HOT SPRINGS -- Just short of four years since receiving their letter of intent from the National Park Service, Pat and Ellen McCabe closed on their loan Monday and will begin renovation this week on the Hale Bath House.
"June 26, 2014, was the day the letter of intent was issued by the park service, so almost four years to the day," Pat McCabe, mayor of Hot Springs, said Monday. "Our next step is to have our contractor come in and start a modest amount of demolition and restoration. That will start this week.
"We anticipate being able to be ready to go around December of this year. We won't be doing much around the holiday time, but by the time we hire and train staff, we'll be ready to go by the race meet."
The McCabes signed a lease with the park service in August of 2017 to reopen the bathhouse as a boutique hotel. According to Tricia Horn, program manager for Hot Springs National Park, the lease was signed with the understanding that the McCabes would have the finances to complete the project.
"They told us that they were going to get their financing, that it was good," Horn said. "They didn't have it yet, but they could show us in good faith so we went ahead and signed the lease with them for the building that way they could go ahead and have their construction people come in, HVAC people, and start doing their schematics."
The project will cost around $1.25 million, according to Pat McCabe.
The excitement of being able to get to work is overwhelming for Ellen McCabe, who during a walk through the building shared her inspiration for the rooms, dining areas, entrance and other features. Modern and mid-century modern designs will contrast against the historic building, she said.
The historic footprint will stay the same, she said, but there will be some changes to accommodate different needs. One change to the outside of the building will include balconies on a few of the guest rooms at the back of the building facing The Promenade.
"That was a big thing because they don't want you to touch the outside of the building, but you would have to go up on The Promenade and look over a fence to see anything so they let us do that which will be great because it let's nature come in to the rooms," she said.
She said she got the idea a few years ago after seeing another new shop going in downtown. At that time, she said she told Pat they should open a little business downtown of some sort.
"Well, this is what Patrick considers a little business downtown," she said, laughing. "It took me a while to take it all in, but my background is all food service management and restaurant sales. Things like that. It's everything I've always done since I majored in foods and nutrition in college.
"It's exciting. I wish it wouldn't have taken so long."
Pat McCabe said there will be about 40 full-time employees when the hotel opens.
With the closing on the Hale, the only bathhouse with no solid plans of reopening is the Maurice, but Pat McCabe said having only one left is a benefit for the park service.
"We've had the lease now since August and we had the letter of intent four years ago, so finally it's all coming together," he said. "So the Maurice would be the last bath house on Bathhouse Row that's not being used, which is a good thing for the park service that yet another bath house is operational and now they'll just worry about the one.
"The park service is very accepting of novel ideas, so if you have an idea and you have the wherewithal to get financing either as an individual or a group of individuals working together, they're very interested in hearing from you."
The McCabes also said being able to work with organizations that work with the park service and understand all that goes into these partnerships is crucial.
"There is something to be said for working with people who work with the park service, understand historic tax credits and things of that nature," Pat McCabe said. "So if you can get that all in one package, that's a benefit."
State Desk on 06/26/2018