See full article in The Daily Memphian

By: Tom Bailey

December 5, 2019

The Design Review Board unanimously approved the proposed look of a second hotel for One Beale after hearing staff praise a plan that is “designed with authenticity and honors the heritage of the city.”

The nine-story hotel was added to the $180 million, mixed-use project for which construction already has started on a 227-room Hyatt Centric hotel, 232 apartments and a 475-space parking structure.

But it was way HBG Design and developer Chance Carlisle and his Carlisle Development Corp. plan to preserve and use the historic facade of the industrial Ellis Building at 245 S. Front that drew compliments and a quick, positive vote from the board.

The bulk of the old machine shop, immediately south of the Hyatt Centric site, will be demolished. But the ornate, front facade will be preserved, bolstered and used as a border to a 17-foot-wide courtyard.

The courtyard will be sandwiched between the old wall and front of the boutique hotel.

The boutique hotel’s second-floor meeting space will look out over the courtyard, “creating a unique space that will not only be a strong attribute to Front Street but also to guests and people using the space,” Ellery Ammons told board members. She is development coordinator for the Downtown Memphis Commission.

In razing most of the old building, HBG Design principal Mark Weaver told the board, “We will try to harvest a lot of the timbers and reuse them in the lobby as a ceiling.”

A board member asked Carlisle if he could reveal the name of the brand of the boutique hotel.

“We are itching to announce it,” Carlisle responded. “… We are significantly down the way with a particular brand and I think everyone will be extremely happy with who they are and what they represent.

“We will make that announcement in the next month or two.”

The boutique hotel will be brick. Asked what color, Weaver said dark gray is being considered. “We want it to stand out against that white face,” he said, referring to the Ellis Building facade.

The old Ellis machine shop complex comprises six buildings, and Carlisle plans an adaptive re-use for four of them.

Design Review Board chairman Ray Brown, addressing Carlisle, said, “Once again, thank you for all you are doing and have done for Downtown. It’s remarkable.”

Carlisle has said his plan is to have the boutique hotel open by May 2021.

The Hyatt Centric is to open by December 2020 and the first apartments of The Landing Residences should be available to rent by spring 2021, he has said.