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    First Look: South Wind Motel

    After a year-long renovation, the South Wind Motel at 919 S. High St. is open for guests. The 22-room motel features lots of mid-century touches, like vintage furniture and turntables, as well as modern upgrades, like electric vehicle charging stations and new, energy-efficient windows.

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    The plan to give the 60-year-old motel a retro remodel was first proposed last spring, after the building was purchased by the Kelley Companies.

    “The response of everyone that’s stayed here has been really, really good, we’ve been very happy about that,” said Michael Kelley, who has been heading up the project for the Kelley Companies.

    Guests visiting the motel in its first few weeks have run the gamut, he added, from Californians making their way cross-country, to Clevelanders visiting friends in German Village.

    “We’re really excited about this corridor,” Kelley said. “You’ve got longstanding, legendary establishments like Planks Bier Garten, family-owned and operated, but then you’ve got newer stuff like Antiques on High and the Law Bird…and we thought there was really a need for a locally-owned and operated hotel option.”

    The fact that the motel is not affiliated with a national chain, though, means that it can be a challenge to get the word out to travelers, he said; “so we’re just trying to really build slowly and deliberately, and then hopefully kind of [rely on] word of mouth and repeat customers.”

    Although Kelley had researched the history of the motel, the renovation process helped to fill in some gaps. Original tiles, for instance, were discovered after removing many layers of siding on the bathrooms walls, and the new tiles that now line the walls in the bathrooms were picked to match the color of the originals.

    Solar panels were installed on the roof, and over the last three months have supplied more energy than the building has used, Kelley said.

    General Manager Doug Hovelson lives nearby and has been excited to recommend places for guests to visit in the neighborhood, although some need less advice than others; they’ve had several locals book rooms for staycations, and he expects to see more in the coming months.

    “We have some German Village moms that want to get away for the weekend,” he said. “Leave the kids with dad, and the girls are going to have a night out.”

    Scroll down for more pictures and information from a recent tour – all photos by Brent Warren.

    For more information, visit southwindstay.com, and for a chance to tour the inside of the motel while supporting local preservation efforts, check out this Columbus Landmarks fundraising event.

    General Manager Doug Hovelson behind the front desk.
    The motel’s office. Double Knot Home was the interior designer for the project.
    An old library card catalog cabinet was repurposed to hold toiletries and other items for guests.
    Two chargers are available for guest with electric vehicles. The roof is outfitted with solar panels.
    Each room comes with a Chemex pour-over coffee maker along with beans from Emmet’s Cafe.
    Historic photos of the neighborhood grace the walls.
    Custom furniture was made by TY Fine Furniture.
    Mynte Design did all the graphic design for the project, including these custom postcards.
    The motel boasts plenty of vintage furniture, like this Herman Miller table set.
    The bathrooms are stocked with soap from Koko refillery.
    Local firm Flat Black designed the new sign.
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    Brent Warren
    Brent Warrenhttps://columbusunderground.com/author/brent-warren
    Brent Warren is a staff reporter for Columbus Underground covering urban development, transportation, city planning, neighborhoods, and other related topics. He grew up in Grandview Heights, lives in the University District and studied City and Regional Planning at OSU.
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