White Lodging Breaks Ground on Autograph Hotel

White Lodging has broken ground on a 295-room Autograph Collection hotel located at South Tryon Street and Bland Street in Charlotte’s South End neighborhood, according to reports published by GlobeNewswire via Business Insider and StreetInsider [1][2]. The luxury development represents the district's first full-service lifestyle property and is slated for completion in late 2028 [1].

What amenities will the new South End hotel feature?

The hotel pairs upscale guest accommodations with an extensive wellness facility and public dining program, as reported by Business Insider [1]. White Lodging designed the property to incorporate nearly 10,000 square feet of meeting space alongside a chef-driven restaurant on the ground floor [1].

An open-air pool deck on the fifth floor serves as the property's primary amenity hub [1]. This fifth-floor space includes a dedicated spa, curated wellness programming, hot-plunge pools, cold-plunge pools, and a public steam sauna [1]. Guests and local visitors can also access a fifth-floor restaurant and bar directly from street level via an independent ground-floor elevator [1].

Why did White Lodging select Charlotte’s South End?

South End has evolved from an industrial district into a dense mixed-use commercial and residential corridor with an acute shortage of premium lodging, according to GlobeNewswire [1]. The district currently houses only one select-service hotel, leaving creative-sector firms, technology companies, corporate visitors, and leisure travelers without full-service accommodations in the immediate neighborhood [1].

Conner White, Vice Chairman and Chief Investment Officer at White Lodging, stated that the neighborhood's maturation made an upscale development essential [1]. The company treats Charlotte as a priority growth market following its earlier development of the JW Marriott in Uptown Charlotte, which includes Dean’s Italian Steakhouse, Caroline’s Oyster Bar, and Aura Rooftop [1].

Who is handling the design and construction of the property?

White Lodging selected an established team of commercial partners to manage the construction and design phases, as outlined in StreetInsider [2]. General contracting duties have been awarded to Brasfield & Gorrie [1].

Architectural planning is shared between Abeyta Architecture Studio and Corgan Architects [1]. Interior design across the 295 guest rooms, public social spaces, spa, and meeting facilities is led by Looney & Associates [1].

How does this project fit into White Lodging's national portfolio?

The South End development marks the fifth Autograph Collection property within White Lodging’s national portfolio, which includes more than 60 hotels, according to Business Insider [1]. Established in 1985 by the late Bruce White, the management and development company focuses on lifestyle and urban properties across markets such as Austin, Chicago, Denver, Nashville, Indianapolis, and Louisville [1].

The company's holdings also include approximately 50 independently branded restaurants, 10 rooftop bars, and a private collection of luxury ranches [1]. The South End property joins Marriott International’s global Autograph Collection flag, an affiliation that counts over 340 independent lifestyle hotels across more than 50 countries and territories [1].