listen to this articleMike Butcher said the challenge of designing a luxury boutique group hotel that catered to a wide range of target markets and appealed to multiple audiences was enormous. But mission accomplished. Now, the owners of New Orleans’ first all-suite boutique hotel are ready to welcome travelers to Hotel Pearl, located at 757 St. Charles Avenue in the Warehouse District.
“Hotel Pearl wants to be a place that welcomes groups of all kinds to the city, including traditional New Orleans groups for events, bachelor parties, weddings, vacations and more. families traveling together for special occasions; empty nesters and retirees spending a few days together in the city before heading off on a long road trip or cruise; Everyone,” Butcher said.
Hotel Pearl is a renovated 45,000 square foot historic building located at 757 St. Charles Avenue. The original historic building (circa 1910) includes 10 multiroom guest suites (2-7 bedrooms each) and approximately 25,000 square feet on three floors. . The new addition (circa 1983) is 20,000 square feet and includes a lobby, atrium, and parking area. The ground floor has a bistro, pool terrace and bar area. This hotel development features 10 unique large suites with chef’s kitchens, hardwood floors, exposed brick, private washers/dryers, central air conditioning, and luxury bathrooms.
“I’ve been working on this project for six years and I’m proud of every minute of it. When I show people around, the two areas I’m most proud of are the atrium and the pool terrace,” Butcher said. said. “One of the intangible things I always talk about is sound attenuation. We have put a lot of effort into making sure each unit is isolated from adjacent units and mitigating the sound that travels through the hotel. Ta.”
Mr. Butcher is Managing Director of Urban Property Development LLC, a New Orleans-based commercial real estate development company and project manager, which is partnering with Align Venture Capital to redevelop 757 St. Charles Avenue into Hotel Pearl. Masu. MC Bank and Benson Capital Partners provided the financing. The hotel is managed by Pousada Property Management.
The hotel is easily accessible by streetcar and takes its name from Parley A. Thomas, the designer of the streetcar still used today on the St. Charles Avenue Line. “We dropped the ‘y’ from his first name because it sounded better,” Butcher said. “We used this inspiration in our design, branding and marketing. We also have a streetcar stop right in front of the building, which serves more than 3 million passengers a year.”
Rome Office served as the architect and Ryan Gootee General Contractors served as the general contractor. New York City-based Ward & Gray was the interior designer. Additional trading partners for this project included A-1 and Regional Mechanical Services in the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing areas. Johnson Drywall Solutions and Daniel Bell, LLC worked on the plant.
RGGC Project Executive Pat Thomas said, “We had to partially open for the Taylor Swift concert and it was a very fast-paced job, but we got it done.” “We were released with an early work package, then a critical path infrastructure package, and finally a remaining work package with all the finishing touches, all the while participating in very detailed value engineering. We overcame challenges by constantly communicating transparently with the owner, design team, and suppliers and working together to find solutions.”
Melissa Bold Rome, a partner in the Rome office, said the hotel’s design embraces and preserves the building’s history.
“The 757 St. Charles building has a rich history of uses, including a hotel, auto showroom and repair shop, and office building, all of which is reflected in its eclectic architectural style,” Rome said. “The design of the new Hotel Pearl introduces yet another unique chapter that embraces and preserves each of these histories while optimizing the unique spatial character of the historic building.In line with previous additions, The new design features a redesigned entry sequence that focuses visitors on a triple-height, light-filled atrium.”
“We are proud that this design embodies the true story of New Orleans, which honors New Orleans’ past while still continuing to evolve and redefine New Orleans,” added Rome. ” he added.
The lobby features a sculptural grand staircase that winds around a custom stepped chandelier, connecting guests to the first floor cafe and second floor outdoor terrace bar and pool. This staircase also leads to the newly constructed swimming area, lounge area and bar.
“My favorite part of the hotel is the monumental staircase,” Thomas said. “Transforming the original courtyard entrance to the building into an elegant hotel entrance lobby with a staircase leading to the second floor with storefront windows that let in natural light was a complex construction feature. We love it because of the challenges we overcame to make this beautiful entrance pop, and it’s the first area guests see when they enter the hotel.”
The hotel’s suites are arranged along the atrium. The suite features spacious common spaces with custom lighting, furniture and artwork. “The design of the common spaces within each suite was something we put a lot of thought into,” says Roman. “It was our shared goal to properly size these spaces and ensure they were well-equipped and comfortable.The goal was to create a memorable and engaging experience for our guests that is unique to group stays. It was to create.”
Roma said that the materials and finishes for most of the hotel’s exterior and interior common spaces were chosen in direct response to the existing situation. For example, she said, the existing masonry facade had very deep strikes, giving it a distinctly raw look. To soften this appearance, a natural lime wash was applied by hand that partially filled the joints, giving the facade a more organic and homogeneous appearance.
“The lobby and three-story atrium space are painted light blue to enhance the feeling of occupying an outdoor space filled with natural light,” she said. “The new pool deck incorporates the greenish hue of the existing glass block walls by introducing new custom pavers, fabrics and deck coatings.”
Butcher said the average length of stay at the hotel is expected to be three and a half days. Nightly rates have a wide range of prices. For example, non-peak season rates start at $150 per bedroom (or $750 per night for 5 bedrooms), but peak season rates start at $500 or more per bedroom per night (or , $2,500 per night for a five-bedroom). -Bedroom unit. )
“Hotel Pearl is unique in terms of design and amenities, as it blends into the format of a luxury boutique hotel, which is often seen in the highly volatile short-term rental market,” said Butcher. “There are many short-term rental properties in the city, but they are often inconsistent and poorly managed. Hotel Pearl offers multi-bedroom suites (ranging from 2 to 7 bedrooms) that We strive to serve this market and maintain a high level of quality and service not typically associated with short-term rentals.”
