Hotel Indigo

Historic Hotel Renovation

brg3s as Architects

The Sterick North Building at 22 N. BB King Boulevard in Memphis opened to great fanfare in 1963. Located next door to the iconic Sterick Building, the location served as the first Holiday Inn in Downtown Memphis and was the first garage-hotel combination building in the country. However, the building's greater legacy lay in an engineering innovation used in its construction: It was one of the first practical applications of the 'Lin-Tee' structural beam. Engineer Tung-Yen Lin innovated the pressed concrete technique which allowed the use of a single structural beam to support the building's unusual layout. The bottom 7 floors of the building are parking garage with a three-story hotel perched on top, surrounding a central courtyard with a swimming pool located directly above the garage levels. The use of the Lin-Tee beam enabled this remarkable structure.

 

Part of the architectural renovation of the Sterick North Building included applying for and receiving Historical Landmark status. This required the preservation and celebration of both the architectural and community legacy of the building, which had served as the home of both the first African-American- (WDIA) and woman-owned (WHER) radio stations in the country. Custom graphics, furniture and artwork reflects the mid-century origins and broadcasting history that makes the location unique. 

 

The biggest challenges in renovating the hotel lay in the aging mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems throughout the space, and working with the low floor-to-ceiling height of 8'6". The main vehicle entrance was closed to provide a new ground-level check-in desk and lobby, though all rooms are located above the garage structure on the 8, 9, and 10th floors. The updated lobby wraps the existing elevators in a sleek and modern grand entry space, and allowed designers to add a restful outdoor plaza and lounge pedestrian connection to the modern new hotel restaurant.

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