Raleigh council hears State Capitol Holiday Inn landmark nomination, refers matter back to preservation commission

The Raleigh City Council on Nov. 4 held a joint public hearing on a nomination to designate the State Capitol Holiday Inn at 320 Hillsborough Street as a Raleigh historic landmark. Colette Kinane of the city—s Planning and Development Department told the council the 19-story modernist hotel, completed in 1969 and designed by Lundgren and Maurer, retains key character-defining features, including its circular form, decorative concrete breeze-block screens and porte-cochere.

The nomination materials, Kinane said, include a history and description of architectural features; the Raleigh Historic Development Commission (RHDC) reviewed the report and found the property meets the criteria for designation. Kinane also said the reports were referred to the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources as required by statute and that the state—s comments were supportive and included in the agenda packet.

Preservation consultant Caitlin Herrenstadt signed in as a supporter, and preservation advocate Chris Crew urged the council to adopt the nomination. "It—s representative of the age in which it was built," Crew said, describing the hotel as "a lodestone for Raleigh—s development history" and arguing designation helps preserve the city's cultural context for future generations.

After closing the public hearing, a council member moved and a second was given to refer the nomination back to the Raleigh Historic Development Commission so the commission can consider the state comments and any information presented during the hearing. The motion carried unanimously. Kinane told council staff tentatively plans to return an ordinance for final designation on Dec. 2.

If the RHDC forwards a recommendation, the council will consider an ordinance to make designation final at a subsequent meeting.