1906 - Fairmount Hotel - San Antonio, TX, USA
N 29° 25.231 W 098° 29.295
14R E 549641 N 3254685
A Victorian hotel built in 1906, physically moved 5 blocks in 1985, and renovated in 2007 still retains its charming, cozy atmosphere.
Waymark Code: WM9PTT
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 09/15/2010
Views: 6
The Fairmount Hotel was built in 1906 as a classic Victorian three-story brick and iron commercial hotel/retail building(1,2). Being bought and sold several times was nothing unusual until the buyers in 1984 decided to MOVE the entire building as a whole building! This was to prevent its demolition during the development of the Rivercenter Mall and widening Bowie Street(2, p4). With the help of the San Antonio Conservation Society, the owners developed a plan to roll the entire building about one-half mile from the original address of 857 E. Commerce to the present site of 401 S. Alamo. From March 30 thru April 6, 1985 the 1,600 ton motel was rolled a total of about 6 blocks, turning two corners and moving across the Riverwalk, to its new/present location. It was then rotated and backed into place(2, p3). It worked and it reopened, refurbished and expanded to 37 rooms on September 5, 1986 (1). A new wing was added to the original building. During the upgrades to the original building, private bathrooms were added to the remodeled "old" hotel rooms, something not offered earlier guests! Also, while digging the foundation of the addition, significant artifacts from the Battle of the Alamo were found that verified the location was one of Santa Anna's artilery batteries(2, p4).
More recently, Robert D. Tips bought the Fairmount Hotel in June 2004, remodeled it and reopened it in late 2006. In keeping with the Victorian architecture, the redecorated European-styled rooms are named, not numbered. It has a courtyard that is popular for weddings or special occations(3). The Fairmount Hotel now promotes itself as a dog-friendly hotel, having its own canine as a resident. It offers pet owners "a 'pet spa package' with limousine service to take travelers and four-footed friends to [an] official groomer"(4). The hotel offers pet-related products at the hotel gift shop.
The Fairmount Hotel is opposite the HemisFair Park, with its Tower of the Americas and other attractions; and is across its side street from La Villita, a historical collection of original houses preserved from the early 1800s that are now used as artist's workshops and other specialty stores. The hotel is within walking distance of the Alamo and many other attractions in downtown San Antonio.
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