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Apr 5, 2023 | Hotel News

Hotel Pontotoc developers to seek approval for renovations

The developers renovating the 117-year old Hotel Ponotoc believe the building’s architecture provides a unique presence among Downtown’s South Main Historic District.

At least that’s what project architect cnct. design said in the development team’s application for a certificate of appropriateness, which it will seek when the Memphis Landmarks Commission meets Thursday, April 27.

Typically, a certificate of appropriateness is needed when developing a site within a historic district, often to ensure the project complies with standards set to protect the district’s unique identity.

“The Hotel Pontotoc in many ways stands in stark contrast to the typical design and materials seen throughout the South Main Historic District,” John Halford of cnct. design wrote in a letter attached to the application.

“This restoration project seeks to restore the existing structure to its original quality and design, while also building upon its unique stature and appearance amongst the neighboring structures along South Main,” Halford wrote.

The site’s owners, Joseph Lewis and Tony Kuhn, plan to return the building to its original function as a small-scale hotel.

This column originally appeared in The Daily Memphian. Keep reading.