West Elm to open a hotel, rooftop bar in former Coke plant

A rooftop bar and local art will be part of the new West Elm hotel that will open in 2019 at the former Coca-Cola bottling plant on the northern end of Mass Ave.

The upscale homewares store announced the hotel Sept. 26.Indianapolis would be one of the first five locations for its new venture into boutique hotels.  

The other locations expected to open in 2018 are in Detroit, Minneapolis, Savannah, Ga., and Charlotte, N.C. Construction in Indianapolis is expected to begin by the middle of next year. 

"West Elm intentionally targeted midsize cities for our initial launch," said Peter Fowler, vice president of hospitality and workspace at West Elm, in an email. "Cities with rich histories and vibrant communities."

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The 120-plus-room hotel will be part of a $260 million mixed-used project selected by property owner Indianapolis Public Schools in May to redevelop the plant. The Indianapolis City-County Council approved the project in July. Wisconsin-based Hendricks Commercial Development is leading the effort.

The Brooklyn-based  homewares retailer outlined three goals for its hotels: great service; thoughtful design and architecture; and connections to the community through communal spaces. 

"West Elm Hotels will offer a differentiated experience from the major hotel chains and the geographically limited specialty players — a national hotel brand that is wholly focused on the unique character of each location and its surrounding community," Fowler said. "Our goal is to create thoughtfully and beautifully designed spaces that celebrate the heritage and energy of each property's local community."  

Hotel planning is in the very early stages, so few specifics about the architecture and local connections have been decided.

The  redevelopment of the bottling plant also calls for a dinner movie theater, 337 apartments, 339,000 square feet of office space, 67,000 square feet of retail space and a day care. West Elm's commitment as a tenant has been part of the Hendricks project proposal since it was released in July, but the scope of its commitment was not yet known.  

The main building in the former bottling plant, almost 340,000 square feet, was designed by Indianapolis architects Rubush and Hunter and built in 1931.  Coca-Cola moved to a new building in Speedway in 1968 and sold the structure, along with the 8 surrounding acres, to IPS for $700,000. The building became the district's transportation service center.  

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At the time of the building's construction, the art deco design was lavish and ornate, with details of flowers, fountains and sun rays. According to the Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, the design was intended to enhance "the hygienic image of the spotless bottling plant." 

David Bowd, co-founder at DDK, a hospitality management company partnering with West Elm in this new move, said preserving the historical aspects of the site is a top priority for him.

"Every meeting that we're having right now  is really talking about that: keeping the fabric, keeping the soul of everything we possibly we can," he said. "Preservation for us is paramount. This hotel will have an immense amount of character. It will not feel like a new-built hotel."

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Every West Elm hotel will differ respective to its location with design, decor and food. Local artwork will be commissioned for every room. Each  will be locally managed. Rooms are expected to start at $175 a night and go up to $400 a night for suites. Little more is known about the rooftop bar, other than "there will be one," Bowd said. 

The Indianapolis location is expected to produce more than 125 jobs.  In the days since West Elm released news of its new venture,  Bowd said he has received more than 200 applications from people wanting to work at the Indianapolis location. 

"There’s an incredible amount of interest from the local area," he said. "Who best to show and tell our guests about the local area than people from the local area?"

Bowd said he and West Elm officials have been quietly meeting with potential local partners for art, food and beverages, he said. They will continue having those conversations until they break ground next year.

"From the hotel point of view, my philosophy has always been about bringing people into a neighborhood, not just a hotel," he said. "It's going to be fabulous."

Call IndyStar reporter Amy Bartner at (317) 444-6752. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.