Redmont Hotel
Encyclopedia
The Redmont Hotel and Residences is a 14 story (160 foot, 60 meter) tall, 114-room hotel
, residence and conference center located on the corner of 5th Avenue North and 21st Street in Birmingham, Alabama
, USA. The Redmont, named after Birmingham's Red Mountain
is the oldest hotel in Birmingham still in use. It is currently owned by Bayshore Asset Management of Tampa, Florida
and, until recently, was operated as a Crowne Plaza
Hotel by InterContinental Hotels Group
.
of Atlanta, Georgia
. It was unusual at its time for having a private bath attached to every room as well as chilled water and ceiling fans. The "Rainbow Room" lounge debuted in 1937 and became the watering hole for an informal group of influential persons called the "Knothole Gang".
In 1946 the hotel was purchased by businessman and hotel magnate Clifford Stiles. In 1947 Stiles converted the entire top floor into a New York-style penthouse apartment for himself and his family. This elegant penthouse was complete with terraces, private elevator, a lawn for pets and was the scene of many glamorous parties. Some say that Stiles, who died in 1975, still haunts the building. In 1952, singer Hank Williams spent his last night in the Redmont on an uncompleted trip from Montgomery
to Charleston, West Virginia
. One of the suites earned the moniker "the Lucky Governor's Suite" when it served as the local headquarters for the successful Jim Folsom
and George Wallace
gubernatorial campaigns of the 1940's, '50's and '60's.
After decades of decline, the hotel was purchased in 1983 by an investment group made up of NBA
players, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
and Ralph Sampson
. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 27 of that year. A $7 million dollar renovation led to a grand re-opening in 1985. Another refurbishment in 2000 uncovered previously hidden architectural details and cleaned the exterior.
assistance as well as access to the fitness center. Other plans include adding a coffee bar or doughnut shop at ground level.
The owners also dropped their association with Crowne Plaza and are currently operating the hotel, which will keep 70 to 90 guest rooms, as an independent.
The Redmont has a café (The Redmont Café) and lounge (Above, Birmingham's only Rooftop Bar).
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
, residence and conference center located on the corner of 5th Avenue North and 21st Street in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, USA. The Redmont, named after Birmingham's Red Mountain
Red Mountain, Birmingham, Alabama
Red Mountain is a long ridge running southwest-northeast and dividing Jones Valley from Shades Valley south of Birmingham, Alabama. It is part of the Ridge-and-Valley region of the Appalachian mountains...
is the oldest hotel in Birmingham still in use. It is currently owned by Bayshore Asset Management of Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
and, until recently, was operated as a Crowne Plaza
Crowne Plaza
Crowne Plaza is a chain of full service, upscale hotels catering to business travelers and to the meetings and conventions market. It forms part of the InterContinental Hotels Group family of brands, which include InterContinental and Holiday Inn and operates in 52 countries, usually located in...
Hotel by InterContinental Hotels Group
InterContinental Hotels Group
InterContinental Hotels Group plc is a global hotels company headquartered in Denham, United Kingdom. It is the largest hotels company in the world measured by rooms , and has over 4,500 hotels across over 100 countries...
.
History
The Redmont was opened on May 1, 1925 as a 200-room hotel with plans by architect G. Lloyd PreacherG. Lloyd Preacher
George Lloyd Preacher was an architect prominent in Atlanta, Georgia and the southeastern United States in the design of commercial office, hotel, and apartment buildings.Notable buildings that he designed include:...
of Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. It was unusual at its time for having a private bath attached to every room as well as chilled water and ceiling fans. The "Rainbow Room" lounge debuted in 1937 and became the watering hole for an informal group of influential persons called the "Knothole Gang".
In 1946 the hotel was purchased by businessman and hotel magnate Clifford Stiles. In 1947 Stiles converted the entire top floor into a New York-style penthouse apartment for himself and his family. This elegant penthouse was complete with terraces, private elevator, a lawn for pets and was the scene of many glamorous parties. Some say that Stiles, who died in 1975, still haunts the building. In 1952, singer Hank Williams spent his last night in the Redmont on an uncompleted trip from Montgomery
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
to Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
. One of the suites earned the moniker "the Lucky Governor's Suite" when it served as the local headquarters for the successful Jim Folsom
Jim Folsom
James Elisha Folsom, Sr. , commonly known as Jim Folsom or "Big Jim", was the 42nd Governor of the U.S. state of Alabama from 1947 to 1951, and again from 1955 to 1959. Born in Coffee County, Alabama, Folsom is perhaps best remembered as being among the first Southern governors to embrace...
and George Wallace
George Wallace
George Corley Wallace, Jr. was the 45th Governor of Alabama, serving four terms: 1963–1967, 1971–1979 and 1983–1987. "The most influential loser" in 20th-century U.S. politics, according to biographers Dan T. Carter and Stephan Lesher, he ran for U.S...
gubernatorial campaigns of the 1940's, '50's and '60's.
After decades of decline, the hotel was purchased in 1983 by an investment group made up of NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
players, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
and Ralph Sampson
Ralph Sampson
Ralph Lee Sampson, Jr. is a retired American college and professional basketball player.A 7-foot-4 phenom, three-time College Player of the Year, and No...
. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 27 of that year. A $7 million dollar renovation led to a grand re-opening in 1985. Another refurbishment in 2000 uncovered previously hidden architectural details and cleaned the exterior.
Current status
In April 2006 the Redmont's owners announced plans to convert its two uppermost floors into nine one and two bedroom condominiums with another luxury condominium in the penthouse. The condominiums will include hotel services such as housecleaning, valet parking, room service, security and bellhopBellhop
A bellhop, also bellboy or bellman, is a hotel porter, who helps patrons with their luggage while checking in or out. Bellhops often wear a uniform , like certain other page boys or doormen...
assistance as well as access to the fitness center. Other plans include adding a coffee bar or doughnut shop at ground level.
The owners also dropped their association with Crowne Plaza and are currently operating the hotel, which will keep 70 to 90 guest rooms, as an independent.
The Redmont has a café (The Redmont Café) and lounge (Above, Birmingham's only Rooftop Bar).
External links
- Redmont Hotel website
- Redmont Hotel at Bhamwiki.com
- Virtual Tour The Redmont Hotel