YORK, Pa. — This fall, downtown York's historic Yorktowne Hotel will come alive once again.
“This hotel has a remarkable story, and it’s been a community hotel for almost 100 years," said Kim Hogeman, the director of strategic development at the York County Economic Alliance. "...It was built by the community, for the community, and it will be again."
Back in 2015, the hotel was ready to shutter its doors.
“The current owners were walking away so the building was going to go dark, [and] everybody would lose their jobs," said Hogeman. "There would be an empty building in the middle of the city."
Instead, the York County Industrial Development Authority bought the building and started a $54 million restoration project.
“We know we’re going to have a great product but we want it to be reflective of the community in terms of service, product, energy and enthusiasm," said Michael Blum, the managing director of the Yorktowne Hotel. "If we can get that done, it’ll be mission accomplished.”
The eight-story hotel will feature standard guest rooms as well as suites, which cater to extended stays.
“So really we have the best of both worlds," said Blum.
A rooftop lounge will also overlook the city, complete "with beautiful views of the downtown area and surrounding mountains," according to Blum.
While much of what guests see once the Yorktowne reopens will be brand new, a lot of its history is being preserved.
From doors, to murals, to railings, many original fixtures will say put.
“It’s historic, it’s modern, [and] it checks all the boxes, so if you need something large or small – conferences, weddings, meetings – it has something for everyone," said Hogeman.
As a downtown landmark set to create 90 new jobs, the Yorktowne hopes to bring a major economic boost to the area.
“It’s going to remain locally owned with the Hilton flag operated by GF Hotels, and it’s going to continue to be an economic driver for the downtown, the York region and abroad," said Hogeman.
The Yorktowne is slated to open this fall.