The Ace Hotel in East Liberty has reopened with new management and a new name after closing in the midst of the pandemic.

Now called Kasa at the Maverick, the hotel on South Whitfield Street is now operated by Kasa, a chain with hotel and short-term apartment locations in more than 30 U.S. cities and Japan. Kasa owns a short-term apartment complex in Pittsburgh, Kasa in South Side Works.

The hotel is owned by Y Hotel Group, which owned the building while it was previously operated by Ace Hotels, a Seattle-based boutique hotel chain that currently operates eight locations in the United States, as well as hotels in Kyoto, Japan, Toronto, Canada and Sydney, Australia.

Before opening as a hotel in 2015, the building housed a former YMCA.

The hotel reopened under its new management Wednesday, with the first guests arriving Thursday. The hotel is reopening in phases, said Mike Millas, Kasa’s vice president of financial strategy. The hotel boasts 63 rooms over three floors. Right now, only one floor is open, Millas said, and they plan to reopen the other floors over the next several months.

Ace Hotel, which served as a popular spot for events and community gatherings, closed during the covid-19 pandemic, leaving some couples who had hoped to use the spot as a wedding venue scrambling to get refunds and make new arrangements. Several couples said the hotel didn’t immediately offer refunds for deposits on nixed weddings, and Y Hotel Group and Ace Hotels sparred over who was at fault for the closure and refund disputes.

Before reopening under Kasa, the hotel got some minor improvements, including new decor, artwork and linens, Millas said.

The company also installed their technology package, which is used to create a “tech-enabled hospitality experience,” Millas said. That includes an automated check-in process and digital front desk services.

The hotel boasts close proximity to key Pittsburgh attractions, restaurants and bars, and Kasa advertised it as a spot where visitors can enjoy “comfort, security and sophistication” in a boutique-style hotel situated in a historic building.

“We’re all very excited about the opportunity to reintroduce the property with a new manager and a new name,” Millas said. “We think we can offer a great products for guests and the traveling public in a really cool building in a great location in Pittsburgh.”

Most rooms on the hotel’s website were listed at $140 per night.

“The food and beverage and event space remains closed,” Millas said, explaining Kasa does not oversee that portion of the hotel’s operations.

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