Health system to run Penn Tower

University turnsUniversity turnsover possession ofUniversity turnsover possession ofhotel complex The University has announced that it will transfer control of the Penn Tower Hotel complex to the University Health System. This transfer of power is part of a "strategic plan to lead Penn into the 21st Century," according to Executive Vice President John Fry. Fry said the transfer is a part of the Agenda for Excellence that also processed the decision to partner with Barnes and Noble to build "the country's first university superstore." The Penn Tower Hotel complex -- made up of the hotel, the Penn Tower parking garage and Blockley Hall -- is already a physical part of the University Health System. The hotel houses a number of offices of Clinical Practices of the University of Pennsylvania physicians. Blockley Hall houses a large part of the medical school classrooms and offices. The offices of Student Health Services are also housed in the complex. And Fry said because the system is the primary tenant of these buildings, "the University decided to transfer all rights to these facilities -- and financial responsibility for them -- to the Health System." The transfer of property is designed to provide the Health System with the central space and flexibility it need to "meet the changing need and requirements of health care service delivery and research for many years to come," Fry said. He added, however, that the Health System intends to continue normal operation of the hotel and garage for the present time. "During the remainder of the calendar year, the Health System will study other potential uses of these properties to determine whether alternative uses are feasible and desirable," Fry said. The transfer will also allow the University to access funds which had previously been invested in or committed to the hotel, garage and Blockley Hall. University spokesperson Barbara Beck said the transfer of power "makes sense," in terms of internal structure. She said that the University does not plan to build a new structure to replace the Penn Tower Hotel if it ceases to operate in the future. But, she added she does not think the Health System has decided what they will do with the structure yet. Beck explained that the transfer of power is designed to better organize the system's operations.