| Mixed-use buildings are a prominent fixture in small towns across the South and were often both the living and working environment for their owners and tenants. The Alcazar Hotel located in Clarksdale, Mississippi, (population 23,267) was selected as the site for this thesis project because of its status as an endangered building by the Mississippi Heritage Trust. The Alcazar Hotel has had many uses over its lifetime including a hotel, office space, and apartments and today the 1915 Colonial Revival building stands vacant and in need of repair. This design thesis is focused on the redevelopment of an original mixed-use building of the 1920s to a modern multi-use building of today. Strong ties to the building's architectural past will be a constant theme throughout the building found in mouldings and flooring patterns and the modern interior will draw influence from both classic patterns of the early twentieth century with modern qualities and a high contrast of color throughout the space.;By examining the adaptive reuse process and neighborhood classification and adequately identifying the building's status in these classifications, one could determine the needed steps to take for successful redevelopment. A brief survey was conducted among business owners in the downtown area of Clarksdale to help determine new viable commercial tenants. Qualitative analysis of the local survey results contributed to the redesign of this historic structure to incorporate commercial growth of the city while maintaining the buildings historic roots. Responses indicated what businesses were stable and growing over the past five years as well as other businesses that would be considered an addition to the area. The proposed redevelopment of The Alcazar Hotel, contained within this thesis, resulted in a 19 room hotel with conference rooms, 8 condominium units, and the design of two new commercial spaces (a restaurant and a bookstore) that fulfill a local need. |
