Tax Credit Program Highlight: Settles Hotel

Big Spring, Howard County

1930

Designation	Individually listed in National Register of Historic Places
Historic Use	Hotel, retail
Current Use	Hotel, restaurants
Total Rehabilitation Cost	Not disclosed
Qualified Rehabilitation Expenses	Not disclosed
Date Certified	May 22, 2015
	Also certified for Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credits.

History

The Settles Hotel was constructed between 1929 and 1930 by W.R. and Lillian Settles and designed by prominent West Texas architect David S. Castle. Castle’s firm was well known in West Texas and responsible for several buildings erected in Abilene and other towns. The Settles Hotel was a notable achievement for Castle due to his interpretation of the Art Deco style. At 15 stories, the Settles Hotel was, for many years, the tallest building between Fort Worth and El Paso. The Settles offered 150 guest rooms, grand public rooms, office and retail space, furnished apartments, restaurants, ballrooms, and a private club on the top floor.

Rehabilitation Project

Having sat vacant for 30 years, the Settles was fully rehabilitated to serve again as a full service luxury hotel with meeting rooms, spa, restaurant, and bar. Exterior masonry and historic wood and metal windows were fully repaired. Original plans were used to restore missing interior elements, including the reception desk, rails on the grand staircase, and decorative wood and plaster work. Historic paint was analyzed and restored in the most significant public areas. Room layouts were altered on most floors to support larger guest rooms, although one floor retains the historic floorplan. A service elevator and fire stairs were added to the interior and a new deck and pool, with landscaping, were added to the rear of the building to increase modern hotel amenities.