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New life for Life building
New York developer David Mitchell is transforming the 1895 Life magazine building in New York City into a 98-room boutique hotel. Mitchell and partners purchased the building, home to the first Life magazine, and more recently the Herald Square Hotel, for around $40 million in 2015, according to The New York Post. In the process of renovation, Mitchell discovered marble flooring and wood moldings, along with other original elements that will factor into the design of the property, which he told the paper “will bring back the spirit of the 1920s.” The hotel will include a restaurant from B.R. Guest founder Stephen Hanson.
Davidson adds Don CeSar
Loews Hotels & Resorts sold the historic 1928 Don CeSar Hotel on St. Pete Beach, Florida, in January, and new owner Host Hotels & Resorts named Davidson Hotels & Resorts as manager. The hotel’s amenities went through a $10 million upgrade in the last year. The hotel will fall under Davidson’s Pivot Hotels & Resorts lifestyle and luxury division. Davidson also manages Beach House Suites by The Don CeSar, a 70-room all-suite beachfront hotel located a half mile from the Don CeSar.
Auberge to manage Utah mountain resort
Auberge Resorts Collection will manage The Lodge at Blue Sky, a 46-room luxury resort under development near Park City, Utah. The property will be part of Blue Sky Utah, a 3,400-acre hospitality and recreation mixed-use development in the Wasatch Mountains, developed by local owner Mike Phillips. The Blue Sky development comprises 35 acres in the mountains and offers guests many outdoor pursuits, including skiing, a sporting clays course and an equestrian program.
Fashion designer Thierry Mugler takes on hotels
The Telegraph reports that French fashion designer Thierry Mugler is partnering with design and architecture consultancy +Cassia to launch a luxury hotels and resorts brand. According to the report, Mugler’s first project will be a 600-room hotel in the Domino Towers development near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
People and projects
- Ted Horan was named GM of Primland, in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains.
- Maureen Doran was named GM of two independent properties in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California—Tradewinds Carmel and Carmel Lodge.
- The Hotel Californian, in Santa Barbara, California, named its executive team in advance of the hotel’s opening later this year. Carlos Lopes will be managing director. Warren Nocon and Ellen Adelman will head hotel operations, and sales and strategic marketing. Alexander La Motte was named executive chef.
- Sixty Hotels named Kevin Osterhaus as president.
- The Statler in downtown Dallas named Evan Danziger as GM and Jennifer Wasserman as director of sales and marketing. The iconic luxury boutique hotel is undergoing a $225-million redevelopment and is set to re-open in late spring.
- Remington Hotels named Pier House Resort & Spa in Key West, Florida, its Hotel of the Year. This is the second consecutive year the hotel has won this honor.
- Ames Boston Hotel recently opened 1,700 square feet of new meeting and event space, designed by Glen and Co. Architecture.
Compiled by Stephanie Ricca.