By Kevin Ridder

The Farragut Hotel was easily Knoxville’s finest when it was built in 1917. One hundred years later, Dover Development and White Lodging will be returning the building to its former grandeur by converting the wizened building into a Hyatt Place hotel.

Expected to open in spring of 2017, the nine-story hotel will be chock full of modern amenities such as free Wi-Fi and a 24-hour gym while still retaining the building’s historic charm.

“We think the hotel’s location, size, and quality will make it the city’s destination hotel,” Dover Development CEO Rick Dover said in a statement announcing the plans. “It will be within walking distance of TVA headquarters, a trolley ride away from the University of Tennessee and only steps away from the historic Tennessee Theatre.”

First constructed in 1917 and expanded a few years later, the Farragut Hotel was a popular venue for visiting dignitaries and Knoxville’s social scene. In 1980, the building was renovated into office space and housed many prominent firms, including the law offices of the late Senator Howard H. Baker. The building lay dormant for many years afterward until September 2014, when Dover Development purchased the historic Knoxville fixture.

“I am very happy that the Farragut Hotel will again serve downtown Knoxville as a distinctive, distinguished Hyatt Place hotel,” Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero said in a statement. “Thanks to Rick Dover and the Hyatt Place team for restoring this historic jewel in the heart of our vibrant city center.”

Rick Dover has proven his restoration ability in the past; in 2015, he was named Preservationist of the Year by Knox Heritage. Among the buildings his firm have restored are the Oakwood School and the Alexander Inn, both of which have been converted into senior living centers. The Farragut Hotel restoration, Dover has said, will be an ”upscale and eclectic mix of old and new and distinctively Knoxville.”

The hotel redevelopment is seeing significant support from the city of Knoxville and Knox County, receiving a two-year Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) tax break as well as guaranteed parking in the State Street Garage for hotel guests.

“The economic development in downtown Knoxville has been phenomenal over the last 15 years,” Congressman John H. Duncan, Jr said in a statement.  “I am pleased that the Hyatt Place hotel will continue this trend by becoming part of our downtown community.”

Hyatt Place at the Farragut will include:

• 165 guest rooms
• A 24/7 Gallery Menu
• Free hot breakfast
• A bar featuring specialty coffees, premium beers, wines and cocktails
• Free Wi-Fi throughout the building
• 2,700 square feet of flexible, high-tech meeting/function space
• A 24-hour gym