The closing of the Adam's Mark in Philly.
Dec. 1st, 2004 05:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lionkingcmslFrom the Wed. Dec. 1st, 2004 edition of the Philadelphia Inquirer aka the "Inky":
Sold to Target, Adam's Mark closing Jan. 30
By REGINA MEDINA & KITTY CAPARELLA
medinar@phillynews.com
It wasn't long ago that the city was touting the Adam's Mark Hotel as an example of the "spirit and drive of a city truly being reborn."
"The Adam's Mark Philadelphia continues to be part of this rebirth," the city said in a travel guide.
But the 515-room luxury hotel on City Avenue, a Philadelphia landmark and destination for 21 years, will soon be no more.
The hotel company has sold it to the Target Corp., it was announced yesterday. It will close Jan. 30 and be turned over to Target.
The sale was announced at 4 p.m. yesterday to employees at a meeting in the hotel's Quincy Ballroom.
A hotel employee who would give her name only as Evelyn said that employees - everyone from administrative workers to bartenders, maids and other service personnel - were at the meeting. No refreshments were offered; it was all business.
There had been rumors of a sale since September, but no definite information until yesterday, Evelyn said.
"We had an idea, but no one knew for sure until the last minute," she said. "A few people were angry and people had a lot of questions."
Evelyn said hotel officials told workers the sale had been "finalized" at 3:15 p.m. There will be no severance pay, workers were told.
"I think it sucks," was Evelyn's opinion of the sale.
She said questions asked at the meeting included why people had been hired recently, and why the company had not been more forthcoming about the rumored sale.
The company issued a statement announcing the sale. Copies were available to employees and guests yesterday.
"Although Adam's Mark does not currently have plans to develop another hotel in the Philadelphia area, the company continues to operate upscale hotels in seven states," it said. "Most of the properties are scheduled for extensive guest room renovations in 2005."
Adam's Mark is a nonunion hotel, according to Thurston Hyman, president of the Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union.
City Councilman Michael Nutter, in whose district the hotel is situated, said he learned of the sale late yesterday and called the general manager, Ron Day, who confirmed it would cease operations in 60 days.
"It's a landmark hotel in a great location," Nutter said. "It would take a significant amount of renovation to bring it up to standards and a significant amount of money."
Nutter said that the owner of the hotel chain has been trying to get out of the hotel business. It had 24 hotels and is now down to eight.
"This property and others have been on sale for some time," Nutter said.
"I assume the hotel building would be torn down and Target would build a new building," Nutter said. "I don't know its zoning classification, and whether it allows for a retail building there."
Back in its heyday, the hotel was as enthusiastic as the city in touting itself.
"The moment you enter our hotel, you'll feel the pulse of an energetic, richly appointed meeting hotel, with a refined, classic sense of style. And our style is backed with substance: more than 50,000 square feet of exquisitely flexible meeting and banquet space.
"Warmth, spirit, style and substance. The remarkable Adam's Mark Philadelphia."
The Adam's Mark Philadelphia features more than 55,000 square feet of meeting space, including 24 decorated meeting rooms, and the 12,144-square-foot Grand Ballroom.
It boasts 515 "spacious guest rooms," including 59 executive suites, as well as a fitness center, indoor/outdoor pool, whirlpool and sauna.
It includes three dining and entertainment venues: The Marker, featuring American cuisine; Appleby's for "casual dining," and Players, a sports bar with large-screen TVs.
Target is the nation's second- largest retailer, behind Wal-Mart. The company operates Target stores, Marshall Field's and Mervyn's. Target has one Philadelphia store and is planning to open another soon.
and
Target to convert Adam’s Mark on City Avenue into a store
By Wendy Tanaka
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Target Corp. plans to convert the Adam's Mark Hotels property on City Avenue into a store, and possibly build residential units on the site.
The Minneapolis-based retailer, which acquired the property for an undisclosed amount, has not yet set a date for the new store opening. But it plans to take over the 515-room hotel on Feb. 1 and begin redeveloping it.
Target is also considering partnering with a real estate development company for the project. The retailer has 1,313 stores nationwide; 18 are in the Philadelphia area.
The hotel, which employs 304 workers, will contine(sic) operating through Jan. 30.
On the block for about a year, the hotel is one of 17 properties that St. Louis-based Adam's Mark has sold over the past 18 months. The privately held hotel chain now operates seven hotels in St. Louis, Dallas, Denver, Jacksonville, Fla., Charlotte, N.C., Indianapolis and Buffalo, N.Y.
Adam's Mark spokesman Tommie Monroe said the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and competition from new hotels has made it difficult for the chain to maintain high occupancy levels.
My Commentary
I'm not one to cast corporations immediately into a bad light, but I think the Adam's Mark is not looking too favorable here.
Ok, a company can sell its holdings at any time. Kudos to the Adam's Mark, though I do believe it has more to do with a law in Philly that says you have to give 60 days notice before a (major?) business can close, for not shutting the hotel's doors before the holidays.
