It had an Italian Renaissance Revival-style exterior. It was designed as an apartment hotel. The design work was by Palmer & Hornbostel.During the 1920s, the Hotel Bossert was known for its Marine Roof, a two-level restaurant on the roof of the 14-story building that provided diners with a commanding view of Manhattan.The hotel drew some attention in November, 1945, when Charles Armijo Woodruff, the 11th Governor of American Samoa, committed suicide by hanging himself in his room there. Just one month later, former Congressman Thomas F. Magner also died in the hotel.In the 1950s, the Bossert was the home of several Brooklyn Dodger players. Following the Brooklyn Dodgers' win over the New York Yankees in the 1955 World Series, Dodgers fans gathered in the Bossert lobby and serenaded Dodgers' manager Walter Alston with "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow".Purchase by Watchtower and restorationIn 1983, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York began leasing space in the Bossert for use by Jehovah's Witnesses. The Society bought the hotel in 1988. It required extensive restoration according to the Landmarks Preservation Commission standards for the historic district. The famed Marine Roof had collapsed, and a new roof had to be built. Also, the lobby was in poor condition, and over 2500sqft of the marble had to be replaced. Watchtower went to the original quarry to replace it. That effort garnered praise and awards.
