Get exclusive 1st look inside Gramercy Park Hotel where everything is on sale
GRAMERCY PARK, Manhattan (WABC) -- Many hotels in NYC did not survive the pandemic and as some prepare to shut their doors for good, they are selling everything inside.
The iconic Gramercy Park Hotel sits frozen in time at 2 Lexington Avenue.
The beds are still neatly made with bath robes in place and the minibar left how it was in March of 2020 when the pandemic shut down NYC.
Now, nearly three years later, the doors are open to the public for the first time.
"Very sentimental, sad, happy to run into friends and old guests," said former employee Eric Otero.
The hotel has changed hands which has resulted in a liquidation sale. Joe Benigno with Best Buy Auctioneers gave Eyewitness News an exclusive first look inside the property with sweeping views of the park.
"We've done the Helmsley, iconic hotels in NYC, but this one stands out a little different, everyone is emotionally attached to it," Benigno said.
All of the items are for sale -- items from 180 rooms including desks, one-of-a-kind wall art, lamps and chairs.
It includes the smallest items to the grandest. They are pieces of history, each with a backstory that unfolded in the legendary space.
"The culture of New York was always here, it always had a great energy," said customer Camus Celli.
Prices range from $25 to $2,500 and the sale will continue for about a month, followed by an auction.
Interested customers can think of it as a treasure hunt covering the 17 floors. And Benigno said if someone isn't interested in a single item, it's not a problem.
"If somebody wants to buy a whole room, we'll take them upstairs and do a walkthrough like that, show them the whole room," he said.
There is even a potential buyer for a one-of-a-kind unique ceiling covered with lightbulbs.
"When you walked into this room, you knew you were somewhere special, every night was a great night," Otero said.
It's a bittersweet time as one chapter closes and another opens.
The sale is open to the public every day from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. for a month before the auction. There is no fee to enter and roam the hotel from room to room while shopping and deciding what to buy.
ALSO READ | Insurance nightmare after rental truck smashes 40 cars in Queens
----------
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
