by Hannah Saulters
news editor

The Hospitality State will soon welcome a new hotel to the capital city, in one of Jackson’s most beloved neighborhoods. Last week, Desai Hotel Group and Fondren Place Development Group, both Jackson-based firms, announced plans to build what is being called a “boutique” hotel in Fondren.

The building will stand in the corner lot between Babalu Tacos and Tapas and Woodland Hills Baptist Church, bookending Duling Hall, along with Fondren Place. The Mississippi Department of Archives and History is also involved in planning, providing information on the neighborhood’s architecture and aesthetic to better integrate the four-story, 100-room Hampton Inn into the area.

As Find It in Fondren reports, the Memphis-based firm designing the hotel, LLW Architects, is working with Desai to create a “modern, historical look” that will complement Fondren rather than looking like what Desai called a “cookie-cutter Hampton Inn.” Courtney Peters Interior Design will be responsible for the interiors of the building, providing another local perspective.

Discussions about parking are under way to decide usage of the lots behind Duling and Woodland Hills. Additionally, there are plans for the hotel to have an underground garage.

Also, according to Find It in Fondren, the side of the hotel facing Babalu will contain 3,000 square feet of retail space. The space is expected to provide even further revival of the art district’s economy, drawing in locals and tourists alike.