NYC's notorious Roosevelt Hotel shelter will close next week as last migrant families relocate
Share and Follow

The Roosevelt Hotel migrant shelter will be shutting down on Tuesday, marking its closure three years after it was first established. The shelter quickly gained significance as a representation of the city’s migrant challenges right in the center of Manhattan.

There were fewer than 10 families of asylum seekers still in the former hotel as of Thursday, as the spot spent its final days as a migrant intake center in a very visible and highly trafficked area of midtown packed with tourists and commuters, The Post has learned.

The historic hotel has been the first stop for many of more than 230,000 migrants that have come to the five boroughs since 2022. During the peak of the crisis, the shelter housed as many as 2,900 people on the taxpayers’ dime, according to officials.

Mayor Eric Adams first announced the closure of the notorious shelter back in February, when he stopped just short of proclaiming that the migrant crisis was over.

The Post observed around a dozen or more workers or shelter residents leaving the building this week.

“I imagine that they are cleaning and making repairs now to give the building back to the owner,” said one female asylum seeker from Venezuela, who asked not to use her name.

She hadn’t landed a new place to stay since she left the shelter last week, she said.

“To be honest, the situation is complicated because they are closing most of the shelters. I sleep where the night takes me. Sometimes in the street. My fate is in God’s hands,” she said.

The shelter has been plagued with issues since it opened in May 2023 – with police sources saying the Venezuelan street gang Tren de Aragua organized moped robbery crews from the hotel.

Several shelter residents were arrested for a $5,300 shoplifting spree and a 12-year-old ringleader of a Central Park robbery crew was accused of taking part in the assault of two NYPD officers back in May.

“Out of 100 men coming from Venezuela, 80 are bad and 20 are good,” one migrant outside the Roosevelt told The Post earlier this week. “The problem is that the good people get screwed and pay the price for the bad people.”

The Post previously reported that the hotel could sell for as much as $1 billion after migrants move out. A source told the Post that the property owner – the Pakistani government’s Pakistan International Airlines – were considering replacing the over 100-year-old hotel with a new skyscraper.

It is unclear whether the hotel will begin welcoming guests again.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Unseen Walmart video shows Bryan Kohberger acting differently after Idaho student murders

Shocking Walmart Footage Reveals Bryan Kohberger’s Suspicious Behavior Post Idaho Student Murders

EXCLUSIVE TO FOX: Newly released surveillance footage from Walmart reveals that Bryan…
Ryan Seacrest and Rita Ora ready for 'Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve' 2026 celebration in Times Square, NYC

Ryan Seacrest and Rita Ora to Light Up Times Square for ‘Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve 2026

NEW YORK — As we approach 2026, the hosts of the most-watched…
Isiah Whitlock Jr., actor known for 'The Wire,' 'Veep' and Spike Lee films, dies at 71

Farewell to a Legend: Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Isiah Whitlock Jr., Star of ‘The Wire,’ ‘Veep,’ and Spike Lee Classics

Renowned actor Isiah Whitlock Jr. has passed away, as confirmed by Liebman…
All child care payments to Minnesota are FROZEN amid daycare scandal

Minnesota Halts Child Care Payments Following Daycare Scandal Investigation

The federal government has halted all child care payments to Minnesota amidst…
Maria Shriver leads emotional family tributes to Tatiana Schlossberg

Maria Shriver Honors Tatiana Schlossberg with Heartfelt Family Tributes

Heartfelt tributes are pouring in following the tragic passing of Tatiana Schlossberg,…
New body camera video from Cook County Sheriff's Office shows missing Merrionette Park 115 Bourbon Street worker Dan Davis

Newly Released Body Cam Footage Sheds Light on Missing 115 Bourbon Street Employee Dan Davis in Merrionette Park

In Merrionette Park, Illinois, a fresh piece of evidence has emerged in…
Online video reveals alleged animal sexual abuse by Interlachen man

Interlachen Resident Faces Allegations of Animal Abuse Following Disturbing Online Video Release

Authorities have seized two dogs from Brendan Hanes’ residence in Interlachen, Florida,…
Neighbors fear for safety after man shot in face in car on Jacksonville’s Westside

Community on Edge: Westside Jacksonville Shooting Sparks Safety Concerns

Residents of the Normandy Estates area in Jacksonville are on edge as…