Major makeover for The Latham Hotel
The Latham Hotel wants to elevate its game and offer guests more of a four-star, than a three, experience. That's why it's undergoing a major makeover.
The Latham Hotel wants to elevate its game and offer guests more of a four-star, than a three, experience. That's why it's undergoing a major makeover.
"The hotel needed to be renovated and refurbished," Tom Varley, vice president of operations for Ocean Properties Ltd., the hotel's owner, said in a phone interview Tuesday from Portsmouth, N.H.
"We are going to relaunch the property . . . with major upgrades to guest rooms and public spaces, and including new food and beverage concepts."
The Latham's chief rivals, Varley said, are the Kimpton-owned Palomar and the Sofitel Hotel, both about a block away and also just off Rittenhouse Square.
The upgrade is needed for The Latham to be competitive, he said. Currently, it "does not provide the food and beverage amenity, and certainly, by providing [that] component, it provides for a better experience. . . ."
Varley declined to put a price on the renovation other than to say it was a "multimillion-dollar" refurbishing, only the second renovation since Ocean Properties acquired The Latham in 1995.
Ocean Properties selected BLT Architects to redesign The Latham's lobby, restaurant, and lounge spaces, while the Keating Group will redo all 138 rooms, including several that will be converted into suites. Both companies are based in Philadelphia.
The 130 guest rooms are first on the list to be redone, Varley said, followed by the lobby. The final concept for the restaurant is still being worked on, he added.
The six-month renovation, which began Jan. 3, is scheduled to be completed in June. During the work, 30 rooms will be used to honor bookings previously made.
"We had commitments, and we do need to house people who are coming and going who are involved in the project," Varley said.
An architectural and historic landmark, The Latham Hotel was constructed as a 14-story apartment house in 1915, on the original site of the home of William Bucknell, the philanthropist who founded Bucknell University.
The building operated as apartments until the late 1960s, when a small group of wealthy businessmen converted it into The Latham Hotel just as many investors were turning hotels into condominiums.
In August 1970, The Latham opened to the public and quickly earned a good reputation among business travelers, according to hospitality experts. The European-style boutique hotel offered luxury rooms, along with the most modern conveniences of the day.
In the mid-1980s, its restaurant and lounge were closed, then rethemed and reopened several times. They have been vacant for some time now.
National listing
The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and The Latham is a member of the Historic Hotels of America.
Owner Ocean Properties, with headquarters in Portsmouth, N.H., and Delray Beach, Fla., operates about 100 hotels across the United States and Canada, under brands such as Hilton, Marriott, and Sheraton. It also owns and operates shopping centers, restaurants, and other real estate holdings.
BLT Architects, which counts the redesign of Loews Philadelphia Hotel, the Philadelphia Marriott, and the Union League among its credits, plans to restore The Latham to its former luster, while making it more contemporary.
"Our goal is to renovate this landmark and enhance its character while mixing in a little modern Philadelphia sophistication," said Stanley Tang, principal in charge of the firm, which has an office at 1216 Arch St.
The Latham sits at a prime location at 135 S. 17th St. - near major office buildings, high-end retail on Walnut Street, Rittenhouse Square, and a number of upscale hotels, including the 294-room Westin Philadelphia, as well as the Palomar and Sofitel.
'Stay relevant'
"Certainly, the competition is out there," Varley said, "and why it's important to stay relevant. We feel these improvements will really position us to compete against the Kimptons and others in the boutique-hotel segment."
The Latham joins other downtown hotels that are refreshing their looks or have just completed renovations, including the Doubletree Hotel Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Marriott, the Sofitel, and the Hampton Inn.
The Four Seasons is to complete a $900,000 renovation of its ballroom and ballroom foyer next week.
"Many hotels take advantage of slower periods of business like January and February, with the Convention Center in use for gate shows [like the Flower and Auto Shows], to enhance their physical conditions to be prepared to better compete when demand levels increase," said Peter Tyson, vice president of Colliers PKF Consulting USA, which tracks the hospitality industry.
"No hotel wants rooms out of order," he said, "when heads are in need of beds."
The Latham
Address: 135 S. 17th St., Philadelphia.
Opened: 1915 on the site of the former home of philanthropist William Bucknell, founder of Bucknell University.
Federal landmark: On
the National Register
of Historic Places.
Height: 14 stories.
Rooms: 138.
History: An apartment house until the late 1960s; became a hotel in 1970.
Owner: Ocean Properties Ltd., Portsmouth, N.H.,
and Delray Beach, Fla.
SOURCES: The Latham,
Inquirer research EndText