Fordson Hotel (formerly 21c Museum Hotel)

[kevinpate]

Nice little story on News9 tonight. May be on their web site.

[OKCisOK4me]

Nice little story on News9 tonight. May be on their web site.

Is it considered to be a part of the Film Row District? I can understand that it is included nowadays but not historically. As for the pricing,,,, $219 and up per night--I'd rather turn in my application for a 10-year conceal carry permit!

But, the hotel is extremely rocking and will be an awesome anchor for the west end district. I will definitely check out their art exhibits when the time comes.

[Colbafone]

Looks like they've announced who and what the restaurant will be.

21c Museum Hotel to house Mary Eddy's Kitchen + Lounge | NewsOK.com

[SouthsideSooner]

Nm

[Urbanized]

Meh, I've paid $219 and more to stay in properties like Springhill Suites and Holiday Inn Express in other markets. That might be an upper-tier price for a room in OKC, but it is a bargain for a large city.

[Pete]

$219 is probably the "rack rate" and they will discount from there.

[Urbanized]

Even better. This place is looking way more attainable than I suspected. I was thinking I might rarely stay there if ever, and now thinking it might be a regular in-town getaway.

[Pete]

First photo is the Mary Eddy's bar area, second is the restaurant space and third is the outdoor patio with integrated quasi shipping container bar:

[Pete]

Outdoor patio and bar:

[warreng88]

Reasons to stay: Separate doorway can help hotel restaurants attract diners

By: Molly M. Fleming The Journal Record March 30, 2016

OKLAHOMA CITY – The 21c Museum Hotel leaders expect Mary Eddy’s restaurant on W. Main Street to stand on its own financially. The restaurant’s entrance to success could be found through a door.

“In some places, the food and beverage take a back seat,” said Sarah Robbins, chief hospitality officer for 21c Museum Hotels. “We see (food and beverage) not only as the top and bottom driver for the property, but it goes back to the best experience.”

The hotel’s food and beverage director, James Tortoreti, and the property’s general manager, Matt Cowden, are on the same level in terms of internal leadership. The art museum director will report to the corporate staff in Louisville, but that person has not been named yet.

While it certainly won’t be the first hotel with a restaurant in the city, some area hoteliers said the restaurant’s layout will help it succeed as its own destination.

Ambassador Hotel Collection Chairman Paul Coury said a separate entrance helps create a separate identity. His Oklahoma City Ambassador Hotel shares a door with its restaurant, the Viceroy Grille. His company also manages The Colcord hotel and its Flint restaurant. Guests enter the hotel without seeing the restaurant, and the same can be said for restaurant customers, who can eat without seeing luggage dragged by their feet.

He said The Ambassador has drawn guests from its Midtown neighborhood, and The O Bar is becoming a hot spot because of the view.

“We haven’t hit the level (of customers) we’d like to, but we just redid the menu,” he said. “Everyone that comes there for the menu really likes it.”

He said since he couldn’t have a separate entrance for the Viceroy, he said he thinks his second best option would have been to put it on the top floor, making it a destination.

“If you can’t do a separate entry, the next best thing is a rooftop,” he said.

However, the restaurant is on the first floor.

At the newly renovated Waterford Renaissance, the Ember Modern American Tavern restaurant has become a neighborhood attraction, said General Manager John Williams. The restaurant does not have its own entrance; it’s clearly visible when someone walks into the hotel. He worked at The Colcord before Flint was there and the restaurant space had a separate entrance. He said the change helped the eatery.

“It’s a huge differentiator when you can position the restaurant as not being a hotel restaurant,” he said. “There are many negative perceptions about hotel restaurants. Many of them are well-justified.”

Robbins said having the food and beverage manager separate from the property leadership helps each person focus on their best areas. She said in some smaller properties, food and beverage may account for almost 50 percent in sales.

“(With a separate F&B manager) you don’t have that person who has been a hotelier all their life and doesn’t love food and beverage,” she said.

Cowden has been in the hospitality business for 25 years. He said he has some food and beverage experience. But the culinary expectations of Chef Jason Campbell are high; therefore, it takes the right manager to keep the food and beverage under control.

While that is important, Cowden said the facility’s main attraction is in its name: it’s a contemporary art museum. Robbins said the company ideally wants people to come in, look at the art and stay around for a drink or dinner.

“Once you come in, you might be there for one of the three, but you get to enjoy the other two,” she said. “They all really work in a complimentary way.”

[PhiAlpha]

I wish more hotels in Bricktown would take this approach. It seems kind of stupid that several of them have Sheridan or canal frontage and don't play up their restaurants/bars at all or have separate entrances for them. It's shortsighted and a huge missed opportunity on their part. Fortunately it sounds like some of the planned/UC hotels plan to do a better on that front.

[gopokes88]

I have literally never noticed that but do it all the time. Flint feels like a restaurant in a hotel. Viceroy feels like a hotel restaurant.

[bradh]

not really in a hip area, but Avanti up on Memorial is a great restaurant attached to a hotel.

[Pete]

They are getting very close to finished here.

Looks like the are keeping the columns in the restaurant and bar areas raw, just like ADG Architects in the west end of building.

[

[HOT ROD]

will 21C have signage on the building?

I can still see they maintained the Fred Jones Mfg Co engraved into the facade but would hope they'd have a modern sign to contrast.

[Pete]

I believe the only signage will be shown as below, which is typical of their hotels.

However, they usually do several outdoor modern public art pieces as well.

[turnpup]

Was riding my bicycle around there Saturday morning and noticed they had already started putting up artwork inside.

[Eddie1]

Geez, this place pretty much rocks, what an amazing get for downtown. Looking forward to staying there.

[pure]

This came up on my Facebook feed, they are having a talk next week with the chief curator about the art that is going in the hotel. It's open to the public, I may go just to check the place out. (also the wife has a degree in art history)

https://www.facebook.com/events/570781049747627/

[Pete]

^

Just so you know, this event is being held at Dunlap Codding on Film Row, not at the hotel.

[Pete]

[Pete]

[Bullbear]

I get a big smile on my face when I drive by this place.. its beautiful with all the new windows and all cleaned up.. Love it

[dankrutka]

Looks pretty cool: http://newsok.com/article/5498998?ut...areBar-Twitter

[Pete]

I'm going to Mary Eddy's tonight for a preview tasting and will try and take some good photos and certainly provide a full report.