The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-01
MURPHY TO ERECT
14-STORY HOTEL
Plans forS6OO, 600 Struc-
ture Now Being
Prepared,
NEW BUILDING TO
HAVE 400 ROOMS
Details Not Yet Fully Deter
mined, but Manager Disney
Authorizes Statement That
Modern and Up-to- Datc
Hotel Will Replace Old
Building This Spring.

Announcement was made yesterday
| BY Colonel John Murphy that plans
| were being prepared for tho immediate
| erection OF fourteen story lrcproof
hotel building at the southeastern coz
! ner OF Eighth anu Broad streets. SEE
! placing he older building of his hotel
i. Sroup, the probable cost to..bc about
5000, 900. Detailed plans and specifi-
| cations nave not yet been completed,
inut the new hotel building will have,
| In addition TO spacious Iobbies, dining
rooms and other public quarters, about
! 400 rooms. 1t viii be operated In con-
ncction with the two annex buildings
on the west side of Eighth street. thus
| giving the holel accommodat as
| large as amy hotel in the South.
FOR some years past Colonel Murphy
has Ind in contemplation the rebuild
ing OF the older portion Of his hotel.
He began business in Richmond at tile
close Of the war in II small structure
OH this corner. which has since come
TO be- one OF the best known meeting
places In the South. and one which has
been famous for political gatherings
and asseInblages OF all KINDS.
Was Built In Sections.
The present hotel dates back to 1856.
when the corner structure vas erected,
10 the south and east and adjoining
, buildings made u part OF tho hotel
Sroun. In the early nineties Colonel
Murphy acquired the opposite corner.
across Eighth Street, and erected his
/ Broad Street annex. connected with
the main hotel by nm overhead bridge
The Grscc street annex. q nreproof and
inodcrniy equipped building, is of more
recent construction.
Colonel Murphy and his son-in- law,
James I. Disney. general manager of
the hotel, called on Building Inspector
,t.Reck ut his ottice at ,hcsCitS Hal, yea
;tSr'teiyiunprr'IiS ~ / r.. 81
cuss the general preliminary require
| ments in regard TO the erection of such
/ u building.
While not actually more than
TWENTY-FIVE years old. II has been
realized that the old portion of the
hotel has outlived the period OF It's
usefulness, and that to remodel IL to
meet modern hotel requirements would
hardly be practicable.
Authorizes announcement.
Al the hotel later Manager Disney
authorized the definite announce ment
that the plans were being prepared :;
that the owners had determined fully
on the proposed Improvement, and that
the work would be pressed to compile
ton in the earliest possible time
While all details have not as yet been
adjusted. II Is understood that the
hotel will occupy one or more OF the
first floor stores in the Broad Street
annex as offices and lobby pending re-
building. and that the assembly hall in
tho annex Will he retitted az n tenn
porary dining room. possibly with a
cafe beneath IN the rooms until re-
cSltly occupied by Sydnor & Hundley
as an exhibition place for Office fur
nlture.
While many newer hotels have gone
ahead OF Murphy's in recent years in
the elegance Of their equipment, there
arc few. il any, as we'll known through
out the South.
Well known Politically.
It's lobby has been for years the
meeting place for all sorts and condi-
tons Of men. In the old hotel candi-
dates for political Office for a genera
ton have had their headquarters. There
have met the State Central Committee
and the City Democratic Committee, as
well as many conferences of the po-
littcal leaders of the new South. 1t has
been to Democratic politics in the
South what the old Hoffman House
was to the Democracy of the North,
Or the famous old Fifth Avenue Hotel
to the Plat regime in the same State.
Day ard night public men of all kind:.
ridors. while the corner outside is con-
stanty thronged with eager specta-
tors.
Mr.. Disney said that until the pre-
liminary sketches had been received
no positive announcement could be
made as to the appearance of the new
buildings. few of the details having
as yet been determined. save that the
new building is to be modern and up
Co. do 10 H.,
fully the demands made in modern
hotel construction.
VIII BE Complete and Up-to-Datc.
Ths architect has been Instructed to
prepare preliminary sketches for a
building fourteen stories In height.
containing, besides the public of11ces
of first-class hotel. 400 rooms, most
of them with bath fttings and ali
modern convenienccs. The cost. of
tatned until complete plans have been
drawn and submitted to contractors
for estimates. but Colonel Murphy and
Mr.. Disney believe that the building
they desire to erect will. when COM
pleted, represent an outlay of from
100000 to 100000. AS soon as the
numerous details In regard to such a.
great undertaking can be completed
the old building will be vacnted and
both offices and tenants moved into
the hotel annex pending rebuilding.
The old building will probably not
be vacated until after adjournment Of
the State Legislature, as d number OF
memb srs make 1t their home when In
Richmond, and-it Is largely frequented
by those having business before the
Legislature and Its various commit
tees and the great number OF attor-
neys from all sections who al this sea-
son of the year come to Richmond to
practice In the State and Federal
courts, Mean@hile. plans viii go
steadily forward. the contract will be
awarded. and the builder will have his