123 South Union, LLC today announced plans to redevelop the former Knights of Pythias (119-121 South Union Street) and Register & Bee buildings (123 South Union Street) into a luxury hospitality concept. Once completed, the two properties will be converted into approximately 42 boutique, limited-service suites.
Roanoke developer, Ed Walker, acquired the two properties in 2018 with plans to begin development in the first quarter of 2019. Branded as The Honey Bee, this project not only pays homage to the former use of the property, but will also highlight the region through its room décor.
"The rooms at the Honey Bee will be beautiful, well-appointed, affordable, and will celebrate the best parts of Danville,” said Walker. “In my frequent visits to the community, it became obvious that the River District — as well as other appealing historic districts — needed hospitality options.”
Mayor Alonzo Jones agreed that local residents and local businesses have frequently requested a hospitality option in the district. Many noting that friends and family prefer to stay in a boutique concept.
“Travelers increasingly desire to patronize lodging establishments that provide unique or memorable accommodations,” said Jones. “The Honey Bee will offer visitors to our region a chance to experience all of the new River District amenities within walking distance.”
“A lot of great work has happened in Danville — particularly in the last five to seven years or so — and the right people are in the right positions to keep the progress moving forward,” Walker added. “Terrific people and terrific projects make for a terrific place, and Danville is a terrific place. We believe we will see more and more visitors wanting to come visit Danville and experience it for themselves.”
Jones added that Walker and his team have a deep portfolio of successful historic redevelopment projects throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.
“This team has been the driving force behind a lot of the development taking place in areas such as Roanoke, Salem, and Buena Vista. They’re well-regarded for their quality of projects and their creative approach to revitalizing communities,” said Jones. “We are fortunate to have a development team of this caliber select Danville as its next location for investment.”
This project will bring an additional $6.2 million of investment to the River District and is the first to make use of the new Special Projects Loan Fund. This program was established to help provide short-term financing through the Industrial Development Authority (IDA) to spur the development of catalyst or high impact projects. The IDA approved a $3 million loan for this project at its January meeting.
