divine lorraine

The Divine Lorraine Hotel is currently decrepit. Soon it will be restored to its former glory.

Many neighborhoods have that one eyesore, that blighted landmark that drags the whole surrounding area down. In North Philly, the neighborhood around the Divine Lorraine Hotel has long looked at the building as what the New York Times called a “billboard of blight.” Falling to pieces and covered in graffiti tags, the hotel has definitely seen better days. Now, the hotel has been granted a new lease on life – a move that many believe will help revitalize the whole neighborhood.

divine lorraine

The Divine Lorraine Hotel is currently decrepit. Soon it will be restored to its former glory.

The Divine Lorraine Hotel is a Victorian apartment- and hotel building at Broad Street and Fairmount Avenue. The building is equidistant between City Hall and Temple University, which are connected by the Broad Street subway line. The Philadelphia Museum of Art is one mile away, and will be visible from the upper floors of the 11-story building. The neighborhood is showing signs of gentrification, but the Lorraine has heretofore stood like the crumbling, ugly elephant in the room. Now, a developer stands ready to turn it around.

Eric Blumenfeld, the building’s owner, recently closed on a multi-million development deal to revitalize the Divine Lorraine. He is expecting to start a 16-month construction project this month. He will turn the Divine Lorraine into an apartment building offering luxe 800-square-foot units that will go for $1,900 per month.

The Divine Lorraine won’t be the only construction spot in the neighborhood. RAL Companies is constructing two apartment towers and a supermarket in an empty lot on the east side of the hotel. All this building and revitalizing will surely be a boon for the neighborhood.