STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.® (NYSE:HOT) today announced that its ‘Different by Design’ Aloft brand has doubled its presence in Tulsa, Oklahoma with the opening of Aloft Tulsa Downtown. The opening also marks the successful completion of the Aloft brand’s second adaptive re-use project. The former City Hall was transformed into Aloft Tulsa Downtown by owner and developer TOCH, LLC. Managed by Presidian Hotels & Resorts, Aloft Tulsa Downtown caters to the next generation of travelers with 180 spacious, loft-like rooms, leading-edge technology and a buzzing, social atmosphere.
“Aloft Tulsa Downtown brings new life to a historic building by infusing it with the energy of the Aloft brand’s urban design and buzzing social atmosphere,” said Brian McGuinness, Senior Vice President, Specialty Select Brands for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. “Adaptive re-use projects like this one represent an important growth channel for the Aloft brand, allowing us to enter even more markets, more quickly.”
The opening of Aloft Tulsa Downtown follows the award-winning Aloft Dallas Downtown, which transformed a historic railroad depot into an Aloft hotel. Aloft will complete two more adaptive re-use projects in 2014 – Aloft Detroit Downtown and Aloft Tampa Downtown.
“We are excited to partner with TOCH, LLC on this iconic adaptive re-use project in the heart of downtown Tulsa, OK,” said Mark Kucera, President/COO of Presidian. “The Aloft brand attracts savvy travelers and young professionals with its urban design aesthetic and social vibe.”
Located on the northern edge of Civic Center Plaza, Aloft Tulsa Downtown is a key element of Tulsa’s newest mixed-use development. The hotel is a short stroll to the Tulsa Convention Center, the Tulsa County Courthouse, the Central Library, the concerts and events at the BOK center, and the city’s business and entertainment district. Also nearby are the Tulsa Drillers baseball stadium, Greenwood Cultural Center, Tulsa Race Riot Museum, the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame and the Tulsa Air and Space Museum.
Offering impressive views of both downtown and the Arkansas River, Aloft Tulsa Downtown will include a Splash outdoor pool, w xyz sm bar, 24-hour fitness center and 9,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, ideal for both business meetings and social gatherings.
Speaking for the group, TOCH principal Bruce Taylor said, “Our group is excited about the growth and change taking place in downtown Tulsa. We see the young upward mobile professionals looking toward an urban environment as a place to live, work, and raise a family. TOCH intends to lead the way toward making adaptive reuse a fun, exciting, and eco-friendly means for the new wave of young professionals to live and work in our great city. The citizens of Tulsa owe a debt of gratitude to The Tulsa City Council, Mayor Bartlett and Taylor, and the Tulsa Development Authority, who have been instrumental in remaking the downtown area.”
Pioneering initiatives in music, design, and technology have positioned Aloft as a must-have brand for the next generation of travelers. Aloft has reported consistently high guest satisfaction scores since launch, reflecting the success of its modern, vibrant design and social guest experience. The buzzing re:mixSM lounge and w xyz bar, has also earned select hotels within the portfolio designations in TripAdvisor's 2012 "Top 25 Trendiest Hotels in the US" rankings.
About Aloft Hotels
With more than 70 hotels in 10 countries, Aloft has changed the hotel landscape by offering ‘different by design” style everywhere from Baltimore to Beijing to Bogota to Brussels – and everywhere in between. For more information, please visit www.alofthotels.com. Aloft, like all brands within Starwood's portfolio, is proud to offer the Starwood Preferred Guest(R) program, the industry’s richest loyalty program. To learn more, please visit www.spg.com.
Aloft, like all brands within Starwood's portfolio, is proud to offer the Starwood Preferred Guest(R) program, the industry’s richest loyalty program. To learn more, please visit www.spg.com.
About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1,146 properties in nearly 100 countries and 171,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, Aloft®, and Element®. The Company boasts one of the industry’s leading loyalty programs, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG®), allowing members to earn and redeem points for room stays, room upgrades and flights, with no blackout dates. Starwood also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., a premier provider of world-class vacation experiences through villa-style resorts and privileged access to Starwood brands. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.
About TOCH, LLC
TOCH, LLC is owned by John and Tori Snyder, Neal Bhow, Lee Levinson and Bruce Taylor. The Snyders, through their Brickhugger LLC development group, are well known for their work in adaptive reuse of the Mayo Hotel and Detroit Loft Apartments. The Snyders, along with Bhow, will be converting the old Vandiver Building in downtown Tulsa into an adaptive reuse apartment complex. All four TOCH principals are involved in the transformation of the former YMCA building located on the corner of 6th and Denver into retail and apartment space with construction already underway. The group also owns the Center Office building.
About Presidian Hotels & Resorts
Presidian owns, operates and develops upscale hotel properties and residential projects in six states. The quality of the portfolio has been nationally recognized by the companies they represent, and by the portfolio performance in the markets they cover. For more information on Presidian, visit www.presidian.com.