Built by John Jacob Astor, Astor House was constructed between 1832 and 1836 in order to provide comfortable living accommodations for New York’s elite. Designed by renowned architect Isaiah Rogers, the it consisted of an unprecedented 309 bedrooms and 17 “bathing rooms”. Servants rooms were upstairs under the cornice. It had gaslights. It was considered to be New York's finest lodging. 

By 1852 James Bogardus had added a glass and cast iron 'rotunda' to the dining room in the courtyard.  It was filled with luminaries of the day.  Lincoln even stayed there on his way to his inauguration in 1861.  The hotel stood for 80 years, until 1914 when the south half was demolished to create the Astor Office Building.