The Flat Iron Hotel

Asheville, North Carolina

MERITS

Historic Tax Credit Project

Honorable Mention | Best Hospitality Projects | Business NC Magazine 2024

HISTORIC PRESERVATION / COMMERCIAL

Originally a 1926 office building in the heart of downtown, the Flat Iron Hotel has brought its Art Deco past lovingly into the future in a stunning example of adaptive reuse. Completely restored, the iconic building features 71 rooms, the original marble staircase and terrazzo floors, and a dazzling Deco-inspired chandelier. Interior architecture and design firm Mey & Co., along with Rowhouse Architects, flooded the building with natural light and chose a charming wallpaper that depicts vignettes of Asheville’s historic landmarks to decorate the lobby.

Modern touches include Iron Works, an airy coworking space, and the underground Red Ribbon Society speakeasy bar, only accessible with a special key from the concierge. For those who love history, the former businesses that occupied the offices are honored with plaques in the hallways. Luminosa, the excellent on-site restaurant, combines Appalachian influences with Italian cuisine. The restaurant features wood-fired cooking, using fresh produce from local farmer Evan Chender of The Culinary Gardener. In the morning, the space turns into an espresso bar/cafe with indoor and outdoor seating.

The project was completed in the summer of 2024 with a construction cost of approximately $36,000,000.