 On October 24 , 2011 , Virgin Hotels , part of Virgin Group , purchased the building with the aim of opening it as their first hotel in 2013 with approximately 250 rooms . The transaction was an all @-@ cash deal that was valued at about $ 14 million . The company hired The John Buck Company to renovate the building . The lead architect for the renovation was Booth Hansen . The co @-@ designers for the interior renovation were Rockwell Group Europe and Virgin Hotels ' in @-@ house design team . The purchase was part of Virgin Hotels ' 2010 business plan to acquire distressed properties in North America cheaply during the property downturn . 
