The James Reed Building Downtown may go from serving the rule of law to offering wake-up calls.

Philadelphia developer PMC Property Group is working with Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants to convert the former Pittsburgh headquarters of the Reed Smith law firm into an upscale hotel, perhaps with as many as 250 rooms.

PMC purchased the nine-story Beaux-Arts style building at 435 Sixth Ave. for $5.5 million in a bankruptcy sale last September. The structure has been vacant since the law firm moved into Three PNC Plaza in 2009.

While the developer is best known in Pittsburgh for converting older buildings into apartments, it is considering a different form of housing for the James Reed Building, partnering with San Francisco-based Kimpton on the hotel plans.

In Pittsburgh, PMC and Kimpton apparently are considering creating a Hotel Monaco, one of the chain's most recognizable brands. If all goes well, it could open sometime next year.