The Hospital Hospitality House is undergoing the first phase of major renovations. Photo by Katie Demeria.
A downtown nonprofit is getting a new name and a new look.
The Hospital Hospitality House at 612 E. Marshall St. will soon start the first wave of a major renovation, most of which will be provided pro bono by local businesses.
Founded in 1984, the nonprofit hotel offers rooms for out-of-town visitors to Richmond’s hospitals at a reduced rate. All its guests are either patients or patients’ family members, referred to the hotel through local hospitals like the nearby VCU Medical Center.
The hotel building is 60 years old, and the Hospitality House took up residence in 1994, purchasing the 100,000-square-foot building for just more than $1 million.
The building has not had any renovations since HHH moved in, spokesperson J.C. Poma said.
“It’s time to modernize,” Poma said. “We like to say that it’s been a little too loved in these last 20 years.”
The entire 112-room hotel will eventually undergo renovations, but the nonprofit will focus initially on the first floor for now at a cost of about $100,000.
After completing work there, it will then turn to recruiting more donations and help from local businesses and raising funds to finish the remaining seven levels.
Poma said the entire process could take more than two years.
The first part of renovations will be an overhaul of the first floor.
Most of the changes to the first floor, which does not have any guest rooms, will take place before the organization unveils its new name and logo on April 16. It has been planning a rebranding since last year and it recruited a local firm for the effort.
For the renovations, the Richmond Chapter of the Painting and Decorating Contractors of America will start painting the first floor Feb. 28, an estimated $15,000 service provided free of charge. Commercial Design will similarly provide $5,000 worth of design services.
The dining room and kitchen will be renovated through grants from the MCV Hospital Auxiliary and the Bierne Carter Foundation. The dining room renovation is estimated to cost $20,000 and the kitchen will cost around $50,000.
Other local businesses that are offering counsel, operational support to staff and donations of hotel goods to the nonprofit include the SpringHill Suites Richmond Northwest, Shamin Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn Richmond Downtown and H.L. Reed Design.
The nonprofit requires about $2.2 million every year to operate, most of which it gets from donations. It also asks guests to give $15 per night, waiving the fee for those who are not able to pay. Last year, about 56 percent of their guests paid for their stays.
The hotel serves about 7,000 guests a year.
While many guests only book one night, there are some who stay for up to six months while they or loved ones undergo procedures at local hospitals.
“Because of who we are, we have a very specific audience,” Poma said. “Everything we’re doing is to support these people when they’re coming to Richmond. These guests don’t want to be here, but they have to be here, so we have become a place for them to go.”
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that the building at 612 E. Marshall St. is 30 years old. It is 6o years old. The article also originally stated that 44 percent of the Hospital Hospitality House’s guests last year paid for their stays. Fifty-six percent of the guests paid.
The Hospital Hospitality House is undergoing the first phase of major renovations. Photo by Katie Demeria.
A downtown nonprofit is getting a new name and a new look.
The Hospital Hospitality House at 612 E. Marshall St. will soon start the first wave of a major renovation, most of which will be provided pro bono by local businesses.
Founded in 1984, the nonprofit hotel offers rooms for out-of-town visitors to Richmond’s hospitals at a reduced rate. All its guests are either patients or patients’ family members, referred to the hotel through local hospitals like the nearby VCU Medical Center.
The hotel building is 60 years old, and the Hospitality House took up residence in 1994, purchasing the 100,000-square-foot building for just more than $1 million.
The building has not had any renovations since HHH moved in, spokesperson J.C. Poma said.
“It’s time to modernize,” Poma said. “We like to say that it’s been a little too loved in these last 20 years.”
The entire 112-room hotel will eventually undergo renovations, but the nonprofit will focus initially on the first floor for now at a cost of about $100,000.
After completing work there, it will then turn to recruiting more donations and help from local businesses and raising funds to finish the remaining seven levels.
Poma said the entire process could take more than two years.
The first part of renovations will be an overhaul of the first floor.
Most of the changes to the first floor, which does not have any guest rooms, will take place before the organization unveils its new name and logo on April 16. It has been planning a rebranding since last year and it recruited a local firm for the effort.
For the renovations, the Richmond Chapter of the Painting and Decorating Contractors of America will start painting the first floor Feb. 28, an estimated $15,000 service provided free of charge. Commercial Design will similarly provide $5,000 worth of design services.
The dining room and kitchen will be renovated through grants from the MCV Hospital Auxiliary and the Bierne Carter Foundation. The dining room renovation is estimated to cost $20,000 and the kitchen will cost around $50,000.
Other local businesses that are offering counsel, operational support to staff and donations of hotel goods to the nonprofit include the SpringHill Suites Richmond Northwest, Shamin Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn Richmond Downtown and H.L. Reed Design.
The nonprofit requires about $2.2 million every year to operate, most of which it gets from donations. It also asks guests to give $15 per night, waiving the fee for those who are not able to pay. Last year, about 56 percent of their guests paid for their stays.
The hotel serves about 7,000 guests a year.
While many guests only book one night, there are some who stay for up to six months while they or loved ones undergo procedures at local hospitals.
“Because of who we are, we have a very specific audience,” Poma said. “Everything we’re doing is to support these people when they’re coming to Richmond. These guests don’t want to be here, but they have to be here, so we have become a place for them to go.”
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that the building at 612 E. Marshall St. is 30 years old. It is 6o years old. The article also originally stated that 44 percent of the Hospital Hospitality House’s guests last year paid for their stays. Fifty-six percent of the guests paid.
I am quite interested in devoting a measure of my time to the Hospital Hospitality House. I have designed hotels for over 25 years and am well-versed in their development and renovation. I have been published nationally and am fully certified.
I have strong personal reasons for offering my time.
Thanks,
Bradley K Moore
1-804-337-3292
Bradley Moore, NCIDQ – LinkedIn
I was a guest in 2013 when my sister had to have some major heart surgery. She lives in Virginia but over 2 hours away. I was able to stay there and park our car in a safe garage at the hospital and walk to the hospital each day and then ride the free shuttle back in the evening. It is a wonderful asset for the hospitals in the area. I could not have afforded to stay in Richmond for the 10 days my sister was in MCV. Thank you everyone who makes this available! On another note, I had… Read more »