertain

One the great surviving Houdini locations is the former Hotel Shelton in New York City. This where in 1926 Houdini famously remained sealed in an underwater casket in the hotel's pool for 91 minutes. While the pool was filled-in in the early 2000s, the hotel has remained in operation as the New York Marriott East Side.

However, due to Covid, the hotel closed in March of 2020. That "temporary" closure became permanent in October. In February 2021 the hotel was foreclosed on. As of July the property is caught up in legal wrangling and remains shuttered.

It's likely the historic building will survive regardless of the legal outcome, although what it might become is a question mark. But what a shame to see this great Houdini location now inaccessible.

If you're headed to New York and sad to not be able to visit the former Hotel Shelton, you might consider heading over to Herald Square and the site of the former Hotel McAlpin (now the Herald Tower apartments). As far as New York hotels go, the McAlpin seemed to be Houdini's favorite. He held many SAM dinners there, including the famous banquet in which Sir Arthur Conan Doyle "fooled" the magicians with film of dinosaurs from The Lost World.

Thanks and Happy Birthday to Neil McNally.

Related:

• Hotel Shelton pool is no more
• The Shelton pool test at 90
• The Hotel Shelton pool in color