An Inside Look At The Restoration On The Historic Divine Lorraine
By Trang Do
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Divine Lorraine Hotel has towered over Broad Street since the late 1800s. It was a symbol of luxury, which turned to decay, until recently.
Hundreds came out Wednesday night to see the inside one last time, before final renovations take place. Many people waited at least an hour to get in.
"It was definitely worth it," said Jordana L., of Philadelphia. "It's like the highlight of my week so far. I've been looking forward to this for a couple months now."
Even with the walls covered in graffiti, people still marveled over the intricate details and architecture, still evident after years of neglect.
"It's beautiful, absolutely," said Donald Sims of Mount Airy. "The architecture here is second to none. I'm looking forward to seeing it in its finished state."
The lobby is among the last spaces to be renovated. When finished, the two-building complex will house 101 apartments, a 24-room boutique hotel, dining and retail space. Developer EB Realty Management wasn't ready to unveil the upstairs work just yet, but said the apartments are about 60 percent complete.
"The restoration of it is going to bring a new element to the building and it's going to be a place where the past really lives in the future," said EB Realty Vice President Christopher Cordaro.
Many Philadelphians view the project as a sign of renewal for Broad Street and the Fairmount area as a whole.
"It brings North Philly back," Sims said. "It brings everything from Temple down to Center City. It connects it."
"This is just the cherry on top of the cake of all the new stuff going on," said Fairmount resident Fred Wachter. "They're building everything. It's wonderful."
Cordaro said they are working to have the entire project finished by Spring 2017, with the first tenants moving in by December of this year.
