A 23-room hotel tucked into a former church? Sure, why not. That was the divine design goal for The Russell, which opened in Nashville's East Nashville neighborhood in June.
Two 115-year-old stained-glass windows — now in the hotel lobby — served as owner-developer Micah Lacher's inspiration for what he dubs "a happy place." "It's hard not to smile when you look at them, mixed with all of the colorful furniture and historic elements," he says.
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Upgrades were both aesthetic and structural. "We basically built an entirely new building into the original church shell," explains Lacher. "Where possible, we reincorporated historic elements of the building that had been covered up for years — brick walls and historic trusses — and reincorporated the attic back into the building."
"We worked with local artisans on everything we could," says Lacher. Powell Architecture and Building Studio helped with the interiors, procuring furniture from HollerDesign and Maple Built, a non-profit that apprentices young men in North Nashville into woodworking careers. Other partners include I Saw the Sign (art and sign painting throughout), Fortify (also contributed signage on site), and Elemental Art House (metal work and custom fabrication). Adds Lacher, "We love supporting them, and Nashville is lucky to have some of the most talented creatives in the country."
