Westin To Manage Pittsburgh Convention Hotel

CLEVELAND Forest City Commercial Group finalized an agreement with Starwood Hotels & Resorts to manage the DoubleTree Pittsburgh Hotel at Liberty Center as The Westin Convention Center, Pittsburgh, effective January 18, 2001. Developed and built by Forest City in 1987, the hotel has been managed by DT Management, a subsidiary of Hilton Hotel Corp., since 1995. The hotel is connected via an enclosed walkway to the 131,000 square foot David Lawrence Convention Center in downtown Pittsburgh. The convention center is currently undergoing a $328 million expansion program to be completed in 2003, which nearly triples the exhibit space. The 618-room hotel also offers 25,000 square feet of meeting space that accommodates up to 1,200 people. Beginning in 2001 the hotel will undergo a $10 million renovation program to refurbish all meeting space and guestrooms, including the addition of Westins signature Heavenly Bed. In addition, a proposal to expand the hotel by 504 guest rooms and 44,000 square feet of meeting space has been submitted to the city for approval. (12/21/00)