PHILADELPHIA | W Hotel & Element by Westin | 617 FT | 51 FLOORS

[TK2001]

[Knight Hospitaller]

Originally Posted by cardeza

we had a st regis but its now the westin

No, it was a Ritz Carlton before it was a Westin

[Jawnadelphia]

I checked out the nighttime W Hotel lights as well, it looks cool, and will definitely add to the skyline. One question, will the W - itself be lit up?

But I am sort of bummed, because it is another reminder of how nothing was planned for the north side of the tower. The south side of the building (and observers from the south) get everything--the jagged-cut outs and crown, the cascading neon lights, modern glass curtain wall.

The north ... well, at least they threw a W up there ...

https://www.instagram.com/p/CK_tsofrkKy/

[TempleGuy1000]

Originally Posted by Jawnadelphia

One question, will the W - itself be lit up?

It does. A couple months ago the emblem was lit up a few different colors.



Sorry for the potato quality photos and videos. I live pretty far south these days and they are taken from my iphone.

[TK2001]

^
Post more pictures of you got any!

It also looks as if every single light strip is not lit up yet, but it's great so many of them are on now

[PHLtoNYC]

Originally Posted by Jawnadelphia

The north ... well, at least they threw a W up there ...

https://www.instagram.com/p/CK_tsofrkKy/

At least the Residences blocks most of the blank wall. Its really not that bad, but should be better for the W brand.

[TonyTone]

I can confirm the lights are on at night now, I saw it when I was salting some of the commercial properties in CC.

It looks great and I can't wait to see it form 95.

Also they have replaced the top strip of lights on the Lib II looking way better.

How do we add pictures on here instead of the link I have a lot of pictures for projects and stuff around the city!!

[TK2001]

Wow, you can even see them testing the lights during the day as well, currently looking at the Arthaus camera. I am so looking forward to capturing this lit up

[Jayfar]

Originally Posted by cardeza

we had a st regis but its now the westin

Originally Posted by Knight Hospitaller

No, it was a Ritz Carlton before it was a Westin

Cardeza is correct. The Ritz-Carlton became a St. Regis (c. 1999) before Westin, although if you blinked you may have missed it (it lasted 7-1/2 months).


The Philadelphia Inquirer
15 Feb 1999, Mon • Page E1, E11
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6963...adelphia-1999/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6964...adelphia-1999/

--quote--
Starwood said that by Jan. 1 [2000] it would convert what is now the Ritz-Carlton at 17th and Chestnut Streets, a building Starwood owns, into the St. Regis Philadelphia Hotel. The Ritz is to reopen in mid-2000 in the former Two Mellon Center-Girard Bank complex on South Broad Street between South Penn Square and Chestnut Street.

For the record, the changeover to St Regis occurred July 1, 1999. On or about Feb 15, 2000 it changed again to Westin under the same owner, Starwood. At the time Starwood was also contemplating construction of a W Hotel on the former NewMarket site.

Hotel to get third name within a year - Inquirer 1999
The Philadelphia Inquirer
28 Dec 1999, Tue • Page E1, E10
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6964...within-a-year/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6964...within-a-year/

~~

The Philadelphia Inquirer
20 Feb 2000, Sun • Page J1
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6963...liberty-place/
The Scene column

--quote--
Check out the confusion Ask a taxi driver to take you to the hotel at Liberty Place. "The Ritz-Carlt uh, the St. Regis uh, how about the Westin?" Yes, as of today, the hotel on 17th Street near Chestnut is the Westin Philadelphia. Not to be confused with the Westin Suites by Philadelphia International Airport which is not a Westin anymore anyway; it's a Sheraton. Wait, wait, you say. There was a Sheraton right there on Route 291! That Sheraton just became a Four Points. Credit for the confusion goes to the hotels' owner, Starwood, which says it needed to rename in the interest of branding; those coveted business travelers seem to know Westin and not St. Regis, whose name was on the facade for a mere 7 months. (The "Regis" in there must have been its undoing: Is this your final name?) Meanwhile, the Ritz-Carlton, which Starwood does not own, is poised to resurface in the spring on Broad Street between City Hall and Chestnut Street. We hear that among the new Ritz's perks will be butler-drawn baths in tubs that offer city views. Outward, we presume.

[Knight Hospitaller]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

Cardeza is correct. The Ritz-Carlton became a St. Regis (c. 1999) before Westin, although if you blinked you may have missed it (it lasted about 7 months).


The Philadelphia Inquirer
15 Feb 1999, Mon • Page E1, E11
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6963...adelphia-1999/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6964...adelphia-1999/

--quote--
Starwood said that by Jan. 1 [2000] it would convert what is now the Ritz-Carlton at 17th and Chestnut Streets, a building Starwood owns, into the St. Regis Philadelphia Hotel. The Ritz is to reopen in mid-2000 in the former Two Mellon Center-Girard Bank complex on South Broad Street between South Penn Square and Chestnut Street.

For the record, the changeover to St Regis occurred July 1, 1999. On or about Feb 15, 2000 it changed again to Westin under the same owner, Starwood. At the time Starwood was also contemplating construction of a W Hotel on the former NewMarket site.

