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The industry looked on with skepticism when Marriott Corp. built its 1,877-room hotel in Times Square. But as more and more hotels go up on the West Side, no one doubts that Marriott knew what it was doing.
"The West Side may still have some stigma attached to it," says Stephen Brener, a hotel consultant. "But it's definitely the No. 1 location for hotel development."
William Zeckendorf Jr. is developing two properties in the area: a deluxe all-suite hotel and a business-class hotel. Harry Macklowe is building a convention center hotel on Sixth Avenue and 44th Street. And sources close to Larry Silverstein say he's about to close on a deal to develop a hotel on Seventh Avenue and 47th Street.
In addition, former Studio 54 owners Ian Schrager and Steve Rubell have started renovating the old Royalton Hotel on West 44th Street into a boutique property. They are reportedly planning to refurbish the Century Paramount Hotel on 46th Street.
Not to be outdone, the two Sheratons are getting face lifts -- which may include additional hotel rooms -- and the Hilton is adding two floors of exhibit space, which should be ready by the fall of 1989.
"New York has moved west," says Mr. Zeckendorf, chairman of Zeckendorf Co. "Midtown goes from Eight to Third."
In all, sources estimate that only 11,000 of Manhattan's 75,000 hotel rooms are on the West Side. But all the 2,040 rooms scheduled to come...