Grant Hotel to Nail Down Pesky Pop-Up Sidewalk Tile Problem

For more than a year, pedestrians have been stutter-stepping and stumbling over the infamous “pop up” tiles on walkways around the U.S. Grant Hotel, the 76-year-old building once known as “the old, gray lady.”

The brown, square tiles began popping from their foundation shortly after the hotel reopened in December, 1985, and have gradually chipped away to make the sidewalks on Broadway and 3rd and 4th avenues resemble concrete patchwork quilts.

The tiles have been a nagging problem for the hotel, which underwent an $80-million renovation and was stung by millions in losses last year. Increased losses are predicted for this year.

“They began popping up and it spread like a rash,” said Chris Venner, manager of the 283-room hotel.

Last week, a private contractor began replacing the tiles, which had been improperly set, Venner said. The hotel will not be charged for the $100,000 repair job, Venner said.

“To look at the sidewalk, the hotel appears not to be finished on the outside and people then think it is not finished on the inside,” Venner said.

Because of the tile problem, “we couldn’t clean the sidewalk,” Venner said. “It made us feel dirty on the inside.”

Venner said he was increasingly worried by the threat of liability.

“One lady fell and scraped her knee,” said Venner, adding that the hotel paid the woman’s medical costs.

“There have been no other complaints . . . We’ve been pretty lucky.”

The repair job should take about two months, Venner said.