The Georgian Terrace, once one of the city's most luxurious hotels and site of the opening reception for "Gone With the Wind," has sunk $11 million into an update designed to bring the landmark building into the new millennium with a fresher lobby, restaurant, ballrooms and suites.
About a mile away on West Peachtree Street near the Arts Center MARTA station, the old Granada Hotel is getting a face-lift and a new name — the Artmore — to make it compatible with Midtown's upscale image.
With entire floors left empty by a struggling economy, many Atlanta hotels are using the downturn to breathe new life into their properties. They're throwing out worn bedding, updating TVs and removing fixtures that scream "I love the '90s."
"When we bought the Granada [in 2006], it was pretty tired," said Keith Space, president of Boutique Hospitality Management, which will manage the Artmore. "It was clear that we had a first-class location and a second-class building."
The moves are critical. Metro Atlanta has added hundreds of new rooms in the past few years, while consumers have cut back on spending, industry observers said. The increased competition is forcing hoteliers to look for ways to attract guests, using rehabs as a way to get people to take a new look.
"This is like a NASCAR race," said Ed Walls, general manager of the Westin Peachtree downtown. "The flag comes out, and you pull in to change the tires."
The Westin will soon undergo a $22 million replacement of its 5,600 windows, brought on by last year's tornado damage, Walls said. Renovation of the hotel's 1,068 rooms and public spaces is also in the planning at a cost of about $40 million.
The Emory Conference Center Hotel recently opened a new five-story expansion, two years after officials realized the lodger needed to grow to compete. That added 127 new rooms, 6,000 square feet of meeting space and a six-lane bowling alley. Officials also are emphasizing the building's "green program" — it is up for silver LEED certification — to attract the environmentally conscious.
"Last year, it brought us $800,000 in business," said general manager Kathryn Johnson. "We know that because we tracked it."
Matthew Reidy, one of the Georgian Terrace's new owners, said the rehabilitation restored the building's grand staircase and turned up forgotten gems, including a Juliet balcony hidden in a previous restoration. They also launched Livingston, a restaurant by local power chef Gary Mennie.
"We're breathing new life back into an old, iconic property in Atlanta," Reidy said. "We felt there was some great opportunities to bring it back."
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