W Boston Hotel and Residences

Last updated
W Boston Hotel & Residences
W Boston Exterior.jpg
W Boston Hotel and Residences
General information
StatusCompleted
TypeMixed-Use
Location100 Stuart Street
Boston, MA
Construction started2007
Estimated completion2009
OpeningOctober 29, 2009
Cost$234 Million
OwnerPebble Brook Hotel Trust (Hotel), Sawyer Enterprises (Condo)
Height
Roof84 m (276 ft)
Technical details
Floor count26
Lifts/elevators7
Design and construction
Architect(s)William Rawn Associates, Architects Inc., TRO Jung Brannen Inc.
DeveloperSawyer Enterprises
Main contractorBovis Lend Lease

The W BOSTON Hotel and Residences is a 301-feet-tall tower [1] (92 m) located in the Boston Theater District of Downtown/Midtown neighborhood, Boston, Massachusetts (USA). The 26-story building, [2] completed in 2009, [3] is a mixed-use development with hotel, condo, restaurant, spa, retail, and bar components.

Contents

W BOSTON is located across the street from the Boston Transportation Building, with the official address of 100 Stuart Street. It is managed by Marriott International as part of the W Hotel chain and was W Hotel's 35th hotel, opening in October 2009. The development comprises one restaurant, MARKET by Jean Georges (Closed), two bars, W Lounge and TUNNEL (formerly DESCENT, closed), the latter being the destination bar, a spa, BLISS, a retail store, W Hotels The Store (Closed), the 235-room hotel, on floors 3-13, and 123 branded luxury residential condominiums, on floors 14-26.

The architecture firms that designed the W BOSTON Hotel and Residences are William Rawn Associates, Architects Inc. and TRO Jung Brannen Inc. The interiors are designed by Bentel and Bentel Architects. The building is developed by Sawyer Enterprises. [4]

Development

In 2001, originally known as the Loews Project, the developer Sawyer Enterprises was set to construct the Loews Hotel on the site of the now W Boston. However, after 9/11 all projects were stalled. In 2007, the project was revived and W Hotels became the new hotel to be on site. The original plan for an all-hotel building was restructured into a mixed-use development. The fall of 2007, W Boston broke ground. The building was completed by early 2009. However, as the hotel was set to open in late summer/fall, developer lacked funding to furnish the remaining the hotel rooms, install fixtures for the residences, or complete the remaining public spaces of the hotel including the bar and restaurant spaces to the standards that people expected from the W Brand. If uncompleted, the hotel would not be allowed to open on time. As the City of Boston offered a program to revive stalled projects during the tough economic times, the W Boston project was granted an additional $10 million to finish the remaining spaces. W Boston finally opened October 29, 2009. [5]

Hotel

W BOSTON

Opened in the fall of 2009, the 235-room hotel has seven room classes including two WOW Suites and one "Extreme WOW" Suite. These suites are the hotel's specialty suites.[ citation needed ]

W Hotels The Store

The hotel's gift shop which sold clothing, jewelry, toys, etc. After being open for just two years, due to slow business as well as a chain-wide decision, the store closed September 2011. [6]

MARKET By Jean Georges

Three Michelin Star Chef, Jean Georges Vongerichten's fine dining restaurant in W Boston. Opened in November 2009.

In December 2013, Market announced that it would close. The Last dinner service was December 21.

BLISS Spa

New York based spa, integral of the W Hotels Chain. Opened Spring/Summer 2010

W Lounge

Originally called 'The Living Room', the W Lounge is part W Boston's lobby area.

DESCENT

Underground Destination Bar/Lounge/Nightclub, Opened November 2011. [7] Near the end of December 2012, Descent closed down for what the W Boston calls a "re-invigoration." Plans for a re-opening or a new bar took place during 2013. [8]

James Joseph Salon

A Newbury Street salon opened October 2012 on Level 1 of where the Bliss retail space used to be.

The Boston Sun Glass Company

Opened November 2012, a sun glass retail store in the space of the original W Hotels The Store.

TUNNEL

Opened October 10, 2013, TUNNEL is a bar, located in the former DESCENT space. The owner is Brian Lesser of The Speakeasy Group who also runs Storyville, Tavern Road, Vine Brook Tavern, Alden and Harlow, Sweet Cheeks in the Boston area.

Condo

The Residences at W Boston

A branded, full service condominium building comprising 123 private residences. [9] Located on the upper floors of the building, residents have access to all components of the hotel including the hotel gym, FIT. Residents have their own private, separate entrance, lobby, and elevators. Initial prices ranged from $400s to $4.55mm. [10]

2013 HGTV Urban Oasis

For the location of the 2013 HGTV Urban Oasis, The Residences at the W Boston was chosen. The sweepstakes gave away a 1-bedroom, 1 ½-bath 1,000-square-foot residence located on the 24th floor of the Residences at W Boston and all-new 2014 Acura MDX, with the total prize package worth over 1 million. [11]

April 2010 bankruptcy

Due to slow sales of the condos and weak hotel economy during the fall of 2009, the developer filed for Ch 11 Bankruptcy Protection April 2010. [12] The developer came out of the bankruptcy the summer of 2011, [13] after winning court battle with Prudential Insurance, which sought foreclosure on the development. [14]

Sale of W Hotel Boston

The hotel component was sold in March 2011 to Pebblebrook Hotel Trust at the price of $89.5 million. [15] The residential component is still owned by Sawyer Enterprises.

