Kessler Glass

 In the mid 30's Warren Kessler had a store on West 23 Street where he assembled lamps. The business was known as Warlou, for Warren Louis Kessler. In 1938 he expanded the operation to manufacturing glass and relocated in Bethpage.

Warren was the eldest son of Austrian Immigrants. He brought many skilled craftsman from Czechoslovakia to produce the same high quality of glass that was the pride of Europe. Many of these craftsmen were housed in a home on Central Avenue and Broadway. In 1941 the factory was in full operation.

The manufacturing took place in Bethpage, while Warren lived in New York City, where the showroom was located on 57th Street near 3rd Avenue. Here Warren conducted business and entertained customers.

Herman Kessler was the genius behind the crafting of the intricate molds. Herman settled with his family in Bethpage and had "hands on" running of the business.

Kessler glass, not only adorned the embassies around the world, they were also purchased for Bloomingdales, Marshal Fields in Chicago, large hotels, movie companies and colleges. They were in full production for the demand of new home owners after World War II, for families needing traditional lamps. In 1960, a Kessler lamp would sell for $300.00.

Kessler closed its doors in the early 1980's.

 

Source:

“Kessler Glass Works.” Kessler Glass Works - Central Park Historical Society Encyclopedia, http://www.bethpagehistory.org/wiki/index.php?title=Kessler_Glass_Works

Garden City Hotel

 The Garden City Hotel was built by Alexander Turney Stewart and opened on July 30, 1874. It was a 20-room hotel at the time and cost $125,000. He managed the hotel until his death in 1876. His wife Cornelia inherited the hotel and ran it until her death in 1886. Her family created the Garden City Company to facilitate operations at the hotel. Corrnelia’s brother in-law was architect Stanford White and his firm McKim, Mead, and White were hired to redesign the hotel in the Dutch Colonial style. A cupola was built and the east and west wings were added at this time. This new version of the hotel opened in 1895 with rooms for 200 guests.

They built a nine-hole golf course in 1897. It eventually became the Garden City Golf Club. On September 7, 1899, the hotel burned to the ground. The hotel was rebuilt in the Georgian Revival Style and opened in 1901. In 1911, the hotel was expanded by adding to each wing.

The Knott Hotel Corporation purchased the hotel in 1948 and expanded and redecorated it. In 1965, the hotel was bought by builder Michael Forte for $2.6 million. When Forte purchased it, he planned to raze the hotel and build an apartment-hotel complex. This plan was rejected by the Village due to opposition from the residents. His other plan of a $35 million hotel and office complex was also rejected by the residents.

The hotel was closed down in 1971 due to lack of finances to keep it open. The hotel was torn down in 1973. The land was once more re-purchased and rebuilt. It opened on May 20, 1983. The Nelkin family owned the hotel from 1983 to 2012. The Fortuna Realty Group purchased the hotel in 2012. All the guest rooms and suites were redesigned at the time. It features 269 rooms with 16 suites and a private club.

 

Sources:

“Hotel in Long Island NY: About Us: The Garden City Hotel.” Garden City Hotel, https://www.gardencityhotel.com/our-hotel

Silver, Roy R. “Famed Garden City Hotel is Closing.” New York Times. July 16, 1971