The Drury Plaza Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh inhabits a structure that is a wonder of both Art Deco design and mid-century gravitas. Formerly the Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank, it has been reborn as a family-friendly hotel that highlights and preserves the historic structure’s finance-minded features, such as large vaults, artworks, and a luxe marble banking hall. Strada’s re-design incorporates the hotel’s needs as an approachable inn within an urban setting, with ample parking and a welcoming drop-off entrance.
The 200-room hotel interior balances modern materials with the building’s inherent sophistication. The main hall boasts marble with aluminum trim and serves as an expansive social forum where guests can relax and take in their surroundings. A new two-story lounge and mezzanine connects the banking hall to an adjacent board room, which features wood panel wainscotting and intricate plasterwork in the ceiling above. Along with a spacious dining area, the hotel includes meeting rooms that were once vaults, three of which include original giant stainless steel doors. The renovation prioritizes guest comfort and includes additional spaces for recreation and socialization upstairs, with a pool and rooftop patio overlooking William Penn Place and the Cultural District. The structure is a prime example of Pittsburgh’s arrival on the scene as a hospitality hot-spot with a complex and enduring past.
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