October 2012 bankruptcy reversal

Early October 2012, the appeals court reversed the previous ruling of the allowance of SW Boston to exit bankruptcy. [16]

April 2014 bankruptcy case resolution

In April 2014, the U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals remained in favor of the bankruptcy judge who blocked efforts by the Prudential Insurance Co. of America to foreclose on the remaining condominiums owned by developer SW Boston at the W Boston Hotel & Residences, ending the legal back and forth over SW's post-bankruptcy reorganization plan. [17]

Awards and accolades

Notes

  1. Emporis.com [usurped] Emporis, Retrieved April 20, 2012
  2. Emporis.com [usurped] Emporis, Retrieved April 20, 2012
  3. Emporis.com [usurped] Emporis, Retrieved April 20, 2012
  4. http://100stuartstreet.com Residences at W Boston, Retrieved April 20, 2012
  5. http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2009/07/06/story1.html Boston Business Journal, Retrieved April 21, 2012
  6. http://bostonherald.com/blogs/entertainment/stylize/2011/09/28/sniff-sniff-w-hotels-the-store-to-close/ Boston Herald, Retrieved April 20, 2012
  7. http://bostonrestaurants.blogspot.com/2011/10/descent-is-opening-underneath-w-hotel.html/ Boston Restaurants Blog Spot, Retrieved January 19, 2012
  8. http://bostonrestaurants.blogspot.com/2012/12/descent-in-bostons-w-hotel-has-closed.html/ Boston Restaurants Blog Spot, Retrieved January 19, 2012
  9. http://wresidences.com W Residences, Retrieved April 20, 2012
  10. 100 Stuart Street/Residences at W Boston website
  11. "HGTV Urban Oasis Sweepstakes".
  12. http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2010/04/29/w_hotels_developer_says_it_is_bankrupt/ Boston.com, Retrieved April 20, 2012
  13. http://backbay.patch.com/articles/bostons-w-hotel-residences-wins-reprieve-good-news-for-boston-real-estate-market Back Bay Patch, Reference April 20, 2012
  14. http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2011/02/01/ruling_staves_off_foreclosure_for_w_hotel_developer/ Boston.com, Retrieved April 21, 2012
  15. http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2011/03/29/developer_sells_w_hotel_for_895m/ Boston.com, Retrieved April 20, 2012
  16. http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/real_estate/2012/10/court-reverses-w-hotel-bankruptcy.html Boston Business Journal, Retrieved October 6, 2012
  17. http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/real_estate/2014/04/sw-boston-wins-key-appeals-court-backing-for-w.html Boston Business Journal, Retrieved Junel 6, 2015

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tysons Corner Center</span> Shopping mall in Virginia, United States

Tysons Corner Center is a shopping mall in the unincorporated area of Tysons in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. It opened to the public in 1968, becoming one of the first fully enclosed, climate-controlled shopping malls in the Washington metropolitan area. The mall's anchor department stores are Macy's, Nordstrom, and Bloomingdale's. The mall also features prominent specialty retailers including Everlane, Fabletics, Untuckit, Oak + Fort, Intimissimi, Aesop, and Warby Parker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Flats</span> Historic district in Cleveland, Ohio

The Flats is a mixed-use industrial, recreational, entertainment, and residential area of the Cuyahoga Valley neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. The name reflects its low-lying topography on the banks of the Cuyahoga River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SM Mall of Asia</span> Mall in the Philippines

SM Mall of Asia, is a large shopping mall in the Philippines, located at Bay City, Pasay, Philippines, within the SM Central Business Park, a reclaimed area within Manila Bay, and the southern end of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA/C-4).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">JW Marriott Marquis Dubai</span> Building in Dubai

The JW Marriott Marquis Dubai Hotel is the world's second tallest hotel, a 72-storey, 355 m (1,165 ft) twin-tower skyscraper complex in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The AED1.8 billion complex features a 1,608-room hotel run by Marriott International.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westin Book Cadillac Hotel</span> Skyscraper in Detroit

The Westin Book Cadillac Detroit is an historic skyscraper hotel in downtown Detroit, Michigan, within the Washington Boulevard Historic District. Designed in the Neo-Renaissance style, and opened as the Book-Cadillac Hotel in 1924, the 349 ft (106 m), 31-story, 453-room hotel includes 65 exclusive luxury condominiums and penthouses on the top eight floors. It reopened in October 2008, managed by Westin Hotels, after a $200-million restoration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westfield Oakridge</span> Shopping mall in San Jose, California

Westfield Oakridge, commonly known as Oakridge, is a shopping mall in San Jose, California, located in the Blossom Valley neighborhood of South San Jose. Established in 1971, Oakridge has been redeveloped multiple times in its history, most recently in 2003, to the cost of $150 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bayshore (shopping mall)</span> Shopping mall in Wisconsin, United States