Hotel to get third name within a year - Inquirer 1999
The Philadelphia Inquirer
28 Dec 1999, Tue • Page E1, E10
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6964...within-a-year/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6964...within-a-year/

The Philadelphia Inquirer
20 Feb 2000, Sun • Page 189
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6963...liberty-place/
The Scene column

--quote--
Check out the confusion Ask a taxi driver to take you to the hotel at Liberty Place. "The Ritz-Carlt uh, the St. Regis uh, how about the Westin?" Yes, as of today, the hotel on 17th Street near Chestnut is the Westin Philadelphia. Not to be confused with the Westin Suites by Philadelphia International Airport which is not a Westin anymore anyway; it's a Sheraton. Wait, wait, you say. There was a Sheraton right there on Route 291! That Sheraton just became a Four Points. Credit for the confusion goes to the hotels' owner, Starwood, which says it needed to rename in the interest of branding; those coveted business travelers seem to know Westin and not St. Regis, whose name was on the facade for a mere 7 months. (The "Regis" in there must have been its undoing: Is this your final name?) Meanwhile, the Ritz-Carlton, which Starwood does not own, is poised to resurface in the spring on Broad Street between City Hall and Chestnut Street. We hear that among the new Ritz's perks will be butler-drawn baths in tubs that offer city views. Outward, we presume.

I did indeed miss it. Thanks for the correction.

[PHLtoNYC]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

Cardeza is correct. The Ritz-Carlton became a St. Regis (c. 1999) before Westin, although if you blinked you may have missed it (it lasted 7-1/2 months).


The Philadelphia Inquirer
15 Feb 1999, Mon • Page E1, E11
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6963...adelphia-1999/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6964...adelphia-1999/

--quote--
Starwood said that by Jan. 1 [2000] it would convert what is now the Ritz-Carlton at 17th and Chestnut Streets, a building Starwood owns, into the St. Regis Philadelphia Hotel. The Ritz is to reopen in mid-2000 in the former Two Mellon Center-Girard Bank complex on South Broad Street between South Penn Square and Chestnut Street.

For the record, the changeover to St Regis occurred July 1, 1999. On or about Feb 15, 2000 it changed again to Westin under the same owner, Starwood. At the time Starwood was also contemplating construction of a W Hotel on the former NewMarket site.

Hotel to get third name within a year - Inquirer 1999
The Philadelphia Inquirer
28 Dec 1999, Tue • Page E1, E10
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6964...within-a-year/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6964...within-a-year/

~~

The Philadelphia Inquirer
20 Feb 2000, Sun • Page J1
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6963...liberty-place/
The Scene column

--quote--
Check out the confusion Ask a taxi driver to take you to the hotel at Liberty Place. "The Ritz-Carlt uh, the St. Regis uh, how about the Westin?" Yes, as of today, the hotel on 17th Street near Chestnut is the Westin Philadelphia. Not to be confused with the Westin Suites by Philadelphia International Airport which is not a Westin anymore anyway; it's a Sheraton. Wait, wait, you say. There was a Sheraton right there on Route 291! That Sheraton just became a Four Points. Credit for the confusion goes to the hotels' owner, Starwood, which says it needed to rename in the interest of branding; those coveted business travelers seem to know Westin and not St. Regis, whose name was on the facade for a mere 7 months. (The "Regis" in there must have been its undoing: Is this your final name?) Meanwhile, the Ritz-Carlton, which Starwood does not own, is poised to resurface in the spring on Broad Street between City Hall and Chestnut Street. We hear that among the new Ritz's perks will be butler-drawn baths in tubs that offer city views. Outward, we presume.

Interesting articles.

I feel like Philadelphia 2021 could support a St. Regis easily (once the pandemic is over). A W is long overdue though, glad its finally opening.

[SouthCentralPA]

Originally Posted by TonyTone

How do we add pictures on here instead of the link I have a lot of pictures for projects and stuff around the city!!

You have to copy the image address and then use the yellow "insert image" button and paste it into there.

[R5Ryder]

Looks like it can do dual color. Some lights were fixed on red tonight while the rest of them rotated. The W logo still not lit.

[TonyTone]

Originally Posted by R5Ryder

Looks like it can do dual color. Some lights were fixed on red tonight while the rest of them rotated. The W logo still not lit.

I wonder if both W's can be lit up.

I'm happy they chose to put some real good LED'S on the building and not just some cheapo one color barley can see em ones.



Also thank you to the person who told me how to post pics I can finally post some .

[TK2001]

Both W's will be lit up. I remember last summer the one on the core was just a concrete W imprinted into the structure, now it's filled with a bright white cover. Meaning there is lights

[TK2001]

W/Element Hotel night time lighting by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr
Tonight, only testing white. Though other sections are mostly red and minor blue

[R5Ryder]

It would be cool if they had some kind of “drip” effect where the lights would “grow” downwards, or appear to be dripping (for lack of a better term).

I’d like to see some more animation in the city lights in general, like have the blade of CTC “pulse” or shoot up and down, like a lit ball being shot through the glass.

[TK2001]

https://youtu.be/lODERy4HvDE

https://youtu.be/IPjB337RtqU

[TonyTone]

I can confirm the lights look great from I-95 and Center city.

Hey TK what camera/lens you using? Nikon?

[TK2001]

Originally Posted by R5Ryder

It would be cool if they had some kind of “drip” effect where the lights would “grow” downwards, or appear to be dripping (for lack of a better term).

I’d like to see some more animation in the city lights in general, like have the blade of CTC “pulse” or shoot up and down, like a lit ball being shot through the glass.

They did say the lights will shimmer. I won't doubt it will do some types of animations like FMC. Looking at the lights closely, they're multiple singular lights stacked in a strip as tall as the floor to ceiling. So I think it's possible