Donald Trump wants to turn the historic Old Post Office Pavilion in Washington, D.C., into an "ultra-luxury" hotel. He has plenty of competition, however — the latest of which is Hilton Worldwide, which wants to transform the 112-year-old building into a 245-room Waldorf Astoria Hotel, it announced last week.
Located on Pennsylvania Avenue between the White House and the Capitol, the Old Post Office building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but recently was deemed "under-utilized" by the General Services Administration (GSA), which began soliciting redevelopment proposals for the property in March.
Similar to Trump — who envisions a Trump Hotel Collection property with nearly 300 guest rooms, a large ballroom or conference room, a spa and a museum gallery dedicated to the building's history — Hilton has submitted a proposal that includes luxury accommodations, destination retailers from New York and Paris, 17,000 square feet of "world-class" social and meeting space, a "premier" fitness facility and a spa.
"With our global headquarters in nearby McLean, Va., we are committed to the growth and vitality of the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area while preserving this historic landmark," said Christopher J. Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton Worldwide. "I want to applaud the GSA for moving forward with this opportunity and acknowledge Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton for her leadership on the legislation that authorized this tremendously important project to proceed."
Added John Vanderslice, Hilton's global head of luxury and lifestyle brands, "Our project for a revitalized Old Post Office Building will encourage the flow of tourism, further economic vitality and bring new jobs to Washington, D.C., while preserving this historic building for future generations. Our brand has a passion and a reputation for operating in iconic locations around the world and the Old Post Office Building is well aligned with our portfolio of unique properties in the most desired destinations."
Although Hilton waited until last week to announce its plans, the GSA's deadline for proposals was July 20. A decision could be made on the property's future as early as this week, according to The Washington Post.