Morrison-Clark Inn: Updating and Preparing for the Future

In April and May last year I wrote about the Morrison-Clark Inn & Restaurant, at 11th and L Street's NW, and their plan's to expand. The Historic Inn had acquired the property's adjacent to the two mansions, that make up the hotel, 'The Chinese Church' and its 'Parsonage'. The new six -story, 43,000-square-foot addition will feature 57 new guest rooms, the lobby, and improved parking and Back-of-House services in its basement. Its nearly a year past, and the construction is now above ground (and should really rise up quickly), the interior designs are more or less complete (there are always tweaks) so a visit seemed in order.

Every time I enter the Morrison-Clark, it feels like a step back in history, but in a familiar and comfortable way, and from my conversations today that will not change. Every care is being taken to maintain the Victorian ambiance and luxury that the Inn is famous for.

First a quick primer, for those that are not up to speed....The hotel is located at the corner of 11th and L Street's NW and includes two Italianate brownstones, both built in 1864 and originally owned by David Morrison and Reuben Clark respectively, which anchor the site’s southwest corner street front. These two mansions were combined into a hotel in 1987, after The Women’s Army and Navy League used the Clark
home for 57 years as a place for America’s enlisted men and – as of 1972 – women to stay while in Washington, DC.  The property was known as the Soldiers’, Sailors’, Marines’, and Airmen’s Club after 1954. The expansion incorporates The Chinese Church and its Parsonage, maintaining the exterior of the church as the new hotel entrance, and marrying the parsonage into the new 6 story addition.

OK, to the news and activity going on right now;

Construction is/will be taking two paths, the exterior (that you can see) additions and upgrades, and the interior, which is due to start soon.
The exterior is coming together really quickly now that the below grade work is close to complete. Most notable to the casual viewer is the elevator tower for the addition.

What cannot be viewed (casually) is the beginning of the installation of the first floor of the addition, plus the expansion of the interior courtyard. In my conversation yesterday, I also found out that the 'in-facing' exterior will be refreshed, that will provide a continuity and balance between old and new. There will be a gated alley between the buildings that will offer a view of the interior courtyard.

The sculpted facade of the Chinese Church will be retained and will serve as the new main entrance for the hotel, with the new reception desk,  two-story lobby and bar receiving guests through the arched opening of the former church.

The ForrestPerkins design will echo the explorer’s (Reuben Clark) travels to Asia with art and artifacts collected along the way.  At the entrance to the new lobby, for instance, guests will be flanked by a low relief custom installation of Chinese calligraphy brushes. Behind the registration desk with its backlit onyx countertop, they will discover custom Raku kimono robes created by a local artist and a custom-designed, dragon-inspired rug in front.

Guests will relax in Chinese and Victorian furniture with bold upholstery and accent fabrics. The lighting design will wash the whole space in the soft glow of custom chandeliers inspired by a governor’s summer hat and two-story sconces inspired by Chinese lantern blossoms.
The interior changes (besides the lobby, bar, reception) will begin shortly, with a floor by floor upgrade that will minimize any disturbance to the guests. The hallways will get new sconces and carpeting, that will reflect the Asian/Victorian theme.

The rooms will become a little more eclectic, with the addition of Asian themed pieces to the current Victorian furniture,

 

but guests will have all the in-room amenities that the modern traveler would expect, plus a really cool bathroom with scrolled/lighted mirror.

There is no doubt that the care and attention to detail will please those traveler's that want more than a cookie-cutter hotel room. When completed, the experience of such a unique hotel will follow the guest from the lobby to their room.
The Morrison-Clark Inn expects to have all the construction and upgrades completed by September, when the addition is set to open.

More to come on this story as expansion milestones are reached, check back on this in a couple of months.

My thanks to Erin Sterling, Senior Sales Manager at The Morrison-Clark Historic Inn, for the walk-through and information for this article.