Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published in the Spring 2025 issue of Extant, a publication of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia.

The Bellevue Hotel’s Pearl Room features 36-foot ceilings adorned with glass domes and grand balconies offering spectacular views of the city skyline. Hanging pearls give the room its name. Photo courtesy of The Bellevue

South Broad Street’s grand dame, the Bellevue, designed in 1904 by George and William Hewitt, has undergone an extensive renovation by owner Lubert-Adler. Extant Magazine spoke with Tony Machado, head of design for LUCID, the in-house design and construction studio for Highgate, a leading hotel management, investment and development company, about how the project restored the “original glory” of the hotel, while creating newly designed rooms, residences, offices and event spaces.

Extant Magazine (EM): What was most important to preserve in the Bellevue restoration?

Tony Machado (TM): The Bellevue is an architectural treasure not only for Philadelphia, but for our nation. It’s shocking to see that these grand dames are still being taken down around the country. We just lost the Hotel Pennsylvania in New York City.

At the Bellevue, many architectural features had been lost to time. Fortunately, there was much left to celebrate. It was important for us to preserve everything we could and stay flexible enough that, if we were to discover something under the layers, we could change our course.

EM: What was the original vision for the restoration? Did it change over time?

TM: The building had suffered years of neglect. Even in its state of decay, we knew we had something special. There were many attempts to modernize over the years. Our vision was to return the Bellevue to her original glory, celebrate her heritage and give her back to the community. It seems everyone you bump into in Philadelphia has a Bellevue memory.

The Grand Belle Ballroom, which has hosted illustrious personalities and countless Philadelphian memories. | Photo courtesy of The Bellevue

EM: What was the biggest preservation challenge?

TM: Many of the Bellevue’s architectural features had been preserved by neglect. This was fortunate for us. We were able to phase the main public space preservation and restoration, while keeping the building open for business–both the hotel and office components. This was one of our biggest challenges.

EM: Did you look to any role models for inspiration or at an example in Philadelphia or elsewhere?

TM: We were fortunate to have a great number of materials available to us for historical reference: photos, floor plans, and a very helpful book, The Bellevue-Stratford Hotel, written by Roger S. Lucas. This book became our go-to guide. It helped us understand the original layout, circulation corridors, and where there were actual voids behind walls that could potentially be restored. We were very happy to have that book.

EM: What was the project’s biggest surprise (good or bad)?

TM: While pulling back the layers of past renovations, we found some of the original decorative wall coverings. In an effort to celebrate the building’s heritage, we salvaged what we could and framed it for our guestroom artwork. This helps reinforce our narrative of providing spaces that have evolved over time with a subtle nod to history.