King Edward Project in Downtown Jackson Receives National Award (Edwards: apartments, credit)

[jacksonian]

The restored King Edward Hotel building in downtown Jackson will receive an award next week as one of the top restoration projects in the U.S.



Below is an excerpt from the National Trust for Historic Preservation's website:
King Edward Revitalization Project in Jackson, Miss., to Receive Preservation Honor Award (http://www.preservationnation.org/about-us/press-center/press-releases/2010/pres-awards-2010-king-edward.html - broken link)


http://www.claycorp.com/projects/detail/images/kingedwardhotel.jpg (broken link)


Washington, D.C. (October 19, 2010)—The National Trust for Historic Preservation will present its Preservation Honor Award for the King Edward Revitalization Project in Jackson, Miss. The project is one of 23 award winners to be honored by the National Trust during its 2010 National Preservation Conference next week in Austin, Texas.
Since it first opened in 1923, the King Edward Hotel has dominated Jackson, Mississippi’s downtown skyline. The Neoclassic hotel was once the city’s social hub, welcoming everyone from state legislators to bright-eyed debutantes. But in 1967, the hotel closed its doors—and for the next 40 years, this 12-story landmark was a vacant eyesore, wind whistling through its broken windows, its once-elegant interiors crumbling into ruin.



Despite numerous failed attempts to restore the landmark building and in the face of calls for its demolition, HRI Properties of New Orleans embarked on an ambitious renovation project in 2006. In addition to missing windows, holes in the roof and extensive water damage, the developers had to contend with hundreds of pigeons that had taken up residence in the hotel. Although time, weather and vandalism had destroyed many historic features, they’ve all been gloriously brought back to life. Missing and damaged plaster was replicated, the original ballroom was re-created using historic photos and the handsome lobby rotunda that had been covered decades ago was re-opened.



Today, the restored King Edward rooftop sign shines over a building that houses a 186-room hotel with meeting space, restaurants and 64 luxury apartments. The project, completed in 2009, is credited with spurring rehabilitation activity in other historic buildings nearby.



“From ruin to renaissance: That is the story of the King Edward Hotel,” said Stephanie Meeks, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “Historic preservation is a powerful tool for revitalizing communities, and there is no better example of that than the rebirth of Jackson’s landmark hotel.”

[bornjacksonian]

[quote=jacksonian;16360689]The restored King Edward Hotel building in downtown Jackson will receive an award next week as one of the top restoration projects in the U.S.

I am a graduate of Jackson State and came down from Atlanta for our rival game against Southern where we draw a huge crowd from Louisiana. The fair was going on and it was a lot of people in the city.

We went down to the King Edwards and had drinks. It is very nice, the project went well, so I can see how they are up for an award. I really enjoyed sitting outside watching all the traffic past through downtown. Saying to myself "I can't wait until the day Farish Street and Old Captiol Green is going so people can be out walking and not in their cars. I also had a friend girl whom we ran into while sitting outside that lives in the building. She showed us her apartment .... very nice (just a lil bigger i would suggest) and a wonderful view facing westjackson. KUDOS to the King Edwards/Hilton