From the September 3, 2004, issue of the Dallas Business Journal, in a story headlined "Projects afoot for South Lamar area" about developer Jack Matthews's plans for the area around his South Side on Lamar:
A 70-room boutique hotel, long Part of Matthews' vision for the area, is also moving forward. A 55,000-square-foot, five-story building at 1325 S. Lamar St., formerly a coffin assemblage facility, has been earmarked for a $10.5 million "four-star, artsy" boutique hotel with a "sky bar" and rooftop swimming pool.But since then, the former coffin-manufacturing facility, at the corner of S. Lamar and Bellevue Streets, has remained largely empty save for the occasional rented-out wingding. (I recall we had an Observer best-of party there, years ago). But that boutique hotel appears to be an idea resurrected: On Monday, the Landmark Commission will discuss CCH Lamar Partners I L.P.'s plans to redo the building -- plans that include everything from restoring the original facade to putting a pool on the roofs. We'll gather more details, as well as the conceptuals passed out to Landmark, on Monday. Matthews, of course, is building the convention center hotel, which Omni will operate.
