July 24, 2015
Divine Lorraine Hotel/Facebook
The Divine Lorraine Hotel stands at the corner of Broad Street and Fairmount Avenue in North Philadelphia.
The restoration of the iconic Divine Lorraine Hotel is one step closer to reality after developer EB Realty Management (EBRM) disclosed new information on the planned use of retail space within the building.
EBRM vice president Chris Cordero revealed to Philadelphia Magazine earlier this week that restaurauteurs have been identified for the commercial space and that the concepts will be "of the Vetri caliber" rather than high-end retailers.
Though no specific names or cuisines were provided, the report notes that EBRM plans to bring chef Josh Mims to their Studebaker project. Marc Vetri's Osteria, meanwhile, is already located at their Lofts at 640 building.
Two large street level restaurants will reportedly be buffered by a "grand bar" in the main lobby, while another two locations will be in the Garden Veranda and in an annex to the east of the building.
Cordero indicated that a groundbreaking event will likely occur at the site in early August, officially launching one of the city's most exciting and long-awaited restoration projects in recent memory.
