{"id":371332,"date":"2025-11-11T10:37:16","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T10:37:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/371332\/"},"modified":"2025-11-11T10:37:16","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T10:37:16","slug":"tour-explore-a-historic-fort-worth-buildings-rebirth-as-the-luxury-hotel-le-meridien","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/371332\/","title":{"rendered":"Tour: Explore a Historic Fort Worth Building’s Rebirth as the Luxury Hotel Le Meridien"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Credit: Historic Fort Worth<\/p>\n

Historic Fort Worth will spotlight the Le Meridien Fort Worth Downtown, a stylishly revived hotel with ties to Fort Worth history, during the non-profit\u2019s next membership tour from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday.<\/p>\n

The hotel, located at 811 Commerce St., won this year\u2019s Historic Fort Worth Preservation Project Award. The hotel received the recognition for its transformation from a long-vacant building into a thriving part of Fort Worth\u2019s central business district.<\/p>\n

The hotel received the award for its sensitive preservation rehabilitation that met the Secretary of the Interior\u2019s standards, according to Steve Kline, chair of the Cantey Lecture Series<\/a>, where the award was announced. The lecture series, an annual event hosted by Historic Fort Worth, celebrates the city\u2019s architectural heritage through the preservation awards.<\/p>\n

This week\u2019s tour of the hotel will offer an educational look at the building with a unique history of what Kline terms \u201cseveral reincarnations.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is an excellent example of adaptive reuse and sustainability,\u201d said Kline, who has served on Fort Worth\u2019s preservation plan steering committee.<\/p>\n

First a Parking Garage<\/p>\n

It was first built in 1928 as the Biltmore parking garage for the city\u2019s earliest automobile owners. The recent renovation of Le M\u00e9ridien Hotel preserves the building\u2019s historic character while offering guests a modern, upscale experience. Before the transformation, while what is now Le Meridien was still just a shell, architect John Roberts, who received his own personal tour from the building\u2019s previous owners.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a little bit of history on it,\u201d Roberts told CandysDirt.com. Besides serving on Historic Fort Worth\u2019s board of directors, Roberts is a former chairman of the board and of the group\u2019s public affairs committee. In addition, he is part of Downtown Fort Worth Walking Tours, and runs FortWorthArchitecture.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

According to Roberts, the structure was built in a style typical of the 1920s, predating the popularity of Art Deco. Architect Wiley G. Clarkson, who also designed First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth, designed this building. His original plan called for 15 floors of parking, although only four were completed then.<\/p>\n

Ready for Convention Center<\/p>\n

\"\"811 Commerce St. in Fort Worth sat empty before a string of hotel brand turnovers<\/p>\n

\"\"
Le Meridien renovated and re-opened in 2024 as a 188-room hotel. (Photos courtesy: John Roberts)<\/p>\n

\"\"The pool received a facelift before the hotel opened in 2024. <\/p>\n

In 1968, Hotel Texas purchased the structure, in response to the city\u2019s new convention center. Between 1968 and 1970, the structure was expanded to reflect the mid-century architecture popular at the time. By 1970, the building was converted into a hotel annex. During that time, Sheraton acquired Hotel Texas, rebranding the property and adding eight floors atop the original garage. The rooftop parking was enclosed, and the building received a mid-century modern fa\u00e7ade, bringing it to 13 stories.<\/p>\n

The building remained in use until 2006, when Hilton opted not to renovate it. It sat vacant for nearly two decades before reopening in 2024 as Le M\u00e9ridien, a boutique hotel with 188 rooms and a rooftop lounge.<\/p>\n

\"\"Credit: LeMeridienFortWorth on Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n

Then in 2024, the building was renovated after several years of vacancy using historic federal and state tax credits. Kline said the project was reviewed and approved by the Texas Historical Commission and National Park Service, following the Secretary of the Interior\u2019s Standards for Rehabilitation.<\/p>\n

The New Look<\/p>\n

Those standards required the building\u2019s exterior to remain largely unchanged. However, developers were permitted to add a canopy entrance on Commerce Street and enhance exterior lighting, Roberts said. A 14th-floor penthouse was added, featuring a terrace with southeast and southwest views, along with a smaller terrace overlooking downtown. The sixth-floor pool, an original amenity from the 1970 expansion, was refurbished because of its age.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like the result overall,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cI think it turned out a lot better than I thought it would considering the building\u2019s age and Midcentury Modern look.\u201d<\/p>\n

If You Go<\/p>\n

2025 Membership Tour Le M\u00e9ridien Hotel
<\/strong>811 Commerce St., Fort Worth
Thursday, November 13 from 5:30 p.m. \u2013 7 p.m.<\/p>\n