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New York Palace Hotel.The low-rise set of six connected townhouses, popularly known as the Villard Houses, four of which surround a large courtyard, were an official city landmark. In the face of strong opposition from the city's preservationists to demolition of the townhouse complex, the developer, Harry B. Helmsley, decided to erect a 51-story new hotel tower behind them. That appalled many preservationists at first, but Helmsley, then the most powerful and most respected person in New York City real estate, was not insensitive and undertook an impressive preservation project. At a cost of about $10 million most of the Villard interiors in the south wing were meticulously preserved.


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Address: 451 Madison Ave. between 50th and 51st Streets