HRI Properties and Hyatt Hotels Corporation have announced plans to convert the current James Robertson building in Nashville, Tennessee into a luxury hotel joining The Unbound Collection by Hyatt portfolio. HRI Properties plans to spend approximately $50 million to update the building into a 191-room hotel, and upon opening in late 2017, HRI Lodging will manage the hotel. Locally based ESA (Earl Swensson Associates) is the architect for the project, Bell Associates is serving as the General Contractor, and Stonehill Taylor out of New York will be providing the interior design services. As with all properties in The Unbound Collection by Hyatt portfolio, this new hotel will provide rich social currency through story-worthy, shareable experiences that guests will take with them long after their stay.
The building, which is located at 118 Seventh Avenue between Broadway and Commerce, occupies prime real estate in downtown Nashville and is on the National Registry of Historic Places. It also has deep-rooted history, opened originally in 1929 as The James Robertson Hotel before converting to an apartment building in 1978.
“There are very few historic buildings of this size located within Nashville, and we saw it as a unique opportunity to recreate history by returning the building back to its original use as a hotel,” said Michael Coolidge, chief investment officer, HRI Properties. “The Unbound Collection by Hyatt is an ideal fit for this new hotel. It will maintain its individuality and distinct character, and guests will benefit from the operational excellence and amenities that come from being associated with Hyatt.”
The hotel will have 4,000 square feet of meeting space, a grab-and-go market concept, a lobby lounge serving light fare, a state-of-the-art fitness facility and a stunning rooftop pool and bar. The hotel is near popular Nashville landmarks such as Music City Center, Bridgestone Arena, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and corporate office buildings.
“The addition of this property to our portfolio showcases our continued commitment to strategic growth in critical markets for both the company and for our newest brand, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt,” said Steve Haggerty, Hyatt’s global head of capital strategy, franchising and select service. “We are thrilled to expand our presence in Nashville, which is a market that has great demand, and we look forward to creating new and shareable experiences for our guests.”
“We are impressed with the investment in the city from the convention center to the downtown construction activity and corporate relocations – the overall diversity of demand in the market is exciting. We look forward to this project being the first of many Nashville based projects for HRI,” said Coolidge.
The Unbound Collection by Hyatt launched in February 2016; current properties in the collection include The Royal Palms Resort and Spa, The Confidante in Miami Beach, Miami; The Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas; the Hôtel du Louvre in Paris, France; the Carmelo Resort & Spa in Carmelo, Uruguay; and the Coco Palms Resort in Kauai, Hawaii, which is expected to undergo a revitalization and re-open in spring 2018.
