Tuesday, March 29, 2011

AFC offering tour of Louisville's waterfront, downtown

Those interested in what Cincinnati's upcoming 21c Museum Hotel may look like will have an opportunity to see Louisville's, thanks to the Architectural Foundation of Cincinnati (AFC).

On April 16, AFC will lead a guided tour of the hotel, along with a walking tour along the riverfront and Main Street areas.

The bus will depart at 8:45 A.M. and return at 4:30 P.M.

Tickets are $50 for AFC members, $65 for non-members, and $45 for students.

21c Museum Hotels LLC and 3CDC plan to spend $48 million to convert the Metropole Hotel at 609 Walnut Street into the nation's second 21c Museum Hotel, with 160 guest rooms, more than 8,000 square feet of art exhibition and event space, and a Proof restaurant and bar.

Built in 1912 as a luxury hotel, the Neoclassical style Metropole was added to the National Register of Historic Places last June. Since 1971, the building has served as a low-income, single-room occupancy hotel.

In 2009, Louisville's 21c Museum Hotel was named the number one hotel in the United States by Condé Nast Traveler.

21c Museum Hotels LLC also plans to open hotels in Austin and Bentonville, Ark.

Photo courtesy of the Architectural Foundation of Cincinnati

Previous reading on BC:
AFC gallery opening to name, display works of competition winners (2/21/11)
Competition to showcase region's architecture talent (1/17/11)
Federal Reserve, Metropole win state tax credits (6/28/10)
Lectures, tours coincide with Betts' multi-family housing exhibit (5/10/10)
When Cincinnati was 'the Paris of America' (4/19/10)