Drexelbrook hosts groundbreaking for Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites
UPPER DARBY >> The heavy downpour of rain didn’t dampen the festive spirit inside the Drexelbrook Catering & Special Events Center Thursday, as local dignitaries, employees, family and friends joined owner Bill Kay and his family to break ground for the construction of a new Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites.
Located in Drexel Hill section of Upper Darby, the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Philadelphia at Drexelbrook is expected to open in June 2018 and will operate as an InterContinental Hotels Group franchise, owned by Drexelbrook Associates and managed by Prestige Hospitality Group of Albany, N.Y. The new hotel, expected to take 14 months to complete, will feature 100 rooms, 14 suites, a business center, lounge and bar area, a restaurant, exercise room, indoor swimming pool, two luxury bridal suites and many more amenities.
“This is a historic day for Upper Darby and for Delaware County,” Upper Darby Mayor Thomas Micozzie said in remarks at the groundbreaking. “I have been mayor here since 2009 and this hotel has been a priority since the day I took office. We are all thrilled to be here on the day that it is finally becoming a reality.”
Micozzie spoke about the long history of Drexelbrook and how it rose from the ashes after a fire destroyed the former country club in the 1970s, He touched on its history of being a swim club, a restaurant and a venue where Guy Lombardo and Dick Clark frequented. He told the story of how Dick Clark met Ed McMahon there for the first time, and went on to introduce him to Johnny Carson.
“Bill Kay and the Drexelbrook are both icons in this town,” Micozzie said, drawing applause for the owner.
Micozzie presented Kay with a proclamation officially marking April 6 as “L. William Kay” Day in Upper Darby. The groundbreaking coincided with Bill Kay’s 90th birthday.
Kay has served as managing partner for Drexelbrook, the third-largest apartment complex in the Philadelphia area, for more than 55 years. Through his unwavering commitment to hospitality excellence over the years, Drexelbrook has grown and thrived.
Remarks were also made by Delaware County Council Chairman Mario Civera, a lifelong Upper Darby resident, Trish McFarland, Delaware County Chamber of Commerce president, state Rep. Jamie Santora, R-163 of Upper Darby, J. Patrick Killian, director of Delaware County Commerce Center, and Tore Fiore, executive director of Destination Delco, Delaware County’s tourism bureau.
Fiore, who spoke of the growing tourism in the county and how it will be helped by the new hotel, drew laughter from the crowd in attendance as he stated that “Delaware County is less taxing and more relaxing than our friends in Philadelphia.” He then drew more laughter when he said, “Mr. Kay, most people get a cake for their birthday, but you’re so special you get a hotel!”
The new on-site Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites is the latest expansion of the Drexelbrook brand, and the first of two major investments planned at the Drexelbrook Catering & Special Event Center. The hotel will feature the new Holiday Inn H4 design solution, representing Happiness, Hospitality, Home and Holiday Inn – four key elements reflective of the Holiday Inn’s distinctive experience. In early 2018, Drexelbrook also will embark on a major renovation program to introduce a new stylish décor and upgraded amenities at its premier special event venue.
The hotel and other renovations will be natural extensions of the Drexelbrook brand. Drexelbrook Catering & Special Event Center is a full-service hospitality facility nestled within the renowned Drexelbrook Residential Community in Drexel Hill. One of the largest special event venues in the tri-state area, Drexelbrook can accommodate up to 1,200 guests. In addition, Drexelbrook offers full-service catering in residences, offices and other locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.
Kay was accompanied to the groundbreaking, which was hosted by Drexebrook Associates, owners of the award-winning Drexelbrook Residential Community and Drexelbrook Catering & Special Event Center, by his wife Brit and sons, Henrich and Bill. A birthday cake for Kay, as well as a celebratory luncheon, followed the groundbreaking.
“We are very excited to be able to provide our clients and their guests with a total hospitality experience,” commented Domenick Savino, CEO of Drexelbrook Catering & Special Event Center. “Featuring award-wining cuisine, professional service and much needed overnight room accommodations, the new Holiday Inn & Suites Philadelphia at Drexelbrook will allow us to meet the needs of current and future clients desiring an allinclusive experience.”