Philadelphia Hotel About To Undergo Serious Renovations

By Hadas Kuznits

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The Divine Lorraine Hotel in North Philadelphia is under contract with a new owner, and major renovations are set to begin.

So what's the update with the building? And how does it look inside?

Developer Eric Blumenfeld says the magnificent lobby of the Divine Lorraine Hotel will be a reception area incorporating seating from the restaurants he expects to incorporate on both sides:

"The idea is that there's no defined boundaries here. That everything kind of melts together."

PHOTOS: Divine Lorraine Hotel Renovations

Underneath, where one of the restaurants is going to be, there used to be a speakeasy with a secret entrance

"I think we're gonna reactivate it," explains Blumenfeld. "So there was a secret entrance that is now covered over on Broad Street that takes you right down into the lower level."

Hear the full interview in this CBS Philly podcast (runs 12:11)...

Blumenfeld tells KYW Newsradio he regrets selling the building once before to Swedish developers who cleared out all the rooms on every floor:

"That was their thinking that the right thing to do was to gut this building down to the bare bones."

All of the floors have been gutted and the building on the inside is covered with graffiti.

Blumenfeld expects to start renovations in earnest in about 2 months and hopes things will be complete by the end of the year.

Below are videos taken from the Divine Lorraine Hotel...

Divine Lorraine Lobby:

Divine Lorraine Banquet Hall:

Divine Lorraine Banquet Hall Upper Level:

Divine Lorraine 10th Floor (Including Mother Divine's Apartment):

Divine Lorraine Missing Statue:

Divine Lorraine South-facing balconies:

Divine Lorraine Stairwell:

Divine Lorraine Center "Courtyard":

Divine Lorraine Window:

Divine Lorraine Rooftop and Signs:

Divine Lorraine Basement and Speakeasy:

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In:
• Eric Blumenfeld
• KYW Newsradio
• Philadelphia