However, hiring people when you know the hotel will probably be closed shortly, no severance pay to those that had served the hotel ably and professionally, and just springing it on them, though that may have been done to forestall massive quitting of employees, smacks of underhandedness and unfeeling by those in the upper levels of the Adam's Mark corporate organization, though not necessarily those of the Philadelphia hotel management itself.
I also think the Adam's Mark is making a huge mistake in bailing out of the Philly market. But looking where they currently have locations, only two are in, what could be considered, major cities: Dallas and St. Louis, with Denver not far behind.
I cannot believe that there is more call for hotel space in Buffalo than Philly, but then again that hotel may not be as large as 515 rooms.
As for Target, I half hope that the zoning does not allow, and can't (won't) be changed to allow a large retail outlet on that property. Though I do hope they find that out before they tear down the hotel, if that is what they plan to do.
Why do I wish that? It's because, as those who live in that area and/or have attended AnthroCon can attest, that area can't handle any more traffic. City Line Ave., Presidential Blvd. and the surrounding roads are over capacity now, especially at rush hour. Can you imagine what a large retail outlet would do to the traffic, especially at this time of year? I can and it gives me night mares, and I'm not talking about female equines that are active in the dark.
As always, right or wrong, these are my opinions, nothing more.
Sold to Target, Adam's Mark closing Jan. 30
By REGINA MEDINA & KITTY CAPARELLA
medinar@phillynews.com
It wasn't long ago that the city was touting the Adam's Mark Hotel as an example of the "spirit and drive of a city truly being reborn."
"The Adam's Mark Philadelphia continues to be part of this rebirth," the city said in a travel guide.
But the 515-room luxury hotel on City Avenue, a Philadelphia landmark and destination for 21 years, will soon be no more.
The hotel company has sold it to the Target Corp., it was announced yesterday. It will close Jan. 30 and be turned over to Target.
The sale was announced at 4 p.m. yesterday to employees at a meeting in the hotel's Quincy Ballroom.
A hotel employee who would give her name only as Evelyn said that employees - everyone from administrative workers to bartenders, maids and other service personnel - were at the meeting. No refreshments were offered; it was all business.
There had been rumors of a sale since September, but no definite information until yesterday, Evelyn said.
"We had an idea, but no one knew for sure until the last minute," she said. "A few people were angry and people had a lot of questions."
Evelyn said hotel officials told workers the sale had been "finalized" at 3:15 p.m. There will be no severance pay, workers were told.
"I think it sucks," was Evelyn's opinion of the sale.
She said questions asked at the meeting included why people had been hired recently, and why the company had not been more forthcoming about the rumored sale.
The company issued a statement announcing the sale. Copies were available to employees and guests yesterday.
"Although Adam's Mark does not currently have plans to develop another hotel in the Philadelphia area, the company continues to operate upscale hotels in seven states," it said. "Most of the properties are scheduled for extensive guest room renovations in 2005."
Adam's Mark is a nonunion hotel, according to Thurston Hyman, president of the Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union.
City Councilman Michael Nutter, in whose district the hotel is situated, said he learned of the sale late yesterday and called the general manager, Ron Day, who confirmed it would cease operations in 60 days.
"It's a landmark hotel in a great location," Nutter said. "It would take a significant amount of renovation to bring it up to standards and a significant amount of money."
Nutter said that the owner of the hotel chain has been trying to get out of the hotel business. It had 24 hotels and is now down to eight.
"This property and others have been on sale for some time," Nutter said.
"I assume the hotel building would be torn down and Target would build a new building," Nutter said. "I don't know its zoning classification, and whether it allows for a retail building there."
Back in its heyday, the hotel was as enthusiastic as the city in touting itself.
"The moment you enter our hotel, you'll feel the pulse of an energetic, richly appointed meeting hotel, with a refined, classic sense of style. And our style is backed with substance: more than 50,000 square feet of exquisitely flexible meeting and banquet space.
"Warmth, spirit, style and substance. The remarkable Adam's Mark Philadelphia."
The Adam's Mark Philadelphia features more than 55,000 square feet of meeting space, including 24 decorated meeting rooms, and the 12,144-square-foot Grand Ballroom.
It boasts 515 "spacious guest rooms," including 59 executive suites, as well as a fitness center, indoor/outdoor pool, whirlpool and sauna.
It includes three dining and entertainment venues: The Marker, featuring American cuisine; Appleby's for "casual dining," and Players, a sports bar with large-screen TVs.
Target is the nation's second- largest retailer, behind Wal-Mart. The company operates Target stores, Marshall Field's and Mervyn's. Target has one Philadelphia store and is planning to open another soon.
and
Target to convert Adam’s Mark on City Avenue into a store
By Wendy Tanaka
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Target Corp. plans to convert the Adam's Mark Hotels property on City Avenue into a store, and possibly build residential units on the site.
The Minneapolis-based retailer, which acquired the property for an undisclosed amount, has not yet set a date for the new store opening. But it plans to take over the 515-room hotel on Feb. 1 and begin redeveloping it.
