Yorktowne Hotel will reopen under Tapestry Collection by Hilton brand, plus more updates

When the Yorktowne Hotel opens late next year, it will do so under the Hilton brand of hotels, the York County Industrial Development Authority reported Tuesday.

The hotel will be part of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton – a gathering of boutique hotels that blend the upscale, independent hotel with the benefits of a Hilton hotel.

“This is a vital and impactful step in the new Yorktowne Hotel,” Jack Kay, chair of the YCIDA said. “The Tapestry Collection by Hilton brand allows the Yorktowne spirit to remain the cornerstone of our community, while also providing the benefits, prestige and support of the Hilton name.”

GF Management, a Philadelphia-based hospitality company, will be the operator of the Yorktowne. The YCIDA still owns the property.

The Tapestry Collection by Hilton was launched by the company in 2017 and features an eclectic mix of hotels with experiences both similar and different from York:

The Cotton Sail in Savannah, Ga., is housed within an 1800s cotton warehouse in the city’s historic district. It features the original 200-year-old pine hardwood floors and one of the only rooftop bars in Savannah.

The Graham, based in Georgetown, is a 57-room hotel with modern décor in a building that predates Washington D.C. itself.

Tailwater Lodge Altmar in Altmar, N.Y. -- about 40 minutes north of Syracuse, used to be the Altmar Elementary School and has been converted into an outdoor-themed hotel.

When open, the Yorktowne will follow a lot of the brand’s old roots, with new vibe appeal:

The Market Street, lobby and ballroom levels of the historic hotel will be restored.

The rooftop will become an event and banquet space

A full service restaurant and café will open on the first floor

The façade will receive a facelift, including the replacement of 120 windows and repairs to the terra cotta and brick.

It will include 121 guest rooms, including two floors of one-bedroom suites. This is down from about 170 rooms it had when it closed.

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Andrew Taymans, vice president of asset and revenue for GF Management, said the Yorktowne needed a brand that would compliment it’s 93-year history.

“We spoke a lot about the history of the hotel… and the impact that it’s had on generations of York residents,” Taymans said. "We needed a brand that captured its soul… in Tapestry by Hilton, we did just that.”

Hilton’s backing of the hotel is a major win for the city of York, Kay said.

“Any approval by Hilton as a nationally branded hotel is a pretty tough process,” Kay said. “We had to describe what was going on with the hotel… with the city… with the county. I think what made Hilton comfortable and willing to plant their flag in downtown York was the ability to demonstrate… the reinvestment that is taking place in the city.”

Silas Chamberlin, CEO of Downtown Inc., admitted that he didn’t think getting a national name for the Yorktowne would happen.

“It’s a real coup,” Chamberlin said. “It’s a flag (Hilton) that recognizes the impact of the community brand, plus (brings) the international reach of Hilton.”

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When the Yorktowne Hotel opens in late 2019, it will be the connector for the Central Market district and Royal Square, Chamberlin said.

Chamberlin said it would be hard to overstate the importance of this partnership.

“We’re looking at a downtown that hasn’t had a hotel for years," he said. "Now you’re adding all the travelers spending money in the downtown. Any business doing well now is going to do even better when it opens."

Dylan Bauer, president of development for Royal Square Development and Construction, whose companies own several large properties in the area, added his own excitement for the announcement.

“It’s a major impact,” Bauer said. “In the past 12 months, downtown has added 100 new apartments and we’re seeing that impact. This is 100 hotel rooms and, even at 60 percent occupancy,” will bring 100 people who will patronize the efforts made downtown so far.”

Tuesday’s announcement was the next step for the 1920s-era hotel.

The hotel, at the southwest corner of South Duke and East Market streets, opened in 1925. At the time, the hotel cost $1.175 million to build.

The YCIDA purchased the hotel in December 2015 and received a $10 million grant from the state for the project that the YCIDA had to match. The hotel officially closed in November 2016 for renovations to begin.

In July 2017, the group announced several changes to the hotel, including demolishing an addition that dated back to 1957, glowing letters on the hotel roof, a courtyard on the southern side of the building and a new entrance off of South Duke Street.

Here's the latest demolition activity at the Yorktowne Hotel. Story continues below the gallery.

Demolition at the hotel began in March, and several changes are already visible. Crews removed carpeting in the lobby and the ballroom, and have exposed the old Terrazzo flooring in both areas. Several large murals that were hidden behind a wall panel have been uncovered and will be restored.

Outside, the garage has been torn down, as has the old gymnasium of the former Zion Lutheran Church.

A lot has changed in downtown York since the hotel closed in 2016, with numerous construction projects in the area of the Yorktowne either completed or nearing completion. Kay said the backing from Hilton is because of the promise the area has shown in recent years.

“Hilton’s confidence in York is a reflection of the progress and positive energy taking place here,” Kay said.

Anthony J. Machcinski is the food reporter for the York Daily Record. Follow him on Facebook, @ChinskiTweets on Twitter or email him at amachcinski@ydr.com.