HotelChatter

The hotel's lobby will be up on the 5th floor which is above the roof line of the theater. It will cantilever out over that roof with a neat curved glass wall. The tower will not be Art Deco like the theater entrance building, but will incorporate the color scheme and design elements.

Ground-breaking on the $150-million plan was expected to start in late 2009, although the downturn seems to have delayed the final sign-off on the sale of the building. PlanPhilly reports that ARCWheeler’s Hal Wheeler is “very eager to begin the project and “is working hard to assemble funds.”

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation noted that the renderings for the hotel tower resemble Atlantic City’s Borgata.

Meanwhile, yet another Kimpton Hotel is in the works in Philly: on the site of the Robert Morris Building at 17th and Arch Streets.