The DoubleTree by Hilton is now owned by UAB nonprofit Educational Foundation who plan to implement major renovations to the 298-room hotel. Photo by Ian KeelTamara Imam - Managing Editormanaging@insideuab.com
UAB announced last week that the Educational Foundation has acquired the on-campus DoubleTree Hotel by Hilton for use by the university.
The nonprofit entity purchased the hotel and its adjacent parking deck for $6.7 million and plans to implement major renovations, the details of which have yet to be released. According to a press release from the university, though, the renovations of the 298-room hotel will take up to a year and a half, during which time the building will remain open to patrons.
The property where the hotel is located, on the corner of University Boulevard and 20th Street South, is owned by UAB. The DoubleTree Hotel sits directly adjacent to the Shelby Biomedical Research Building and is within walking distance of seven hospitals, including UAB Hospital, Kirklin Clinic and Children’s Health Systems, according to the hotel’s website.
“The hotel occupies an important location and is uniquely suited to meet demands of the university campus,” Educational Foundation treasurer and controller Jodie Mote said in an interview with UAB News. “The significant planned upgrades will transform the facility to better support UAB and the broader community’s needs.”
The hotel, the first DoubleTree facility in the state of Alabama, opened in 2006 after an $11 million renovation of the former Radisson Hotel, according to a press release by a spokesperson for Hilton Hotels. Before then, it was the Kahler Plaza Hotel, which opened in 1973.
For now, Mote says it is “premature” to speculate on naming for the newly-acquired hotel. The Educational Foundation leadership hopes to gather more input from key UAB constituencies before moving forward with renovation plans.
To manage the hotel after the merger, the Foundation will work with Pyramid Hotel Group.
“It is important that the new investments in this property deliver the amenities most needed for the best possible experience among those who will utilize the property,” Mote said. “To that end, the Educational Foundation has retained Pyramid Hotel Group to manage the hotel moving forward. They have a tremendous reputation and will work with us to ensure goals for the property are met.”
The relationship between UAB and the DoubleTree is not new, however. The facility offers a discounted rate to students, and Sigma Kappa sorority held its recruitment events at the hotel in 2015 when it was colonizing on campus.
