By Rich Bockmann
Henry Zilberman, the former gypsy cab driver who built his own taxi and limousine enterprise before putting a chic exclamation point on Long Island City with his boutique Z Hotel, died earlier this month, TimesLedger Newspapers has learned.
A spokeswoman for the hotel confirmed Zilberman died unexpectedly March 1, but did not provide further information about the cause of death. He was 52.
The Z Hotel released a statement offering its condolences to the Zilberman family. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.
“Mr. Zilberman was the vision and name behind the Z NYC Hotel and he will be greatly missed,” it said. “He left us a solid foundation for the continued success of his legacy, the Z, and we will push forward so that we can implement his concepts and grow the brand in the months and years ahead.”
A quintessential New York story, Zilberman’s ascension to real estate mogul began in 1989 when he emigrated from Israel with $2,000 in his pocket.
After learning all about the taxi industry from behind the wheel of his gypsy cab — and a bit about how far tourists prefer to travel between their hotels and the city’s hottest destinations — Zilberman culled his money together in 1996 to purchase a warehouse at the corner of 11th Street and 43rd Avenue to serve as the home of his taxi and limousine fleet.
More than a decade later, with luxury condos popping up all around the developing neighborhood, Zilberman would put his mark on the city’s skyline with his 11-story, Andre Escobar-designed hotel.
The Z offered Manhattan-like amenities at outerborough prices just minutes away from Midtown at a time when limited-service hotels catering to budget-conscious tourists were driving the market’s expansion.
With 100 rooms featuring floor-to-ceiling windows all facing the city’s skyline, a 5,000-square-foot rooftop and an eclectic decor matched by any equally idiosyncratic ethos, the hotel is itself a destination.
In the most visible expression of Zilberman’s personality outside his building, the hotel shuttled guests between Long Island City and Manhattan via a 1980s-era Cadillac de Ville limo — an ode to its owner’s quirky perspective from Queens.
Reach reporter Rich Bockmann by e-mail at rbockmann@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4574.
