Downtown hotel honors the respected 'Mother of Houston'
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A new staple for the Allen Center - Downtown opened in summer 2019.
The C. Baldwin Hotel, 400 Dallas Street, honors the brash and fiercely independent Charlotte Baldwin Allen, The Mother of Houston.
Over the past two years, the ownership group of The DoubleTree by Hilton Houston Downtown has been developing a project that will not only serve as a social anchor for the landmark Allen Center, but also as a hospitality gateway to the city at the centerpoint of Downtown, Midtown and Buffalo Bayou Park.
From stylish guestrooms, stunning common areas and a signature restaurant - to a luxury nail salon, curated local retailers, activated green space and 14,000 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting and event offerings, C. Baldwin is sure to up the ante in Houston's hospitality landscape.
More than 180-years in the making, the new brand boldly stakes its claim as the centerpiece of modern Houston and has become a focal point of the reimagined 3.2-million-square-foot mixed-use campus which bears the Allen name.
Brought to life through inspired design by internationally acclaimed Lauren Rottet of Houston-based Rottet Studio as well as Kate ROHE of ROHE Creative, C. Baldwin could become the social heart of the Allen Center, which itself is being completely refashioned through a multimillion-dollar transformation.
"Houston has some excellent hotels, but none that are emblematic of the city it has somewhat discreetly become, which is to say a bootstrapping economic powerhouse and global hub that just happens to be wildly diverse, wonderfully eccentric and exceedingly cosmopolitan," said Maggie Rosa, General Manager, C Baldwin, in 2019. "We felt it was high time to introduce a hospitality experience that would truly embody one of our country's most evolving destinations while honoring an awe-inspiring female pioneer."
Charlotte Baldwin Allen has long been overshadowed by her more high-profile husband, Augustus Chapman (A.C.) Allen, the New York real estate speculator who officially co-founded Houston with his brother, John Kirby Allen. In 1836, the trio steam-boated their way up Buffalo Bayou and onto the muddy landing - just blocks from what is now Allen Center - of what would one day morph into the unlikeliest fourth largest metropolis in the country.
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While legends like William B. Travis, Stephen F. Austin and Mirabeau B. Lamar's contributions to the Texas Republic continue to be celebrated, Charlotte's legacy has been nearly forgotten.
Had she accepted her friend Sam Houston's suggestion to call Houston, "Charlottesville," rather than capitalizing on the more famous surname she believed would better serve the greater good, Charlotte's legacy might very well have taken a much different trajectory.
Charlotte not only remained after her husband fell ill and left the city, she also became the primary financial driver of Houston's entire construction industry, bankrolling the navy and building the short-lived Capitol of the Republic of Texas to boot.
What's more, she donated countless leagues of public land - even though as a woman she did not legally own any herself - including the site used for the first City Hall (now Downtown's Market Square Park) and countless plots to civic organizations.
Though local flags flew at half-staff when The Mother of Houston passed away in 1895 at the age of 91, the annals of history have largely ignored a figure who played a pivotal role in the city's early evolution.
C. Baldwin aims to pay homage to the deedless developer, brand-wielding cattle rancher, brash businesswoman and tireless philanthropist.
The prime property is being completely rethought and rebuilt in a style befitting the independently determined visionary, while honoring others like Charlotte.
The hotel is ideally situated on the western edge of Downtown at Allen Parkway which is a short walk from the Theater District, Midtown and the Main Street METRORail line-- plus a quick drive to Washington Avenue, the Arts District, The Heights, Montrose, Museum District and River Oaks. This unrivaled location gives C. Baldwin the opportunity to tell her story to locals, savvy business travelers and adventurous tourists seeking an authentic, bold and soulful representation of the city.
Boasting 354 guest rooms and over 14,000 square feet of meeting space, a signature restaurant and abundant, activated green space in the heart of the city's core business, sports, convention and entertainment district, the transformative property offers travelers the opportunity to discover an authentically sophisticated and modern Houston experience.
For additional information and/or to book accommodations, please call 713.759.0202, e-mail explore@cbaldwinhotel.com or visit https://www.cbaldwinhotel.com.
