Quaintance-Weaver hopes to open hotel in historic Reynolds building : News-Record.com : Greensboro & the Triad's most trusted source for local news and analysis

GREENSBORO — A Greensboro company is looking to open a new hotel in one of Winston-Salem's most historic buildings.

Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants and Hotels, owners of the O. Henry and Proximity Hotels, are collaborating with the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company on a plan to convert the city’s iconic Reynolds Building into a “small, upscale hotel.”

"We don't have the business deal worked out just yet, but we're moving forward in collaboration with Reynolds, and we're both very excited about it," Dennis Quaintance said Thursday.

The 22-story Reynolds building, at Fourth and Main streets in downtown Winston-Salem, was the South's first skyscraper when it opened in 1929. It acted as a prototype for the Empire State Building, which was designed by the same architecture firm and opened two years later.

"I love buildings, and I've always loved this one," said Quaintance, speaking as he stood outside looking up at the facade.

As impressive as the outside is with its art deco design, Quaintance said, the inside is even more beautiful.

"Over the last few years, I've brought my twins here just to look at it, but of course it's not open to the public," Quaintance said. "And we just thought, wouldn't it be great if it was a hotel and people could really appreciate this building?"

"It's a dream for a hotel guy like me," Quaintance said.

Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines called the building one of the city's most historically important and said he's excited by the possibility of a hotel making new use of it.

"We're very pleased that Quaitance-Weaver is looking at this project," Joines said Thursday. "We're so impressed with the work they've done in Greensboro with Proximity and the O. Henry. Downtown is a key part of our economic revitalization, and we've put a lot of emphasis on residential, restaurants and entertainment. This would fit very well with our plans."

Joines said Winston-Salem already has a number of very good hotels but that the sort of upscale, boutique hotels and restaurants for which Quaintance-Weaver has become known would be a welcome addition, especially for business travelers.

Quaintance-Weaver has just begun an analysis of the project and expects it to take most of the year, Quaintance said.

"We wouldn't be going to this next stage unless we were both very optimistic" Quaintance said.

For more on this story, read Friday's News & Record or our e-edition.

Contact Joe Killian at 373-7023 or joe.killian@news-record.com

rooster8786

January 5, 2012 - 3:53 pm EST

Let's hope Skip Alston, and his cronies, follow this story on how to open AND run an upscale hotel in an urban downtown setting. Of course, since there is no money in the development for Skip & Co., he's probably not interested

citywatcher

January 5, 2012 - 4:26 pm EST

South's first skyscraper? Didn't the 17-story Jefferson Standard Building in Greensboro open several years earlier in 1923?

spartan2001

January 5, 2012 - 8:32 pm EST

Whether the JS building was the first southern skyscraper, I don't recall, but it was certainly around years before the RJR building. It was the tallest in the South until the Jackson building was constructed in Asheville (if memory serves). Depending on the definition, the South had skyscrapers from around the turn of the century. I think Charlotte had buildings in the 10-12 story range before WWI.

January 6, 2012 - 8:26 am EST

I do know its not accurate that this building was the first skyscraper in the south. I don't know what building was but I do know the Jefferson Standard building was built in 1923, several years before the RJR building which was built in 1928 so the news media should check their sources before reporting such claims.

zalo731

January 6, 2012 - 9:44 am EST

It should be pretty obvious that Atlanta would have the first skyscaper constructed in the South. The Equitable Bldg was constructed in 1892 and had 8 stories followed by the Flatiron Bldg opening in 1897 which had 11 stories. There were multiple buildings built in that city during the first 2 decades of the twentieth century that were in 11-15 story range, one being the Winecoff Hotel, site of one of the worst hotel fires in the country. In 1946, 119 of 280 guests died in a fire that consumed the building. (No fire escapes).

arnie

January 5, 2012 - 6:19 pm EST

Great place for a hotel I have been in that building (on all floors) many, many, times. Absolutely stunning architectual design. Mahagony moldings, tiled ceilings, arched doorways, intricately carved ceiling moldings.

January 5, 2012 - 11:43 pm EST

According to Wikipedia, the Jefferson Standard Bldg was the tallest bldg between Washington & Atlanta when it opened in 1923, eclipsing the Indepedence Bldg in Charlotte as the tallest in North Carolina. It was replaced as NC's tallest by the Nissen Bldg (18 stories) in Winston in 1927. The Reynolds Bldg was the tallest south of Baltimore when it opened in 1929. That may be what the reporter was trying to convey.

January 6, 2012 - 8:39 am EST

could be but its worded incorrectly because the RJR building wasn't the first skyscraper in the south. It wasn't even the first in NC or the Triad. Its a pretty big news reporting error to say it was the first.

When I look at Greensboro, I've always thought that the 15-story Guilford Building would make a great hotel. From what I understand, it was originally planned to be a hotel which could be why the lobby looks like a 1920s hotel lobby. A big mistake Greensboro made was demolishing the King Cotton Hotel in the early 70s. it was built in 1926, the same year the Guilford Building was built. In the 70s, the mindset was tear down the old for the new. No offense to the News & Record but I would rather see a historic 1926 King Cotton Hotel on the corner of E Market & Davie Streets than the massive News & Record building which takes up a full city block.

Joe Killian

January 6, 2012 - 10:07 am EST

My apologies for the "first skyscraper" characterization. That's the term used by mayor Allen Joines in my interview with him and by several people in Winston-Salem with whom I spoke about it yesterday. We sometimes fall into the trap of using the language of our sources without thinking about the literal meaning of what they're saying. My mistake.

Although there's not a concrete definition of what constitutes a "skyscraper" it seems that if 22 stories counts, 18 should as well.

January 6, 2012 - 1:45 pm EST

"That's the term used by mayor Allen Joines"

oh that figures nothing like local boosterism and smudging the truth a little LOL

Technically a 10 story building can be a skyscraper but its all relative. In New York City some people would view a 15 or 20 story building as a low-rise

January 6, 2012 - 3:44 pm EST

Well, my fault for hearing it over and over and then letting myself use the phrase in my story without more thoroughly checking out the literal accuracy. Correction in tomorrow's paper on it. Thanks to all those who brought the mistake to my attention.

January 8, 2012 - 11:15 pm EST

I find it hard to believe that Allen Joines would characterize it as the South's first skyscraper or that many in Winston-Salem would refer to it as such. When I have heard people or other news outlets describing the bldg in the 10 years I have lived in this area, it has been identified as the tallest bldg in the South at the time of its construction not the first.

Lakeview

January 6, 2012 - 9:03 am EST

Am I missing something? Does WS have enough draw for a "boutique" hotel? If it wasn't for WF there would be no reason to go to WS.

January 6, 2012 - 9:13 am EST

You know I've thought the same of Greensboro as to what would draw hotels to keep building there? Its very odd.

January 6, 2012 - 1:44 pm EST

In terms of Greensboro, there are a number of conventions and conferences here and many people come to town on business so that creates some demand in Greensboro. I do think WInston-Salem can support this hotel. Currently Winston-Salem doesn't really have an upscale hotel (I don't view the Embassy Suites as upscale) and the city doesn't have as many hotel rooms as Greensboro

minkheel

January 6, 2012 - 12:28 pm EST

A wonderful new use for a truly magnificent building. Dennis and his team will do it right (see the O'Henry and the Proximity) and would not do it if it did not make economic sense.

news-record.com

NEWS