This 182-room property was fashioned from four existing buildings built early this century.  The design required significant interior structural engineering to create an open view for six guests floors of an open atrium on the third floor.  This nine-story building previously had no open space, but now has views of a unique urban garden space. Guests� rooms in the property all have 12 and 14 foot-vaulted ceilings.  Tim Osiecki, Executive Vice President of Development with Concord commented, � This was definitely a challenging project to keep the historical character of a great building in tact, and meet the needs of a modern lodging facility.�  The twenty-five million dollar project was completed earlier this year.

The Courtyard by Marriott 945 Penn Ave Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

In order to maintain and enhance the exterior within historic guidelines more that $3.5 million was spent on the portion of the project specifically. 

The Historic Preservation Office is a department of Pittsburgh�s City Planning, with the express charter to, �pursue community development by facilitating the community planning process�and protect and maintain historically and architecturally significant buildings and neighborhoods in the City of Pittsburgh.�

Michael Roberts, General Manager of the property, when reached about this award said,  �It truly is an amazing facility, the response from our guests has been overwhelmingly positive.  With our location right next to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, we are very honored to receive this award as part of the downtown cultural district.�

About Oxford Development Company

As a full-service real estate firm, Oxford Development Company has more than 40 years of property management, real estate services, leasing and brokerage, real estate development, and construction management experience under the same ownership control.  As one of Pennsylvania's largest private real estate firms, Oxford has developed, owned, managed, or sold over 40 million square feet of commercial space including office buildings, retail centers, hotels, distribution operations, high technology data centers, medical satellite facilities, health/fitness facilities, apartments, exhibition centers, and airport retail facilities.  Oxford employs over 2,200 people in its parent company and majority owned subsidiaries (for more details on oxford...go to http://www.oxford-pgh.com/.

About Concord Hospitality Enterprises Company

Concord Hospitality Enterprises Company was established in 1985 to acquire and develop hotel properties and to provide experienced hotel management to both full-service and limited-service properties.  Today Concord operates 43 hotels with 5,499 rooms in ten states and Canada, with combined annual revenues of over US $125 million.  Hotel brands include the following:  Marriott full service, Renaissance, Courtyard by Marriott, Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites, Fairfield Inn and Suites, and Fairfield Inn, Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, Holiday Inn, and Radisson.  The Company also operates a four-star independent hotel.  Concord�s Corporate office is located in Raleigh, North Carolina.

In 2002, the company developed and opened over $90 million in new hotel projects, which include five Marriott branded properties in greater Toronto, a 228-room Courtyard by Marriott in Lyndhurst, NJ, a 103-room Fairfield Inn & Suites in West Des Moines, IA, and an 86-room Courtyard by Marriott in Newark, OH.  In 2003, the company developed six new properties to include two Courtyards by Marriott in Pittsburgh, PA, a Courtyard by Marriott in Beachwood, OH, a SpringHill Suites in Houston, TX, a Courtyard in Springfield, OH and a SpringHill Suites in Ft. Lauderdale FL.  Also under development are two Marriott flag properties in the greater Toronto area.  The company additionally has several hotels that are in early phases of development with franchises approved by Marriott.