What's New in AC and Philly Real Estate

Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Resorts Casino Hotel is adding to the allure of Atlantic City as a destination with its new $60 million Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville entertainment complex (1133 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, 609-344-6000) debuting this May. The entertainment hub will embrace the signature Jimmy Buffett lifestyle and will feature a casino, restaurant, Five O’clock Somewhere Bar, retail stores, LandShark Bar and Grill, a year-round beach bar complex, and a coffee shop. The Resorts Boardwalk façade will even be revamped to include the Margaritaville logo. “We firmly believe Margaritaville is going to be a game changer, not only for Resorts but also for Atlantic City. Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville entertainment complex at Resorts is going to bring an iconic, worldwide brand to our beaches and offer visitors an experience unlike any other in Atlantic City,” says Mark Giannantonio, President and CEO of Resorts Casino Hotel.

Later this summer, Stone Harbor will unveil The Reeds at Shelter Haven (9601 3rd Ave., Stone Harbor, NJ, 609-368-0100), a new destination resort. Designed like a seaside estate, the 37-room hotel will provide more than just a place to rest your head; it’s equipped with an indoor lounge and bar, sprawling patio and outdoor dining area, and a sundeck facing the bay.

Each element of The Reeds’s design was meticulously chosen to create an elegant yet homey setting. Philadelphia-based DAS Architects worked on the project.

“DAS has precisely captured the architectural design vision of what a bayside luxury boutique hotel should be here. No other destination hotel in the region will equal the level of design sophistication that The Reeds at Shelter Haven will have to offer,” says Ron Gorodesky, managing director.

The exterior of the hotel utilizes cedar shake siding accented by elegant cottage-style windows and towering columns. The natural theme translates into the interior décor as well, with notes of reeds, sand, and surf woven throughout. Guests have the option of the standard guest room or deluxe suite, both of which feature white oak flooring, white enameled furnishings, and nautical touches. The deluxe suite also includes a separate dining and living area complete with a fireplace. “We want The Reeds to feel like it has always been here,” says David Schultz of DAS.

Bart Blatstein, the man who wants to help remake North Broad Street, recently opened his 20-story Tower Place (1400 Spring Garden St., 215-940-9929) luxury apartment complex at the corner of Broad and Spring Garden Streets. Formerly the State Office Building, Tower Place represents a $80 million rehab of the 300,000-square-foot high-rise, which now features 204 one- and two-bedroom apartments, with 11 units per floor. The entire renovation was completed in just 11 months. Tower Place is part of Blatstein’s ambitious vision to bring the North Broad neighborhood to life. This development will help make the burgeoning area a “more sustainable, vibrant, livable community,” he says. “Tower Place is a much-needed upscale apartment complex in one of the fastest-growing areas of Center City Philadelphia.”

Phase Two of Tower Place will feature new construction of an additional 20-story, 170,000-square-foot building, including an 18-story residential tower with 215 units on 15th Street and a two-story, 60,000-square-foot retail building along Spring Garden Street. Blatstein’s full master plan is a proposed investment of $1.1 billion.

Originally designed in 1959 by the renowned architecture firm of Carroll, Grisdale & Van Alen, the high-rise represented a post–Art Deco era of architecture, with unobstructed views of Center City. Tower Place will maintain its historical appeal but will offer modern amenities like a sleek city-view lounge, business center, state-of-the art fitness center, private theater room, and fully equipped entertainment room. Residents also will enjoy access to unique amenities such as complimentary maid services, Uber town car credits, dog walking, continental breakfasts, drop-off dry cleaning service, and a 24-hour lobby attendant.

Philadelphia Style Magazine

What's New in AC and Philly Real Estate