$65M upscale urban hotel opens: Alvin H. Butz of Allentown and North Star Construction Management complete this historic project

For the first time in 35 years, Allentown has a new hotel.

Back in 1980, Allentown saw the opening of its last newly-built hotel, said Mayor Ed Pawlowski as he stood in the ballroom of the Renaissance Allentown Hotel by Marriott International to mark the opening of the new upscale hotel on Friday.

“This is another tremendous day in the transformation of downtown Allentown,” Pawlowski said, listing the many new office buildings, expansions and retail projects that opened this year in downtown Allentown, including the PPL Center arena entertainment complex, which is attached to the hotel.

“These projects are drawing people from all over the Lehigh Valley back into the heart of the city,” Pawlowski said.

With the historic Dime Bank building as its lobby, the luxury hotel at 12 N. Seventh St. features 170 full-service guest rooms and 11,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 4,100-square-foot ballroom that overlooks Center Square. To top it off, each hotel room is equipped with an iPad.

Developed by City Center Investment Corp., the $65 million, seven-floor hotel also includes the Dime, an upscale restaurant and lounge above the entrance to PPL Center. The Dime features two-story ceilings, an open kitchen and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Seventh and Hamilton streets. With the capacity to seat about 220 for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night meals and two private dining rooms, the Dime is expected to draw even more business to a site already taking reservations for weddings, conventions and fundraising events.

City Center has other projects expected to open in 2015, including a luxury apartment complex directly across from the hotel.

When City Center began the hotel project about three and half years ago, many said the company could not attract a top notch brand to the city, said J.B. Reilly, president and CEO of City Center Investment Corp.

City Center took a risk building the hotel without a brand name in place and 18 months ago, it landed the Renaissance brand, Reilly said.

“It will serve as a significant amenity for our downtown businesses,” he said.

The Renaissance name is validation that Allentown is now a global destination worth visiting, Reilly said.

About 120 new jobs were created by the hotel.

Pawlowski said it was significant that 80 percent of the jobs in the hotel have gone to Allentown residents.

“2015 is off to a great start,” Pawlowski said. “Every day we have to keep this progress moving forward.”

Greenwood Hospitality Group, a Denver, Col.-based company, is managing the hotel. Standard rates start at $143 per night according to the hotel’s website.

Alvin H. Butz of Allentown built the entire core and shell of the hotel and historic Dime Bank building while the tenant fit-out for the hotel and interior work was completed by North Star Construction Management of Upper Macungie Township.

Source: LVB.com