FROM A RUNDOWN BUILDING TO A DRURY INN

The new Drury Inns & Suites opened recently at 201 N. St. Mary's St., on the famous Paseo Del Rio (Riverwalk) in San Antonio, Texas. The project preserved many of the architectural highlights of the original facility, constructed in 1920.

From a rundown, deteriorating, windowless structure, the historic Atlee B. Ayres City Public Service Building, on the famed San Antonio Riverwalk has been transformed into a 150-room Drury Inn and Suites hotel.

"We're proud to be a part of San Antonio's historic Riverwalk," said Bob Drury, president of Drury Southwest, headquartered in Cape Girardeau, and developer of new hotel. "The City Services Building holds some colorful memories of the past, and Drury Inn & Suites has preserved many of the architectural highlights of the original facility, while providing lodging services to downtown San Antonio.

The Riverwalk hotel represents the third historic building restoration by Drury Inns Inc., headquartered in St. Louis -- The St. Louis Drury Inn at Union State and Convention Center capitalized on historic buildings constructed in the early 1900s.

Two additional historic restorations are under construction by Drury Inns., the Fur Exchange project in downtown St. Louis and a New Orleans project.

The design of the Paseo Del Rio (Riverwalk) hotel includes a restored facade and exterior to reflect the original appearance created in the 1920s.

The lobby and front desk area use many features of the original building to reflect period architecture, including high ceilings and the ornamental plastic moldings. The second-story breakfast room and lobby overlooks the Riverwalk, providing a sightseeing view for guests.

The river level of the buildings includes a restaurant, operated by Texas Land & Cattle Co., and a number of retail shops and meeting rooms. The multi-level parking garages is connected to the hotel for customer convience.

The eight-story hotel features a rooftop pool and exercise room, meeting rooms and balcony suites overlooking the Riverwalk.

Because of the floor plan, the hotel has a variety of room types and designs, consisting of 40 percent suites and 60 percent guest rooms. The guest rooms feature high, historic plaster ceilings, granite vanities and period decor.

The new Drury Inn & Suites on the Riverwalk joins the family of nine San Antonio Drury-operated hotels, with five near the airport.

Drury Inns Inc. is a family-owned and operated chain. There are more than 90 hotels in 13 states, from Colorado to North Carolina and from Michigan to Texas. Hotels in the chain are Drury Inns, Drury Suites, Drury Inn & Suites, Pear Tree Inns by Drury, Thrifty Inns, Hampton Inns and Holiday Inns Express.

Two years ago, the landmark Petroleum Commerce Building in San Antonio sat windowless and gutted. Although it was on the National Register of Historic Places, and historic preservationists said it looked more like a bombed-out hulk in Beirut than a future hotel.

The building, designed by noted architect Atlee B. Ayres in the mid-to-late teens, opened in 1920, as the Public Service Utilities Co. headquarters. The structure had a river-level basement and three floors.

Before the 1920s ended, Ayres and his son, Robert, added three more floors that matched the original decor. That section opened in 1927.

When the utilities moved to larger quarters, the structure became the Petroleum Commerce Building, and a garage was added. The building had been empty a number of years before Drury construction started in late 1997.