New look, name unveiled for boutique Wilmington hotel

The future indoor/outdoor rooftop bar of The Quoin is likely to be a major draw for the downtown boutique hotel. PHOTO COURTESY OF METHOD CO.

WILMINGTON – The developer and future operator of the new boutique hotel on Market Street unveiled its first look this week at the project scheduled to open later this summer.

Owned by prolific local developer Buccini/Pollin Group, the future hotel at 519 Market St. will be named The Quoin, according to Method Co., the Philadelphia-based hospitality company that is developing the project and will operate it upon completion.

The Quoin will retain its historic 19th century exterior designed by famed architect Frank Furness upon completion. PHOTO COURTESY OF METHOD CO.

Housed in the historic Security Trust & Safe Deposit Company Building will be 24 luxury hotel rooms, a lobby fireplace cafe and bar, a 155-seat ground floor restaurant with courtyard dining, a lower-level cocktail lounge, and Wilmington’s first rooftop bar and event space. The Quoin name is derived from the Old French word meaning “corner” or “angle,” a reference to its unique architecture and its place at a central stretch of the Market Street corridor.

“We are incredibly excited to build on all the momentum that is underway in the city of Wilmington and to be part of bringing one of the region’s most iconic buildings to life. The hospitality nature of our project, with a boutique hotel and several restaurant concepts, will offer different experiences to be enjoyed by locals and visitors alike,” said Randall Cook, CEO and co-founder of Method Co., in a statement announcing the project details. “There is a certain level of enthusiasm that is pervasive in the entire team involved in a project of this nature and we are thrilled to be nearing the day where we can invite everyone to what we hope becomes an institution for the city and region.”

While retaining the historic Romanesque exterior designed by famed 19th century Philadelphian architect Frank Furness, the hotel’s interior will feature a contemporary design “carefully considered by Method Studios in partnership with Stokes Architecture.”

The Quoin Restaurant will feature wood-fired fare amid a contemporary atmosphere. | PHOTO COURTESY OF METHOD CO.

“The project began with the careful refurbishment of the building’s historic interior, revealing its original structural bones and time-worn elegance allowing us to usher in a new, modern chapter. We kept the interior architecture simple and straightforward to further convey a sense of honesty and authenticity – the idea that every material, room and object has its own rich vocabulary. Method Co. is consciously seeking to raise the aesthetic from a faithful restoration to a fanciful reimagining, full of personalized touches that offer clues to the branding behind the interior design,” added Daniel Olsovsky, creative director at Method Co., in a statement.

The Quoin will also feature a new restaurant, rooftop bar and lounge and craft cocktail lounge, all operated by Method Co.

The Quoin Restaurant will focus on fresh wood-fired fare in a space designed to honor the history and architecture of 1800s Wilmington. The restaurant will feature an open kitchen framed by a spacious dining room area outfitted with elegant wood paneling, custom mohair banquettes, and leather detailing.

The Quoin will have only 24 luxury hotel homes, which is a departure for Wilmington that has largely offered large numbers of chain hotel rooms. | PHOTO COURTESY OF METHOD CO.

The Quoin Rooftop, the first rooftop bar and lounge in Wilmington, will play host to happy hours, social gatherings, and light fare, featuring a blend of indoor and outdoor areas.

Finally, the hotel’s yet-to-be-named craft cocktail lounge will “emphasize a low and slow atmosphere with a music selection as curated as its beverage program,” according to Method. The cocktail lounge will feature the space’s original brick ceiling and a custom, room-spanning painted mural by the Rev. Michael Alan.

Method Co. comes to its first Delaware project after building a portfolio of hotels and restaurants on the East Coast and in the Midwest. It owns the Roost Apartment Hotel extended-stay brand that operates in Philadelphia, Tampa and Cleveland, as well as Wm. Mulherin’s Sons, an award-winning Italian restaurant and four room boutique hotel in Philadelphia, among other properties.