The Ramada Inn Downtown Charleston (pictured at right) has a new owner, who plans to spend $15 million to renovate the property -- formerly known as the Charleston House.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The new owners of the Ramada Inn Downtown Charleston -- formerly the Charleston House Hotel -- plan to spend more than $15 million on renovations during the next 18 months.
Albany, N.Y.-based BBL Hospitality purchased the 256-room hotel from a Philadelphia real estate holding company Wednesday.
"We want to restore this to its original grandeur," said Keith McClanahan, senior vice president of BBL Carlton of Charleston, a BBL Hospitality affiliate. "It will be newer and fresher and people will be glad they stayed here."
BBL Carlton plans to renovate the lobby, guest rooms, meeting rooms and all public areas. The company also will build a new indoor pool and sports-themed restaurant called Recovery Sports Grill. The property's entire exterior will be refurbished.
The full-service hotel -- located across the street from Haddad Riverfront Park -- will stay open and keep the Ramada brand amid the renovations. The property could switch to another franchise -- possibly a Sheraton Hotel -- once the project is completed.
"We'll be taking several floors at a time," McClanahan said. "We're going to make this the place that people want to be."
After the renovations, the hotel is expected to compete with the Charleston Marriot and Embassy Suites in downtown Charleston.
The property's biggest selling point: a spectacular view of the Kanawha River and Charleston waterfront.
"There is no better view for a hotel than this," McClanahan said, while leading a tour of the property Wednesday. "This is an ideal location."
BBL executives declined to disclose the hotel's purchase price Wednesday, but confirmed the company paid close to $5 million.
Charleston Mayor Danny Jones, who spent months trying to persuade BBL to take over the hotel, said the property is critical to the city's downtown and convention business.
"BBL is a great corporate partner and neighbor for our city's efforts to create Haddad Riverfront Park and Kanawha Boulevard as Charleston's front porch for special events and visitors," Jones said. "BBL Hospitality's commitment to purchase and improve this property begins a new era for the hotel business in downtown Charleston."
For years, the hotel operated as the Charleston House and later the Charleston House Holiday Inn. The hotel joined the Ramada chain in March.
Built in 1966, the Charleston House was once one of the city's finest and busiest hotels.
Previous owners have been criticized for neglecting the property. The former management group upgraded guest rooms a year or two ago, but other sections don't appear to have changed since the hotel first opened.
The hotel has 13,000 square feet of meeting space, an attached parking garage with room for 258 vehicles, fitness and business centers, a first-floor café and retail shops.
BBL Carlton plans to move its Charleston office from the Huntington Bank building to the hotel's second floor. About 15 employees are expected to make the move later this year.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The new owners of the Ramada Inn Downtown Charleston -- formerly the Charleston House Hotel -- plan to spend more than $15 million on renovations during the next 18 months.
Albany, N.Y.-based BBL Hospitality purchased the 256-room hotel from a Philadelphia real estate holding company Wednesday.
"We want to restore this to its original grandeur," said Keith McClanahan, senior vice president of BBL Carlton of Charleston, a BBL Hospitality affiliate. "It will be newer and fresher and people will be glad they stayed here."
BBL Carlton plans to renovate the lobby, guest rooms, meeting rooms and all public areas. The company also will build a new indoor pool and sports-themed restaurant called Recovery Sports Grill. The property's entire exterior will be refurbished.
The full-service hotel -- located across the street from Haddad Riverfront Park -- will stay open and keep the Ramada brand amid the renovations. The property could switch to another franchise -- possibly a Sheraton Hotel -- once the project is completed.
"We'll be taking several floors at a time," McClanahan said. "We're going to make this the place that people want to be."
After the renovations, the hotel is expected to compete with the Charleston Marriot and Embassy Suites in downtown Charleston.
The property's biggest selling point: a spectacular view of the Kanawha River and Charleston waterfront.
"There is no better view for a hotel than this," McClanahan said, while leading a tour of the property Wednesday. "This is an ideal location."
BBL executives declined to disclose the hotel's purchase price Wednesday, but confirmed the company paid close to $5 million.
Charleston Mayor Danny Jones, who spent months trying to persuade BBL to take over the hotel, said the property is critical to the city's downtown and convention business.
"BBL is a great corporate partner and neighbor for our city's efforts to create Haddad Riverfront Park and Kanawha Boulevard as Charleston's front porch for special events and visitors," Jones said. "BBL Hospitality's commitment to purchase and improve this property begins a new era for the hotel business in downtown Charleston."
For years, the hotel operated as the Charleston House and later the Charleston House Holiday Inn. The hotel joined the Ramada chain in March.
Built in 1966, the Charleston House was once one of the city's finest and busiest hotels.
Previous owners have been criticized for neglecting the property. The former management group upgraded guest rooms a year or two ago, but other sections don't appear to have changed since the hotel first opened.
The hotel has 13,000 square feet of meeting space, an attached parking garage with room for 258 vehicles, fitness and business centers, a first-floor café and retail shops.
BBL Carlton plans to move its Charleston office from the Huntington Bank building to the hotel's second floor. About 15 employees are expected to make the move later this year.
McClananan said renovation work would start immediately. The company upgraded the hotel's wireless Internet service Wednesday, just hours after the purchase.
The Recovery Sports Grill -- part of a chain of sports-themed restaurants -- will be built on the hotel's first floor and have an entrance on Virginia Street East. The first Recovery Sports Grill -- originally called The Recovery Room -- got its name because it was built beside a hospital in Albany, N.Y.
The Charleston restaurant is expected to open in June or July.
"We'll have 70 high-def TVs," McClanahan said. "And the food is great."
The downtown hotel has a 12th floor restaurant and bar that's been closed for years. BBL hasn't decided what to do with the space, but the company has considered turning the floor into condominiums.
The hotel, located at 600 Kanawha Blvd. E., promises to play a significant role in the city's riverfront development plans. The city of Charleston has spent more than $2.5 million to upgrade Haddad Riverfront Park along the Kanawha River recent years.
The Kanawha Boulevard area hosts annual downtown events such as the Rod Run & Doo Wop classic car show, Hog Rally (for Harley-Davidson motorcycle enthusiasts), Firefighter Combat Challenge and SportsFEST, which features Jet Ski races and volleyball at Magic Island.
BBL Hospitality owns 13 hotels in New York, New Jersey, Virginia and Florida. The company manages 10 of those properties under several brands, including Hilton Garden Inn, Residence Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Homewood Suites.
McClanahan said the company was looking to open a hotel in West Virginia, and he first notified BBL Hospitality that the Charleston House was for sale about a year ago.
BBL Carlton built Appalachian Power Park, the University of Charleston Fitness Center and BrickStreet Insurance headquarters building. The company also renovated the Kanawha County W. Kent Carper Justice and Public Safety Complex.
BBL expects to hire dozens of construction workers during the hotel renovation project and create additional full-time jobs once construction is completed.
"This is a very exciting opportunity for BBL Hospitality and Carlton to return this hotel to its rightful place of prominence," said Steven Obermayer, president of BBL Hospitality. "We have watched with great interest and strongly feel that we have a true diamond in the rough."
Reach Eric Eyre at erice...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-4869.
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