HOSPITALITY FINE ART MEETS FINE DESIGN THE VENDUE HOTEL RENOVATION
162 East Bay - 1898 19 Vendue Range - 1888 25 Vendue Range - 1888 When Charleston was first settled in 1670 at the intersection of the Ashley and Cooper Rivers, it was a humble outpost in the South Carolina marshlands, far from civilization. My, how things have changed. By the late 1700s, Charleston had become a bustling port city with a thriving economy. The City Council, attempting to organize the brisk trading in meat, vegetables, and other provisions, established a public fish market by the Cooper River. The market was filled with French auctioneers called vendue masters, so the wharf became known as Vendue Range. Business along Vendue Range thrived until the Civil War, when fighting made trade difficult. Blockade runners became local heroes, and they used the old buildings along the street as their warehouses. When the war finally ended, the warehouses returned to use by the fishing industry, but were also used as waystations for sailors. As Charleston grew from an outpost to a port to a major travel destination, the Vendue Range evolved along with the city. The warehouses became The Vendue Inn, a popular French Quarter hotel.
When The Vendue Inn was sold in 2012, the new owners realized that they had an opportunity to go from good to great, and from great to world class. The owners had all the right pieces in place- five historic warehouse buildings in a highly sought-after location totaling 36,800 SF- but needed a plan to knit them together into a coherent whole. BEFORE AFTER BEFORE
The coherent whole, however, was to be a bit unusual: not just a hotel, but an art hotel. The new design needed to showcase rotating art exhibits, essentially turning all the public spaces of the hotel into galleries. This, in addition to connecting all the buildings with clear and logical circulation, redesigning hospitality spaces to complement both the historic context and the contemporary art vibe, engaging pedestrian traffic on a prominent civic corner, and upfitting a number of guest rooms for an upscale visitor experience.
BEFORE The first task was to knit the five existing buildings together, which the design team did through a walkway and a series of arched openings in the party walls between buildings. The new walkway connected the buildings visually as well as physically, unifying the space while creating better wayfinding and flow.
The improved flow is particularly important in the public galleries, which begin at the new welcoming entry and lead through seating and gallery spaces and a bar and restaurant area to the check-in desk. In addition to an unassuming mid-block entry, the design team added a new entry on the prominent corner of East Bay and Vendue Range. Highlighted by canopies, this highly visible entry and engages with the vibrant activity of the street.
The rotating art exhibits are a central part of the guest experience, with regular tours and programs including an artist-in-residence. The focus on art in all of its forms helps to weave the space into the fabric of the neighborhood, drawing visitors in for a closer look while supporting the prolific local art scene.
BEFORE In addition to the public galleries, the major renovation included three restaurants, each with a different atmosphere and focus. The ground-floor Drawing Room serves local and seasonal dishes in an upscale environment, with both bar seating and tables with a sidewalk view engaging with the pedestrian activity beyond. A café called The Press serves coffee and light meals in a space which once housed the South Carolina Gazette, the state s first newspaper. The design of the cafe pays homage to this historical fact, with exposed brick and timber beams that alludes to the industrial aesthetic and a custom wall covering with articles reprinted from the newspaper s archives. Overlooking the city at the top floor, a popular rooftop bar offers an expansive view of the harbor and skyline.
The Vendue s polished interior helps the hotel achieve its vision of letting art take center stage. A carefully considered palette of cool greys, crisp white trim, warm wooden accents, detailed metalwork, and exposed timber and brick helps to make the space feel timeless: of-the-moment, yet firmly rooted in Charleston s history.
Since its opening in 2014, The Vendue has already created a history of its own. A long list of awards and accolades includes being named Top Charleston Hotel by Conde Nast Traveler, with mentions in Travel + Leisure, Garden and Gun, Southern Living, and USA Today. The Vendue also won a National Design Excellence Award from the Architectural Woodwork Institute and a First Place Excellence in Design Award from the American Society of Interior Designers during its opening year. The Vendue is no stranger to transformation, having evolved from fish market to warehouses to inn to world-class art hotel. This latest transformation ensures that it will stay relevant for years to come, drawing a new generation of patrons and contributing to the ever-evolving built environment of the city.
CHARLESTON COLUMBIA GREENVILLE MYRTLE BEACH.COM/Retail-Hospitality CHARLOTTE RALEIGH WILMINGTON