2 Meeting Street Hotels, Including Charleston’s 1st ‘Flatiron’ Building Get Design OK

CHARLESTON, SC – October 11, 2019 

Designs for two hotels planned for Charleston’s upper Meeting Street — including the first wedge-shaped or “flatiron” building to be built in the area — secured a key city approval last week. 

Both projects are from the Charleston-based Montford Group. CEO and founder Sunju Patel said the project planned for a triangular lot at 810 Meeting is a “rare opportunity” to create a defining building for the district. 

Inspiration for the nine-story hotel’s design was drawn from structures like the landmark Flatiron Building in New York City, the Flatiron City offices in Atlanta and the Flatiron Building in Asheville that was recently approved to become a hotel. 

Patel said the city’s Board of Architectural Review, which granted conceptual approval to both Montford projects Thursday, was “impressed and excited” about the plans for the odd-shaped lot where Meeting Street and Morrison Drive converge. 

The project is intended to be Montford’s flagship lodging. Patel has said they’re aiming for luxury that feels more casual than what visitors might find farther south in the Historic District. 

The lodging will be called the Thompson Hotel, Patel said, and will be part of Hyatt’s lifestyle portfolio. The building will be called the Montford Building. 

A hotel under the Marriott flag Moxy is planned for 547 Meeting St. The designs for the building got conceptual approval from Charleston’s Board of Architectural Review. Provided/The Montford Group/LS3P

The lodging planned for 547 Meeting will be South Carolina’s first Moxy Hotel. The lifestyle flag, which is described as Marriott’s “newest and edgiest affordable brand,” has small rooms, neon accents and large common areas.

Unlike most hotels, the check-in area and bar will be on the hotel’s sixth floor. The first floor would house a retail offering that would be open to the public. 

At its last meeting, the BAR gave permission to demolish existing one-story structures standing now on both Meeting Street lots. The buildings, which are vacant, were not found to be architecturally significant. 

Special exceptions to build hotels at both properties were already secured earlier this year.