SAN FRANCISCO—The Hyatt Regency San Francisco Downtown SoMa, formerly known as the Park Central Hotel, announced a partnership with the Academy of Art University, San Francisco’s leading art school and one of the largest accredited art and design schools in the nation. The hotel seeks to celebrate the local arts community by incorporating student works into the property’s public spaces as well as featuring them in the hotel’s executive and presidential suites.
Hyatt Regency San Francisco Downtown SoMa worked with design firm BHDM and the teams at Academy of Art University to commission artwork from select students and alumni in a variety of mediums including sculpture, digital motion graphics, photography, mixed media, painting, drawing, landscape architecture, and architecture.
“It is truly an honor to partner with the talented teams at Academy of Art University and display their incredible student and alumni pieces throughout our property,” said the hotel’s area director of sales and marketing, Mark Benefield-Tuten. “Showcasing the work of talented local creators adds Hyatt Regency San Francisco Downtown SoMa to the city’s prime destinations for art lovers to visit. We’re proud to be part of the longstanding San Francisco tradition of celebrating our community talent.”
On the hotel’s ground floor, the artwork will be displayed throughout the public spaces, including the lobby bar and restaurant, garden bar and lounge, check-in area, grab-and-go marketplace, workstations, and the new Regency Club, an experience tailored to meet the needs and expectations of global travelers. The hotel’s 20 executive suites and two presidential suites will also display pieces in mixed mediums such as framed artwork, headboard art, and sculptures throughout the rooms.
“Being so fully entwined in the San Francisco Art scene is something that makes Academy of Art University truly unique,” said Dr. Elisa Stephens, president, Academy of Art University. “We couldn’t be more proud to showcase the evocative and inspiring talents of the Academy’s students within Hyatt Regency’s remarkable new hotel. Sharing their work and vision with hotel guests, as well as the wider San Francisco community, is an incredible opportunity and I expect will ultimately bring a lot of joy to a lot of people.”
Additionally, Hyatt Regency San Francisco Downtown SoMa’s 30,000 square feet of redesigned meeting and event spaces, including 16 function rooms, two ballrooms, and several breakout rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, will feature large-scale commissioned pieces including framed and wall-mounted art in the form of paintings, drawings, and sculptures. To further promote the local arts community, each function and breakout room will be named in honor of an iconic Bay Area-based artist including Ansel Adams, Richard Serra, Margaret Keane, and Fnnch.
The redevelopment to transform Park Central Hotel to Hyatt Regency San Francisco Downtown SoMa is slated to be completed at the beginning of 2022. The redevelopment includes the addition of a lobby bar and grab-and-go marketplace, room refurbishments and upgrades, five new guestrooms, a 3,200 square foot fitness studio, and redesigned meeting and event spaces named after local artists, all marked by décor and an art-driven narrative envisioned by BHDM.
Hyatt Regency San Francisco Downtown SoMa is managed by Highgate. Owned by Morgan Stanley, Highgate manages a portfolio of hotels in the United States, Europe, the Caribbean, and Latin America.
