B R I C K A N D E L M . C O M M AY | J U N E 2 0 21
TOSCANA ITALIAN STEAKHOUSE
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BUILT TO LAST
LOBBY OF THE BARFIELD
BY JASON BOYETT
T H E B A R F I E L D R E T U R N S TO G LO R Y
fter a decade of discussions, more than three years of construction, and the chaos of pandemic-year supply struggles, The Barfield is scheduled to reopen to the public in time for Memorial Day weekend. Built in 1927 by fabled Amarillo businesswoman Melissa Dora Oliver-Eakle (see sidebar), the historic 10-story building was the city’s first skyscraper. It will reopen this month as a Marriott Autograph Collection hotel and the first true luxury hotel property downtown. The new hotel features 110 guest rooms, along with two premier suites on the 10th floor, a farm-to-table Italian steakhouse called Toscana, a 1,200-square-foot ballroom and even a speakeasy hidden in the basement of the building. The total renovation cost was $35 million. The development and construction team used federal and Texas state historic preservation tax credits, which required them to work closely with the Texas Historical Commission to retain as much of the building’s original character as possible. “One of the reasons we’ve been so delayed is [renovation teams] get in there and they start realizing, ‘Oh, we didn’t know this was here,’” says Christy King, director of sales for the new hotel. “So it’s definitely a much longer process than building from the ground up.” For instance, the historical commission required at least one of the building’s floors to retain its original “bones,” and The Barfield team applied that rule to Floor 10. That top floor has remained nearly intact, including the paint, trim and original doors. “The marble wainscoting that lined the hallways is just like it was in the 20s,” says King. Oliver-Eakle, the skyscraper’s original developer, intended her structure at the intersection of Polk Street and Route 66 to be the crown jewel of Amarillo. And it was. But until this project, the Barfield sat vacant for three decades, a downtown eyesore with boarded windows. It wasn’t quite crumbling—the solid concrete construction allowed it to stand up to the harsh Panhandle climate—but it was far from a jewel.
That’s why the building’s new life brings excitement to people like Beth Duke, executive director of Center City. “Saving a building like The Barfield is important because it is irreplaceable,” she says. Beyond its position in the Amarillo skyline, the landmark holds personal memories for Duke. “My dad had an office there for a while,” she says. “I remember that on one Saturday each year, we were allowed to go to his office and watch the Tri-State Fair parade. Those are the kinds of experiences that encourage my passion to keep downtown thriving so others will have great memories.” Travelers and locals alike are already planning to create those memories as soon as the hotel opens. “People call every day to book rooms,” King says. Events are being booked in the hotel throughout the summer. “It’s just been phenomenal.” The fine detail work was still being completed as of press time, but King shared renderings of a few Barfield highlights with Brick & Elm.
T H E LO B BY
Around 2,500 square feet in size, The Barfield’s lobby makes an immediate impression on hotel guests. “When you walk in from Polk Street into the historic lobby, it will look exactly like it did in 1927,” says King. The developers restored the original elevators, kept the luxurious marble floors and trim, and even retained a 1920s-era revolving door that allowed entrance from Polk Street. Rich mahogany wood throughout keeps the space warm and inviting. “It feels like West Texas—like the home of a West Texas woman,” says King. While the main entrance to the lobby is along Sixth, the Texas Department of Transportation considers that street a “highway” because it represents the original Route 66. For that reason, valet parking will only be offered on Polk Street. “We are full valet but it’s complimentary with the restaurant or Paramount Recreation Club,” says King. A complimentary Mercedes Benz shuttle will be available to ferry guests to and from the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport.
