Marlborough-Blenheim Hotel
Encyclopedia
The Marlborough-Blenheim Hotel was a historic resort hotel property in Atlantic City, New Jersey
, built in 1902-1906, demolished in 1979.
In 1902, Josiah White III bought a parcel of land near Ohio Avenue and the Boardwalk, and built the Queen Anne
style Marlborough House. The hotel was financially successful and, in 1905, he chose to expand. White hired Philadelphia architect Will Price
of Price and McLanahan, to design a new, separate tower called the Blenheim. Recent hotel fires in and around Atlantic City, Price's recent experience of designing the all-concrete Jacob Reed store in Philadelphia, and a steel strike in the fall of 1905 influenced the choice of reinforced concrete
. It opened in 1906.
It wasn't the first reinforced concrete hotel in the world, since French concrete pioneer François Hennebique
had designed the Imperial Palace Hotel in Nice
five years previously. But it was the largest reinforced concrete building in the world. The hotel’s Spanish and Moorish themes, capped off with its signature dome and chimneys, represented a step forward from other hotels that had a classically designed influence.
In 1916, Winston Churchill
was a guest of the hotel.
In 1977, the it was reported that Reese Palley had acquired the building and that he and an associate intended to renovate it to qualify for a casino license. Ten days later he re-sold it.
Bally Manufacturing, which had been in the slot machine business, bought the landmark hotels and demolished the wood-framed Marlborough with the conventional wrecking ball
.For the Blenheim the company hired Controlled Demolition, Inc.
(CDI), which had taken down down the Traymore Hotel
, to implode the structure. A preservation group which had sought historic status for the building won a stay of execution
for the Blenheim’s rotunda portion on the Boardwalk.
It was amputated from the rest of the hotel, which was imploded Fall 1978. Several months later the historic status was denied, the stay was lifted, and CDI finished the demoliton. It is not known if they sold the name Marlborough-Blenheim as well.
Bally's Park Place
now stands at this location.
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, built in 1902-1906, demolished in 1979.
In 1902, Josiah White III bought a parcel of land near Ohio Avenue and the Boardwalk, and built the Queen Anne
Queen Anne Style architecture
The Queen Anne Style in Britain means either the English Baroque architectural style roughly of the reign of Queen Anne , or a revived form that was popular in the last quarter of the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century...
style Marlborough House. The hotel was financially successful and, in 1905, he chose to expand. White hired Philadelphia architect Will Price
Will Price
William Lightfoot Price was an influential American architect, a pioneer in the use of reinforced concrete, and a founder of the utopian communities of Arden, Delaware and Rose Valley, Pennsylvania.-Career:...
of Price and McLanahan, to design a new, separate tower called the Blenheim. Recent hotel fires in and around Atlantic City, Price's recent experience of designing the all-concrete Jacob Reed store in Philadelphia, and a steel strike in the fall of 1905 influenced the choice of reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
. It opened in 1906.
It wasn't the first reinforced concrete hotel in the world, since French concrete pioneer François Hennebique
François Hennebique
François Hennebique was a French engineer and self-educated builder who patented his pioneering reinforced-concrete construction system in 1892, integrating separate elements of construction, such as the column and the beam, into a single monolithic element...
had designed the Imperial Palace Hotel in Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
five years previously. But it was the largest reinforced concrete building in the world. The hotel’s Spanish and Moorish themes, capped off with its signature dome and chimneys, represented a step forward from other hotels that had a classically designed influence.
In 1916, Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
was a guest of the hotel.
In 1977, the it was reported that Reese Palley had acquired the building and that he and an associate intended to renovate it to qualify for a casino license. Ten days later he re-sold it.
Bally Manufacturing, which had been in the slot machine business, bought the landmark hotels and demolished the wood-framed Marlborough with the conventional wrecking ball
Wrecking ball
A wrecking ball is a heavy steel ball, usually hung from a crane, that is used for demolishing large buildings. It was most common during the 1950s and 1960s. Several wrecking companies claim to have invented the wrecking ball...
.For the Blenheim the company hired Controlled Demolition, Inc.
Controlled Demolition, Inc.
Controlled Demolition, Inc. , founded by Jack Loizeaux in 1947, is a firm headquartered in Phoenix, Maryland that specializes in the use of explosives to create a controlled demolition of a structure, with the structure collapsing on itself into a pile of debris contained within the site of the...
(CDI), which had taken down down the Traymore Hotel
Traymore Hotel
The Traymore Hotel was a resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Begun as a small boarding house in 1879, the hotel expanded and became one of the city's premier resorts. As Atlantic City began to decline in its popularity as a resort town, during the 1950s and 1960s, the Traymore diminished in...
, to implode the structure. A preservation group which had sought historic status for the building won a stay of execution
Stay of execution
A stay of execution is a court order to temporarily suspend the execution of a court judgment or other court order. The word "execution" does not necessarily mean the death penalty; it refers to the imposition of whatever judgment is being stayed....
for the Blenheim’s rotunda portion on the Boardwalk.
It was amputated from the rest of the hotel, which was imploded Fall 1978. Several months later the historic status was denied, the stay was lifted, and CDI finished the demoliton. It is not known if they sold the name Marlborough-Blenheim as well.
Bally's Park Place
Bally's Atlantic City
Bally's Atlantic City is a luxury hotel and casino on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey that opened in 1979. It is one of the largest casinos on the boardwalk with nearly 2,000 rooms. Bally's is unique in that two of its four hotel towers are at least 80 years old. The Claridge Tower was...
now stands at this location.