As the fuchsia ribbon split in two, city and county officials along with developers and executives of 21c Museum Hotels celebrated the opening of the hospitality group’s fourth property, 21c Durham.
“There is no question in my mind that this investment is going to be a good investment for Durham,” Mayor Bill Bell said during a short ceremony before the ribbon-cutting. “[The hotel] is going to be one of the top places to be in downtown Durham.”
Greenfire purchased the Hill Building, new home to the boutique hotel, contemporary art museum and restaurant, in 2006, and 21c Museum Hotels began a partnership with the group in 2012. “We could not stop looking up in the sky at this building,” Steve Wilson, CEO and Founder of 21c Museum Hotels, said of his first trip to Durham in 2008. The 17-story building was designed in 1937 by Shreve, Lamb and Harmon, New York-based architects known best for the Empire State Building who worked in association with Durham architect George Watts Carr. Now, 88 years later, New York-based architects Deborah Berke Partners have introduced 21st century innovation to the Hill Building’s Art Deco design; the original green marble walls, silver leaf ceiling and terrazzo floors in the hotel entrance were preserved and contrast with contemporary design details. “We strive to build not just great places to eat, drink and spend the night, but cultural centers that help reinvigorate urban areas,” Steve said in a press release. “The revitalization efforts underway in Durham have produced amazing results and we aim to enhance those efforts as we open today and to offer an additional resource for art, social engagement and civic conversations.”
In addition to its 125 rooms, which span from the third to 15th floors, 21c Durham presents seven permanent, site-specific installations integrated into a variety of spaces around and within the building in addition to rotating solo and group exhibitions and a full roster of cultural programming curated by Museum Director Alice Gray Stites. Docent tours are offered free to the public on Wednesdays and Fridays at 5pm.
The property’s restaurant, Counting House, opened March 9 under the direction of executive chef Josh Munchel. The restaurant’s name pays homage to the building’s long history as a bank and offers a global perspective on regional dishes with a menu focusing on fresh seafood, locally sourced seasonal ingredients and rotisserie and roasting techniques. It’s open daily for dinner, from 5:30-10pm Sunday–Thursday and 5:30-11pm Friday and Saturday. The bar and lounge, where you can sip on house-made cocktails, sample local craft brews and explore bourbon and wine lists, is open Sunday–Thursday from 3pm-1am and 3pm-2am Friday and Saturday.
