The fact that the contractor, L.F. Driscoll, could finish this project one month early in a logistically challenging location is a real testament to the quality of the contractor and the workforce employed. A 15 month turnaround on an existing parking garage demolition and complete ground-up facility while completing the project one month ahead of schedule is a an amazing accomplishment and worthy of recognition for all that took part in its construction.
Congratulations Mack Stulb and L.F. Driscoll, all of the sub contractors and all of the trades that worked together to accomplish this noteworthy build.
As the Home2Suites hotel at 12th and Arch Streets officially opened for business Tuesday, one thing remained conspicuously absent by midafternoon. Patrons.
The 248-unit all-suites, Hilton-branded hotel had finished construction about a month ahead of schedule, and the co-developers scrambled Tuesday - after getting the final go-ahead from Hilton in the morning - to let everyone know it was open.
"It's very fast for a Center City hotel, and I believe it adds a lot to the area," codeveloper Howard Wurzak, chairman and CEO of Philadelphia-based Wurzak Hotel Group, said of the 15-month build-out. "It has a very European feel to it."
Shovels went in at a well-attended groundbreaking with Mayor Nutter in mid-April 2012 for the city's first new ground-up hotel in 10 years. It sits directly across from the Reading Terminal Market.
Parkway Corp., which owns parking lots and garages throughout the city, is codeveloper. The nine-story hotel has floor-to-ceiling windows, an indoor pool, and a gym next to a laundry room, and will feature three tenants on the ground floor - BurgerFi (set to open in October) and Panera Bread (to open sometime later), and a third, yet-to-be named retailer.
"It's funky and relaxed," said Robert Zuritsky, president of Parkway Corp., of the hotel's decor, which includes a historical map of Philadelphia on one wall and an "accessory wall" with artifacts in the lobby. It's also environmentally efficient, with a rooftop garden and built to LEED-certified standards. Some chairs are made from recycled soda bottles and tables from old bowling lanes.
Each of the suites has a fully stocked kitchen with utensils and a microwave that Zuritsky said was geared toward attracting families, business travelers, and extended-stay guests. About 30 percent of business, he said, will come from conventioneers. The hotel is kitty-corner from the Convention Center.
Its closest competitors in Center City are the Courtyard by Marriott Philadelphia Downtown, Residence Inn by Marriott, and the Hampton Inn.
The Home2Suites is the 20th to open in the United States and the brand's largest facility.
A Tuesday-night stay cost $199, and price will vary according to season and demand.
Source: Philly.com
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