Target is also considering partnering with a real estate development company for the project. The retailer has 1,313 stores nationwide; 18 are in the Philadelphia area.
The hotel, which employs 304 workers, will contine(sic) operating through Jan. 30.
On the block for about a year, the hotel is one of 17 properties that St. Louis-based Adam's Mark has sold over the past 18 months. The privately held hotel chain now operates seven hotels in St. Louis, Dallas, Denver, Jacksonville, Fla., Charlotte, N.C., Indianapolis and Buffalo, N.Y.
Adam's Mark spokesman Tommie Monroe said the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and competition from new hotels has made it difficult for the chain to maintain high occupancy levels.
My Commentary
I'm not one to cast corporations immediately into a bad light, but I think the Adam's Mark is not looking too favorable here.
Ok, a company can sell its holdings at any time. Kudos to the Adam's Mark, though I do believe it has more to do with a law in Philly that says you have to give 60 days notice before a (major?) business can close, for not shutting the hotel's doors before the holidays.
However, hiring people when you know the hotel will probably be closed shortly, no severance pay to those that had served the hotel ably and professionally, and just springing it on them, though that may have been done to forestall massive quitting of employees, smacks of underhandedness and unfeeling by those in the upper levels of the Adam's Mark corporate organization, though not necessarily those of the Philadelphia hotel management itself.
I also think the Adam's Mark is making a huge mistake in bailing out of the Philly market. But looking where they currently have locations, only two are in, what could be considered, major cities: Dallas and St. Louis, with Denver not far behind.
I cannot believe that there is more call for hotel space in Buffalo than Philly, but then again that hotel may not be as large as 515 rooms.
As for Target, I half hope that the zoning does not allow, and can't (won't) be changed to allow a large retail outlet on that property. Though I do hope they find that out before they tear down the hotel, if that is what they plan to do.
Why do I wish that? It's because, as those who live in that area and/or have attended AnthroCon can attest, that area can't handle any more traffic. City Line Ave., Presidential Blvd. and the surrounding roads are over capacity now, especially at rush hour. Can you imagine what a large retail outlet would do to the traffic, especially at this time of year? I can and it gives me night mares, and I'm not talking about female equines that are active in the dark.
As always, right or wrong, these are my opinions, nothing more.
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no subject
Date: 2004-12-01 11:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-01 11:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-02 12:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-02 12:45 am (UTC)It is there that the hotel and convention center are right next to the station.
no subject
Date: 2004-12-01 11:44 pm (UTC)Yeah, whats going on with the Adam's Mark in Philly just looks really really bad. Bah-dooka...
--Salen
no subject
Date: 2004-12-02 12:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-02 12:04 am (UTC)One of the news items I quoted says that Jax is one of the places Adam's Mark still had a hotel in.
no subject
Date: 2004-12-02 12:52 am (UTC)Summation: They like to push stuff up for sale/trade/do crazy wacked out s*** like this and so its not that suprising what they're doing to the poor folks in Philly. *grumble* Dooka...
no subject
Date: 2004-12-02 02:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-02 03:47 pm (UTC)It's too bad they're tearing it down... I wanted to be able to go to AnthroCon sometime again. I wonder if they'll hole it somewhere closer to me now >.>;
no subject
Date: 2004-12-02 04:59 pm (UTC)Don't hold your breath on them bringing it closer to you.
As it stands AC will be probably be held in Center City Philly for 2005, who knows in 2006, and a move to Pittsburgh in 2007.
When they move it to Pittsburgh, it will be easily accessible by rail, as the hotel and convention center are right next door to the train station.
Your best bet would be to catch the Capitol Ltd. from D.C. to Pittsburgh and return.
no subject
Date: 2004-12-03 12:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-03 12:54 pm (UTC)Using the dates for next year, I came up with these fares:
Amtrak: $101 roundtrip, and this puts you right next door to the con. (source: www.amtrak.com (http://www.amtrak.com))
Contential Airlines: $108 roundtrip, however this flight has one stop and a change of planes in Cleveland. (source: www.travelocity.com (http://www.travelocity.com))
United Airlines: $118 roundtrip, this flight is nonstop. (source: www.travelocity.com (http://www.travelocity.com))
Both flights use Dulles Int. in D.C.
All fares are based on one adult travelling round trip.
Pleased note however that you would need someway to get from the airport to the con and return, as well as to Dulles. The cheapest would be to hasve someone meet you there. The most expensive would be to rent a car. In between is the airport's shuttle service, though the hotel might have a free shuttle to and from the airport.
Depending on where you live, you may be able to catch either Amtra, or Virgina Railway Express in to Washington Union Station and return, only adding marginally to your costs.
Also, please remember that these are fares for next year and probably will not reflect the actual costs in 2007. Amtrak's reservation system handles reservations up to 11 months in advance.
no subject
Date: 2004-12-03 12:57 pm (UTC)If you do decide to take the train, I know it is still 2 years in the future, let me know and I'll catch the Capitol also, to/from Pittsburgh, and be your chaperone during the trip. :=3