Tax Credit Program Highlight: Redlands Hotel

History

Palestine established in 1846 to be the county seat of Anderson County, its location being selected because it was at the county’s geographic center. The arrival of the international-Great Northern Railroad in 1872 changed the face of the town, making it a popular railroad hub for shipping and industry. The Redlands Hotel was built in 1914 by local citizens of Palestine to provide lodging for businesspeople and visitors who were traveling by rail. The hotel was the grandest and most sophisticated building in town, boasting a restaurant, an ice machine, and a ballroom. It was constructed in the latest method, using a concrete and structural steel frame with brown brick exterior walls. The hotel was vacant from 1956 to 1972, until it was renovated and reopened by the current owners, who have operated it since then.

Rehabilitation Project

The recent rehabilitation project addressed a series of severe masonry problems at the rear elevation of the building. The back of the horseshoe-shaped building is constructed of a softer brick than the front, and it is not protected by the deep overhanging cornice of the street-facing elevations. Deferred roof maintenance also led to water infiltration. The mortar between the bricks at the rear was an inappropriately hard mortar, which had caused further damage. As a result, the brick walls at the rear of the building were badly stained and had severe brick damage—powdering, spalling, and mortar loss—from the ongoing moisture issues. To solve these problems, the roof was first replaced and a shallow roof cap installed to eliminate water infiltration. The brick was gently cleaned and then repointed with a compatible soft mortar, and the most badly damaged areas such as the windowsills were repaired and capped. This comprehensive maintenance intervention was made more achievable with the state tax credit program.