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$1 Million Rescue Mission for Swag-Smothered Ballroom

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UPDATE: The Hilton City Ave. wanted to comment on this post. Here's what they had to say. The original post follows:

Thank you for sharing the before and after photos of our recently renovated Garden Ballroom. We agree that your tone, although funny seems harsh. This renovation is part of our ongoing efforts to uphold the highest levels of customer satisfaction, impeccable service, and luxurious event space. We invite you to come visit us at the Hilton Philadelphia on City Ave so you may be better informed for any future write-ups. It's over. The years of pain and humiliation have finally come to an end for the Garden Ballroom of the Hilton on City Avenue (or City Line Ave., as residents are likely to say). Here's what we were dealing with before:

And here's what's going on now:

We imagine there's only so much you can do given the constraints of genre—don't forget, this is the hotel that once had gold-coated Greco-Roman figures beckoning to your car as you drove by. DiLeonardo, the international design firm based in Providence, R.I., definitely made the most of it. Best design decision? Going swagless.