The 80-year-old Bingen Schoolhouse is being transformed into a high-end “hostel-meets-boutique hotel” featuring 10 private guest rooms, termed “European suites” with shared baths, with new high-efficiency heating and cooling splits.
Society Hotel is billed as “affordable adventure lodging and spa services,” with the main school building containing guestrooms and bunkroom, reception, lobby, and café, and the former gym serving as an event space and game room (think cornhole, shuffle board and movie nights).
The renovation retains some of the original floors and school lockers. Most of the windows are original, and the gym floor will remain.
The hotel will also feature two bunkrooms sleeping 24, and a circle of 20 cabins connected by a single roof, surround a firepit, bathhouse and café. Each cabin has small kitchenette-dining areas. A subterranean “sanctuary” space will serve as an amenity for small groups or retreats.
The cabin units are being constructed on what used to be the school playground.
The Society Hotel will be finished in April and open by May, according to partner Carrington Barrs, of Parkdale. The old school was formerly Bingen Hostel.
Society Hotel is being developed by the group that owns Portland’s Society Hotel. Owners in addition to Barrs are Jessie Burke, Jonathan Cohen, Gabe Gebauer, and Matt Siegel. The owners opened the construction site to tours on Dec. 6.
Designers are Megan Blossom Design and architecture is by Waechter Architecture. The owners, along with Orange Construction, are the builders, and Cohen and Gebauer are project managers.
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