Tall, trendy hotel proposed for interior of downtown block

A local architecture firm has proposed a new, trendy 36-room hotel for downtown. And though the building would have a 3-story frontage at 79 Wentworth, the core of the building would be a 7-story area in the middle of the block.

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The tactic makes the building's height virtually invisible as a pedestrian on the street -- it has been used before in Charleston on the Charleston Place hotel.

The Post and Courier has the story, and quoted the architect behind the building, Neil Stevenson, as talking about the hotel as "supercool, hip." Oh, Stevenson, you make me shudder like when my father had too much energy and wanted to relate to us kids.

Still, the building could be a very interesting compliment to downtown's scene. We surely have enough historic stodginess in downtown and if Stevenson can find a tasteful way to blend new into old, well, that'd be great.

Here's to hoping they don't try to hard on the "hipness."

And, though The Post and Courier doesn't address the issue, the hotel almost certainly has a lot of work to do to get the city to sign off on the building.

Go check out the story.

It's worth pointing out that Neil Stevenson Architects is located at 77 Wentworth Street -- that's next to the proposed hotel and above Yo Burrito, which Stevenson also designed.

Also in Stevenson Architects' portfolio is the Terrace at King and Calhoun, Eco Fitness on Wentworth, and the Kress building renovation on King Street, among others.