Built 1906 NRHP Reference # 82001732 | Architectural style Beaux-Arts Added to NRHP December 09, 1982 | |
 | ||
Location 81 Madison Ave., Memphis, Tennessee Architect Shaw,George M.; Pfeil,Charles O. | ||
The Madison Hotel is a luxury boutique hotel in Downtown Memphis, Tennessee, United States, that is housed in the historic former Tennessee Trust Bank building.
Contents
History
Built in 1905, the 14-story Tennessee Trust building was among downtown Memphis' first "skyscrapers." The building's architects, the firm of Charles 0. Pfeil (1871–1952) and George M. Shaw (1870–1919) were noted—at the time—for designing buildings with the ornate, classical styling and massing of the era's existing "landmark" buildings. The building was constructed with a large underground vault, which is currently re-purposed as the Madison Hotel gym. The scroll pattern on the west facade of the Tennessee Trust Building is visible on other downtown Memphis buildings from the era designed by Shaw & Pfeil. For instance, the firm's Memphis Fire Engine House #1 (1910) and the Memphis Police Station (1911) are on the National Register of Historic Places. The Tennessee Trust Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
Renovation
In 2002, Unison Hotel Co. acquired the deteriorating structure and converted into an upscale 110-room boutique hotel.
The award-winning renovation is unique in its blend of ultra-modern interior design with the building's classical elements. Also of note is the basement gym and lap pool constructed in the bank's former vault. The large door and steel walls remain in place.
Operating in the "luxury hotel" category, the Madison serves the upscale market and touts its high service level and high-end amenities, including Italian linens made from Egyptian cotton. It is often mentioned on lists of the world's best hotels, including those compiled by Conde Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure.