hospitalitystyle.com

(March 2009) posted on Thu Mar 26, 2009 EDT

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. has announced plans to relocate its Manhattan-based luxury and design-led brands from Chelsea to a new headquarters on Varick Street in SoHo. Global marketing, brand management and design teams for W Hotels, Le Méridien, St. Regis and The Luxury Collection will join Starwood's Bliss and Remède Spa teams in a redesigned space that the company says is meant to inspire creativity and innovation and serve as a design, branding and retail think tank.

VM Design Studio, a New York-based collective of architects and designers, will lead the renovation of Bliss and Remède Spa's existing 20,000 square foot office space at 75 Varick St. When that work is completed in September, Starwood will unveil a modern office space for 150 associates, which will also serve as showcase space to immerse owners, developers, designers and creative agencies in Starwood's luxury and lifestyle brands.

"In addition to establishing a creative hub, we are excited to merge space with our Bliss and Remède Spa brands, which work closely with our brands to develop signature spas and bath amenities in our hotels around the globe," said Phil McAveety, the company's chief brand officer. "We are, of course, sensitive to the current economic environment. By consolidating the two offices we will drive efficiencies which will offset the investment needed to create this new brand and design space."

While the SoHo space is under construction, the design, marketing and brand management teams for the brands involved will temporarily move from their current space in West Chelsea's Starrett-Lehigh Building to Starwood's corporate headquarters in White Plains, NY.