A Full-Gut Renovation Brings New Life to the Society Hill Hotel
The project seamlessly blends the building’s history with Art Deco elements.
Photography courtesy of Society Hill Hotel
Mike Cangi and Brian Linton wasted no time in beginning work on Society Hill Hotel after purchasing it in May 2023. “We had about 12 hours between closing and start,” says Linton. The reason for the hustle? Not only did the project give them an opportunity to collaborate again (they co-founded and ran United by Blue, a sustainable apparel company and cafe, for about a decade), but it allowed them to reinvigorate the 1832 building.
The property had many lives — a Civil War recruiting station, a flophouse, a bar — before a fire damaged it in 2021. And in May 2024, the destination reemerged as a 15-room boutique hotel, restaurant, and bar and has quickly become a hit with locals and travelers alike. The renovation seamlessly blends the building’s history with Art Deco elements.
The duo tapped Eric Rothwarf of Sky Neon to update the exterior sign. And while demoing the basement — a former oyster cellar — Cangi and Linton uncovered gorgeous floral wallpaper. Look up at the restaurant’s ceiling and you’ll see a custom replica of that paper overhead, in a nod to the hotel’s past and future.
The locals that are embracing the hotel make this building what it is — that’s where the life is.” — Mike Cangi
The king room
The wood bed surround was custom-made by Linton and Cangi’s construction team, while the chair is a reproduction of a traditional 1920s-era style. The hotel’s other accommodations include queen and bunk rooms, the latter of which can be combined with the king via a soundproof door.
The bar
Art Deco-influenced chandeliers by Rejuvenation hang over the wood bar, which Cangi and Linton restored. The velvet barstools are reclaimed, and the Nemo penny-round mosaic tile floor — complete with the hotel’s name — is new.
The restaurant
All the furniture in the restaurant is reclaimed or vintage. As for what’s new? The Synesso espresso machine and the Marra Forni pizza oven, which was custom-built using the same Nemo tiles as the floor.
The bathrooms
The guest bathrooms feature vertical wall tilework by Tile Bar in emerald green, terra cotta, or pale pink. The flooring, also by Tile Bar, is heated.
Published as “Habitat: High Society” in the September 2024 issue of Philadelphia magazine.
