For the twenty years following the hotel's opening, lines for the world-famous Marriott Marquis elevators would stretch well into the streets of Times Square. In 2007, all elevators, including service, received Schindler's Miconic 10 system, a pilot for its technology. Rather than a traditional call-station and car operating panel (COP) configuration, the Miconic 10 system assigns an elevator based on destinations requested on a keypad in the elevator bank. Elevators are alphabetically labeled and are assigned based on location and demand. The system also boasts its intelligence by reserving cars for certain areas. For example, Car A and Car B are now exclusive to the upper levels, so when I type in "45", I will get Car A or Car B. If the system is overwhelmed, it will adjust accordingly, but this update increases the dispatching efficiency even more.
Occasionally, the elevators get confused and have their moments, but the modernization drastically impacted both the hotel and Schindler. For the hotel, crowds are controlled at an efficiency only Destination Dispatch can provide. Furthermore, the elevators, with their playful LED lighting and panoramic view of an architectural masterpiece, attract guests from across the world. Even locals have their fair share of fun on these world-famous elevators. For Schindler, it's the ultimate marketing tool. Whenever "Miconic 10" is mentioned, one usually associates the phrase with this hotel. A complete win-win situation for both parties. The elevators themselves are work-horses. They are constantly maintained to ensure they can run at their optimal with little failure, but truly live up to the expectations put upon them.
Technical Specifications
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+ Installer: Westinghouse
+ Modernizer: Schindler
+ Power: Gearless Traction
+ Controller: Destination Dispatch (Miconic 10)
+ Fixtures: EPCO SSL
+ Door Equipment: GAL
+ Capacity: 3500 lbs.
+ Speed: 1000 FPM
+ Installed: 1985
+ Modernized: 2005
Hotel Information: (Courtesy of Wikipedia)
New York Marriott Marquis is a Marriott International hotel at 1535 Broadway opened in 1985 and was designed by architect John Portman. It is located on Times Square at Broadway and 45th Street. The hotel is famous for its high-tech elevators and atrium lobby rising 45 stories to "The View", New York's only rooftop revolving restaurant and lounge. With 1,949 rooms and over 100,000 sq ft (9,300 m2) of meeting space, it is one of the largest hotels in the city. The Marquis Theatre is located within the hotel at the 3rd floor.
The hotel has been criticized for turning its back to Times Square. However, at the time the hotel was built, Times Square was only beginning to turn around. With the still-seedy character of Times Square, Portman's style of inwardly-oriented spaces made logical sense. The present redevelopment of Times Square as an urban destination point has left the Marriott Marquis detached from the street. However, the Marriott was the first major project in the Times Square revitalization, and has been credited as the starting point for today's development node at Times Square.
The hotel is served by twelve scenic elevators, which are famous for facing into an atrium that stretches the height of the hotel. The cabs travel at 1,000 ft (300 m) per minute. They received a major modernization in 2005 that included replacing the cabs and reducing waiting times from originally more than 60 minutes in the past down to less than 5 minutes. Currently, the building boasts Schindler Group's Miconic 10 destination dispatch computer technology, which allows people to key in their destination floor number on a keypad and get assigned an elevator to use afterward. The cab interior still contains a floor button panel, but it is designed for firefighter use and is hidden under a locked panel. Sometimes, the firefighter panel is unlocked, letting the guests and employees select their floor from there. The elevators are also useful because they have handicapped mode. What that does is before the person enters their destination they will have to press the wheelchair button then the destination. Then the system will talk and a sound signal will come out of a speaker next to the car announcing the name of the car. For example the person enters their destination and then the system would say "Doors open Car A." It would also say "Doors closing".
At the time the hotel was built, it featured Manhattan's largest grand ballroom and its first revolving restaurant, a three-story, 1,500-seat theater, a second and third ballroom, and 100,000 square feet (9,300 m2) of meeting, banquet and exhibition spaces.
55th floor rumor
There is a rumor that says Elevator Car G at the hotel goes to a secret 55th floor, but when someone manages to open the fire operation panel on Car G, they will discover that like Car F, it only goes to the 49th floor.