Shortly after noon on Wednesday, a large group gathered in the offices of CORE construction in downtown Amarillo to hear the announcement of a major new hotel development.
The Barfield Building, built in 1927, has been housing only pigeons for many years. Soon, the Barfield will be brought back to life, through the efforts of local developers, along with architects, designers and hoteliers from Tulsa, Oklahoma City and Dallas.
The Barfield will feature an Italian steakhouse, a speakeasy, and modern design throughout. The hotel will be part of the Marriot Autograph chain of boutique hotels.
Mayor Ginger Nelson, in a brief speech, said the hotel’s revitalization is proof that the city’s collective vision is coming to fruition.
The building was originally a passion project for Melissa Dora Oliver-Eakle, an immensely powerful and influential financier and philanthropist who was a large part of Amarillo’s growth in the city’s early decades.