The Macon Hotel is a historic building in the

Mount Vernon Mount Vernon is the former residence and plantation of George Washington, a Founding Father, commander of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, and the first president of the United States, and his wife, Martha. An American landmar ...

neighborhood of

Columbus, Ohio Columbus (, ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Ohio, most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 United States census, 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the List of United States ...

. The hotel, completed in 1888, served noted jazz musicians in the 20th century. It was listed on the

Columbus Register of Historic Properties The Columbus Register of Historic Properties is a register for historic buildings and other sites in Columbus, Ohio, Columbus, Ohio, United States. The register is maintained by the City of Columbus Historic Resources Commission and Historic Pr ...

in 1983. The hotel building is one of four remaining properties in Columbus included in The Green Book, a historical guide to Black-friendly accommodations.

Attributes

The building is made of brick, and has three stories and . It is a prominent example of

iron frame The term iron frame describes the structural use of either cast iron or wrought iron in the columns and Beam (structure), beams of a building. While popular in the 19th century, the iron frame was displaced by the steel frame in the early 20th centu ...

and brick construction for commercial buildings of the era. The first floor contains an office, bar, kitchen, and three bathrooms. The upper two floors have been gutted.

History

The Macon Hotel was built in 1888. The building became known for hosting prominent African American jazz performers and travelers during its hotel operation. The hotel was featured in The Green Book, a segregation-era guide to friendly lodging for African Americans. Twenty other Columbus properties were also included; only four of those remain. The Macon hosted entertainers including

Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April25, 1917June15, 1996) was an American singer, songwriter and composer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phra ...

, and the Columbus native Nancy Wilson. It later became a lounge and nightclub. It is currently vacant. The Macon was added to the

Columbus Landmarks Foundation The Columbus Landmarks Foundation, known as Columbus Landmarks, is a nonprofit historic preservation organization in Columbus, Ohio. The foundation is best-known for its list of endangered sites in the city and its annual design award, given t ...

's "most endangered" list in 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019, amid continued deterioration. The building was resold in 2017 for $45,000, to a developer hoping to construct micro-apartments within. In 2021, plans were announced to convert the building into an extended-stay hotel, with the first floor made into a restaurant and bar. The project would include seven units per upper floor, requiring interior renovations in addition to masonry repairs, painting, new windows, and a new roof.

References

{{Columbus Register of Historic Properties Defunct hotels in Ohio 1888 establishments in Ohio Hotels established in 1888 Hotels in Columbus, Ohio Endangered buildings in Columbus, Ohio Columbus Register properties African-American history in Columbus, Ohio Mount Vernon (Columbus, Ohio)