The Westin Convention Center Pittsburgh is a 26-story, hotel in
Downtown Pittsburgh, with a prominent position in the area adjacent to the
David L. Lawrence Convention Center and the
Cultural District. The hotel is connected via an enclosed walkway to the convention center.
The building is part of Liberty Center, a two building complex which also includes the
Federated Tower. Liberty Center was developed and built by Liberty Center Ventures, a partnership of
Forest City Enterprises and Jos. L. Muscarelle, Inc. and opened in December 1986. In August 2013, Liberty Center was sold by Forest City to
Starwood Capital Group
Starwood Capital Group is an investment firm headquartered in Miami Beach, Florida. It is managed by Barry Sternlicht. It was co-founded by Sternlicht and Robert Faith in 1991. In 1993, Faith left Starwood to found Greystar Real Estate Partners ...
for $135 million.
History
Liberty Center was developed and built by Liberty Center Ventures, a partnership of
Forest City Enterprises and Jos. L. Muscarelle, Inc. and opened in December 1986. The $137 million mixed-use complex was the first major development following the
Renaissance II burst of construction in downtown Pittsburgh.
The hotel broke ground on December 6, 1984, construction "topped off" on September 26, 1985, and the entire Liberty Center complex opened in December 1986.
The complex was financed from three sources: a $99 million loan from
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, a $21 million from the
Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, and the remainder from Jos. L. Muscarelle, Inc. and Forest City Enterprises.
The hotel opened as the Vista International and was managed by Hilton International.
From 1995 to 2001, the hotel was managed by DT Management Inc., a subsidiary of
Hilton Hotel Corporation
Hilton Worldwide (legally Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.) is an American multinational hospitality company that manages and franchises a broad portfolio of hotels and resorts. Founded by Conrad Hilton in May 1919, the corporation is now led by ...
and was known as the
DoubleTree Pittsburgh Hotel at Liberty Center. In 2001,
Starwood took over management of the hotel, rebranding it as The Westin Convention Center.
In the 1980s it hosted the annual regional ad agency awards & banquet.
Notable guests
Several notable figures have chosen the hotel:
*December 6, 1991:
South African leader
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist who served as the President of South Africa, first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1 ...
visits the hotel for a major speech.
*January, 1992:
Joan Collins while touring with the ''Private Lives'' stage show.
*March 25, 1992: Then governor and presidential candidate
Bill Clinton visits the convention center hotel days before the commonwealth's primary as he fights back the recent Connecticut loss to Jerry Brown.
*December 2, 2003: President
George W. Bush visits for a major speech.
*July 25, 2005: Vice President
Dick Cheney
Richard Bruce Cheney ( ; born January 30, 1941) is an American politician and businessman who served as the 46th vice president of the United States from 2001 to 2009 under President George W. Bush. He is currently the oldest living former U ...
visits for a major speech.
Mascot
In 2016 as part of a partnership with
Anthrocon, the hotel was given an
anthropomorphic mascot named "Westie", a
West Highland White Terrier.
References
External links
Official site
Skyscraper hotels in Pittsburgh
Hotel buildings completed in 1986
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