Bayshore is an open-air shopping mall/mixed use complex including retail shops, restaurants, offices and residential units in Glendale, Wisconsin. It is currently anchored by Barnes & Noble, Kohl's, Total Wine & More, and Target along with one of the Milwaukee area's two Apple Stores. Originally an outdoor strip mall built in 1954, it was converted into an enclosed mall in 1974. The first of two major redevelopments began in 2006, Bayshore Town Center was redeveloped into a mixed use center. In February in preparation of the next redevelopment, some stores began to move to new locations in the mall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Redmond Town Center</span> Shopping mall in Washington, US

Redmond Town Center is a mixed-use development and shopping center located in downtown Redmond, Washington. Owned and managed by Fairbourne Properties, Redmond Town Center has more than 110 shops, restaurants, lodging, and entertainment venues in an outdoor environment. It opened in 1997 on the site of a defunct municipal golf course along the north side of State Route 520.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Langham Hotel Boston</span> Building in Massachusetts, United States

The Langham, Boston is a luxury hotel in a historic building located at 250 Franklin Street in the financial district of Boston, Massachusetts. It is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World and managed by Langham Hotels International.

Plantation Walk is a mixed-use complex in Plantation, Florida, a suburb of Fort Lauderdale. The complex includes the office tower, hotel and parking decks from the demolished Fashion Mall, a three-level shopping mall that opened in 1988 and closed in December 2006 following hurricane damage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center</span> 45-story hotel located in the Crown Center complex in Kansas City, Missouri

The Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center is a 504.0 ft (153.62 m), 45-story hotel located in the Crown Center complex in Kansas City, Missouri. It was Missouri's tallest building from 1980 to 1986. It is now the state's sixth-tallest building and Kansas City's third-tallest building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waldorf Astoria Atlanta Buckhead</span> Hotel & Condo in Georgia , United States

The Waldorf Astoria Atlanta Buckhead is a 580 ft tall combination hotel/condominium building skyscraper in Atlanta, Georgia. It was constructed from 2006 to 2008 and has 42 floors. It is the 12th tallest building in Atlanta and the fifteenth tallest residential highrise in the United States. The design architect for the building was Robert A.M. Stern Architects with Atlanta firm Milton Pate Architects serving as the Architect of Record. The project was developed by Atlanta-based City Centre Properties, LLC and constructed by Holder Construction Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Four Seasons Baltimore and Residences</span> Mixed use in Maryland, United States

Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore is a 30-story highrise hotel and condominium complex in Baltimore, Maryland. The hotel portion of the building opened on November 14, 2011. The building's construction began in 2007 and went through several changes. Developers originally planned the project as two towers, with a portion for residences. The hotel occupies just one of the towers, with the second being used as the Legg Mason Tower. A residential portion, comprising eight additional floors of condo units, began construction in 2014. The eight additional floors took almost four years to complete, adding an additional 62 residential units atop the existing hotel portion, separated by a mechanical floor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Jefferson Hotel</span> 19-story building on the western side of downtown Birmingham, Alabama

Thomas Jefferson Tower, originally the Thomas Jefferson Hotel and then the Cabana Hotel, is a 19-story building on the western side of downtown Birmingham, Alabama. It was completed in 1929 as the 350-room Thomas Jefferson Hotel and is at 1623 2nd Avenue North. It has a tower in its roof intended to be a zeppelin mooring mast.

Peabody Place is a mixed use residential, retail, and office redevelopment project located in Downtown Memphis, Tennessee that covers eight city blocks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Accord Metropolitan Hotel, Chennai</span> Luxury hotel in Chennai, India

Accord Metropolitan is a five-star hotel in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown</span>

The Ritz-Carlton Georgetown, Washington, D.C., is a luxury hotel located in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. It is near The Kennedy Center and the Georgetown waterfront. It is an AAA 5-star luxury hotel, and has 86 rooms, 27 premier suites, and five luxury suites. All rooms and suites have a view of the Potomac River and historic Georgetown. It contains a 140 feet (43 m) smokestack coming from the lobby fireplace. It is a small hotel and is known to be good for privacy. The hotel contains a restaurant, bar, and a fitness center with a newly refreshed spa after a $1.5 million renovation in 2016. The rooms are on average 450 square feet (42 m2) in size and is located in a historic industrial building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helios (building)</span> Residential skyscraper in downtown Seattle, Washington

Helios, also known as 2nd & Pine, is a residential skyscraper in downtown Seattle, Washington. The 40-story tower is 440 feet (130 m) tall with 398 luxury apartments. Plans for the project were first proposed in 2013 and construction began in late 2014. It is located at the intersection of 2nd Avenue and Pine Street near the Pike Place Market and the city's retail core.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hartman Hotel</span> United States historic place

The Hartman Hotel is an condominium complex and former hotel and office building in Downtown Columbus, Ohio. The building was completed in 1898 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018.

Queen City Quarter is a mixed-use development with an open-air shopping center, office, and hotels, located in Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. It was developed by The Ghazi Company. Queen City Quarter opened to the general public in 2008 at a cost of $220 million and covers three acres (1.2 ha).

References