Exclusive | Who wins and who gets burned as The Plaza goes dark for four years

The Plaza Hotel will shut its doors for at least four years starting in January 2027 , with operator Fairmont Hotels and Resorts saying the 18-story Fifth Avenue landmark needs a top-to-bottom restoration of its historic facade .City Buildings inspectors found the facade unsafe in their latest review, the reason a sidewalk shed already hugs the building.The news ricocheted far beyond Manhattan within hours.“I woke up this morning to many, many messages of, is this true? Is this happening? Did you hear this?” Julie Estes, founder of event production firm SOP House, who has worked events at the Plaza since 2007, told The Post.

“It’s not just the most iconic hotel in New York.It’s the most iconic hotel in the world,” she added.So who comes out ahead, and who gets stuck holding the bag? The Post breaks it down.Talk about timing.

Park Avenue’s other legend reopened last year after a closure dating to 2017 and a makeover pegged at roughly $2 billion , and it now looks like the default destination for anyone who had their heart set on the Plaza.Leslie Wilson, senior EVP and managing director at Douglas Elliman Development Marketing, sounded downright bullish.“With The Plaza preparing to close for an extended period, we expect renewed attention on New York’s historic luxury properties with high levels of hotel services,” Wilson said, calling the Waldorf “a unique combination of residential living and world-class hospitality that few properties can replicate.”Couples chasing white-glove, Gilded Age glamour have other places to turn, and Estes rattled off a short list.“The Pierre is right next to the plaza and it has a wonderful history in the city,” she said.For something sleeker nearby, “the Mandarin’s really close by as well.”She also pointed to the Rainbow Room, which she described as “another fantastic, iconic ballroom in our city that has gorgeous views,” along with Cipriani’s grand halls on 42nd Street, Wall Street, Broadway a...