Hamilton Herald Masthead

Editorial


Front Page - Friday, December 2, 2016

Design team selected for Read House renovations




Local architecture firm Artech Design Group will work with Texas-based company ForrestPerkins to restore the historic Read House hotel in downtown Chattanooga. Artech team members pictured at Read House (L-R) are Project Manager Mark Wynnemer, Principal Rick Thompson and Project Architect Alexandra Hunt - Photograph by David Laprad

Avocet Hospitality Group has selected a design team for the multimillion-dollar renovation project planned for the historic Read House hotel.

Local architecture firm Artech Design Group will work with Texas-based company ForrestPerkins to restore the iconic property in downtown Chattanooga.

Avocet’s director of project management, Rod Gerber, Artech principles Rick Thompson and David Hudson, and ForrestPerkins president Deborah Forrest have already begun drafting plans for the $20 million renovation project, which is slated to begin in June 2017.

“The vision Avocet Hospitality has for the Read House as a luxurious hotel and gathering place for Chattanoogans ... reinforces the [community’s] commitment to the renaissance of downtown Chattanooga,” says Thompson, principle in charge for Artech. “We’re looking forward to leading the design team and making their vision a reality while respectively addressing the historic significance and architectural integrity of the building.

“Our goal is to revitalize the iconic stature of the Read House and enhance the quality of our community.”

By the end of 2018, the Read House hotel will feature renovated common areas, meeting rooms, food and beverage outlets, retail spaces, and 242 guest rooms with updated technology, redesigned bathrooms and all-new furnishings.

The hotel will launch a new website and refreshed brand by April 2017, which will serve as a tool to keep the community informed on the progress of the project.

Read House, opened in 1872 and was rebuilt in 1926, is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places. It was last renovated in 2004.

Source: Avocet Hospitality Group