Workers Begin Removing Asbestos From Davenport Part Of Pennington Building May Be Repaired, Not Razed

Thu., July 13, 2000

By Bert Caldwell bertc@spokesman.com (509) 459-5450

Crews have begun stripping asbestos from The Davenport Hotel, owner Walt Worthy said Wednesday.

The work started Monday on the 14th floor and is expected to take about two months, he said.

Meanwhile, drywall workers have completed repairs in the lobby area and some of the other public spaces, he said.

Worthy said he has changed an earlier decision to tear down the northeast corner of the Pennington Building, an area that once housed a single-room-occupancy hotel.

Bracing the structure and saving the facade may be about as expensive as new construction, he said.

“We’re going to do everything we can,” Worthy said, to keep the Pennington intact.

An engineering report is due Friday, he said.

The Pennington predates The Davenport, which opened in 1914. The stuccoed structure contains the Hall of Doges, once the most resplendent of the hotel’s many meeting rooms.

Worthy said he’s confident he’ll be able to comply with the requirements of Historic Preservation officials, whether or not he proceeds with partial demolition.

He said he continues to visit other hotels and meet with consultants as he decides whether to operate The Davenport as an independent hotel or as an affiliate of a major chain.

Worthy and his wife, Karen, purchased The Davenport in May. The hotel has been closed for business, except for private functions, since 1985. He has said he hopes to reopen the landmark property in two years.

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