Grand Bohemian Hotel to replace Wyche in downtown Greenville
Wyche Law Firm will sell its E. Camperdown Way building to the Kessler Collection, a hospitality company which will develop the site into the Grand Bohemian Hotel.
The Grand Bohemian Hotel brand is a small group of boutique hotels, with locations in Asheville and Charleston. The new, 160-room hotel in downtown Greenville will have a gallery with "rare and original artwork," a spa, restaurant, bar and other amenities. Sixty percent of the guest rooms will have views of the Reedy River and the hotel will be walking distance to Falls Park. Room rates are not yet available, but rooms at the Grand Bohemian Hotel - Asheville cost more than $400 per night.
"The location is uniquely dramatic, situated along a beautiful waterfall and park in the urban core," said Kessler Collection CEO and Chairman Richard Kessler in a release. "We are very eager to begin construction and plans are well underway. There will be no other hotel in the state of South Carolina with such a tranquil ambiance created by natural beauty."
The sale price of the Wyche building is still in progress and the firm could not disclose the sale price Thursday afternoon. The firm had been approached to sell its building multiple times, said Managing Partner Ted Gentry, but the Kessler Collection's vision for the hotel is what convinced the firm to sell.
"Kessler shared our love and vision for this very special place," Gentry said. "We are convinced that Kessler will do justice to one of the most beautiful natural settings in any city. Much of downtown Greenville's growth and development in the last three decades has been due to Tommy Wyche's vision, leadership and collaboration with other community leaders. We knew we had a responsibility to continue that tradition."
UPDATE: Camperdown development's proposed office building
The hotel will be part of the new East Gateway District, which includes the Camperdown Development, home of The Greenville News' new building at 32 E. Broad St.
The law firm has not chosen a new location, though options are being considered, and staying in the downtown area is a priority, said Marketing Director Lauren Roach. The Grand Bohemian Hotel plans to break ground in the fall of 2017, giving Wyche a year to find a new home. The law firm has grown, reaching the capacity of its current building.
"Wyche has always been downtown and a catalyst for growth in the downtown community," Roach said. "We view downtown as our home and we want to stay in the area."