One-of-a-kind hotel planned in Oakland
Lobby on top floor to offer views of historic landmarks
Developers unveiled more details Monday about a 10-story luxury hotel taking shape in the heart of Oakland that will include a rooftop lobby, lounge, restaurant and outdoor terrace designed to take advantage of sweeping views of the neighborhood’s historic landmarks.
To be called The Oaklander Hotel, the 167-room property is being built on land owned by and adjacent to the Pittsburgh Athletic Association, a project that managers of the iconic social club on Fifth Avenue have said is key to its long-term survival.
Scheduled to open in fall 2018, the hotel will be one of the Marriott brand’s “Autographic Collection” properties, a portfolio of one-of-a-kind hotels that includes The Algonquin in New York City, The Cosmopolitan on the Vegas Strip, and The Mayflower in Washington, D.C.
“It’s a wonderful location with demand generators [including] the universities and hospitals,” said Keith McGraw, local partner with North Carolina-based Concord Hospitality, which, along with Callay Capital in Robinson, is developing the property. “There is a real need for this type of hotel in Oakland.”
Developers decided to put the lobby and public amenities on the top floor to capitalize on views of important structures, including Phipps Conservatory and the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning, he said.
Plans also call for a parking garage; an independent, streetlevel restaurant at the front of the hotel on Bigelow Boulevard; and a coffee shop at the back of the hotel on Lytton Avenue facing Pitt’s Alumni Hall.
Mr. McGraw said developers would be “very selective” in choosing a restaurant, a process they expect to begin in the next 60 to 90 days. “We want to find a restaurant commensurate with our upscale-luxury type hotel,” he said.
Managers of the struggling 109-year-old athletic club have said they were counting on income from a 99-year lease agreement with the hotel’s operators to secure the association’s future. They also hope the hotel — which is going up on a parcel that had been used for outdoor parking — will generate more banquet and meeting business for the club.