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HISTORIC CORE SEES NEW HOTEL
Talbot Commons Pocket Hotel makes its debut
TAYLOR —Centered in historic downtown, a new 11-room pocket hotel is making a splash. Set behind the former First Presbyterian Church at Sixth and Talbot streets, the Talbot Commons Pocket Hotel opened in the former education building.
A BUSY YEAR OF UPGRADES
Retaining its vintage charm while upgrading its building systems, Talbot Commons offers 11 hotel rooms within walking distance of Main Street’s shopping and dining district, planners said. The first phase of a multi-phase project, it started taking reservations in April.
Back in 2020, Public Sketch Real Estate Development Co. led by Doug Moss secured the church property running from Sixth to Seventh streets along Talbot Street. Behind construction fencing, work cranked up in 2023 as many watched the development come to life.
Utility upgrades to the entire property, from new electricity and new plumbing systems to heating and air conditioning, brought the location up to modern standards. However, planners said the hotel’s 21st-century approach to hospitality and its vintage atmosphere are creating a real buzz.
“Saving historic buildings is critical because they give you the vibe of the community, the history of the community and the scale of the community,” Moss said. “(It’s) like seeing the tree rings of the city. The church is 1912, the hotel is 1955, the (pending) coffeeshop is 2024.”
ATTRIBUTES OF A POCKET HOTEL
With just 11 rooms and no formal lobby, the Talbot Commons Pocket Hotel is keyless and uses a key code for flexible arrival. With secure booking on its website, TalbotCommons.com, guests get a confirmation code with check-in information so registering upon arrival isn’t required.
The property offers the convenience of kitchenette rooms, ideal for extended stays, like those traveling for business, officials said. The hotel also appeals to small groups that might want to stay together and enjoy downtime at the same property.
Talbot Commons Pocket Hotel offers four pet-friendly rooms, outfitted with a pair of bowls. Families can book one of the two rooms with a queen-sized pull-out sofa, such as the Milan Suite offering a pair of queen beds paired with the sofa.
The Hunter Suite is an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant room with a roll-in shower. According to Alison Ditto, the hotel’s operations manager, Moss consulted an ADA specialist on the room’s design.
If needed, two managers are available 24 hours a day. Each is located minutes from the lodgings.
TALBOTCOMMONS ANDVINTAGECHARM
Built in 1955, First Presbyterian Church’s education building — now the home of Talbot Commons — served as a fellowship space. Since each room opened onto a green space, the building transitioned well into lodging, said the pocket hotel’s organizers.
With a wraparound porch, each room offers a covered entry and includes a vintage-inspired screen door overlooking the landscaped courtyard, designers said. This area features artisan-made outdoor furniture, nighttime party lights and a fountain.
With new windows in place, ambient natural light pours into each room. The hotel offers a mix of one king and double-queen rooms, and four feature kitchenettes.
A SENSE OF LUXURY
Named after original streets in Taylor, each suite is individually designed. Inside, guests enjoy spaces that include a wallpaper mural. Designed by Austin-based multimedia artist B. Shawn Cox, the floralpattern background features a vintage cowboy-and-cowgirl portrait overlay that sets the stage for the entire room.
The furnishings are streamlined and sourced through Blu Dot, modern furniture designers from Minneapolis.
“Saving historic buildings is critical because they give you the vibe of the community.”
—DOUG MOSS
TALBOT COMMONS POCKET HOTEL Signature pieces include the Toro Lounge Chair, an architectural metal frame outfitted with a chocolate-colored saddle leather seat.
With an eye towards adaptive reuse, the design team at Talbot Commons used the original pine plank subflooring as a decorative feature. Mounted diagonally, the pine’s golden woodgrain glows. It anchors the bed as a headboard feature and showcases the fanciful mural above.
The bedding is accessorized by a Shelburne Cotton Coverlet by Schoolhouse that draws on the palette set by the mural, and underneath is Sferra Italian linens, a 300-thread count, long-staple Pima cotton sateen.
The bathrooms offer Turkish towels, known for their absorbency and soft feel. San Saba Soap Co. was selected for the toiletries. Used in Austin’s Commodore Perry Estate, the Talbot Commons Pocket Hotel features the Tobacco Bloom scent, a blend of floral tobacco, calendula and musk.
Taylor High School graduate and National Council for Interior Design Qualification-certified Amanda Rienth made the selections. She is based in New York City and is a principal at Steinberg Hart.
MODERN CONVENIENCES
Functional in design, guests will find accessories such as Blu Dot’s Rook Table Lamp, a walnut wood task lighting on the Strut Medium Table. Reverberating with analog styling, the rooms sport a Model Three BT clock radio by Tivoli that supports Bluetooth.
The Talbot Commons Pocket Hotel rooms features two charging ports. Above the bed, the room sports a ceiling fan. Guests will enjoy a beverage bar with in-room coffee and a mini-fridge, outfitted with water service.
In kitchenette rooms, guests will find a room-length, solid-surface counter with a white-tile backsplash and wood-ledge detail. Below the counter, there is a bank of drawers with a small dishwasher, a microwave, a mini-fridge and a freezer. These rooms are outfitted with dishes and silverware.
TAYLOR IN ART AND BOOKS
Throughout the property, visitors
will notice vintage postcards that are enlarged and framed. Each room offers its own postcard art featuring some of Taylor’s architectural gems, such as the former International and Great Northern Railroad Depot. The city’s 1930 classical revival U.S. Post Office is also featured, as is a postcard depicting the First Presbyterian Church.
Guests can learn about Taylor’s history in “Images of America: Taylor” by Irene K. Michna, located in each room. The book offers local history, original black-and-white photos and postcards.
BLENDING INDOOR LODGING WITHOUTDOORLOUNGING
With a handful of mature trees flanking Talbot Street and a solitary crape myrtle out front, Austin landscape architect Cameron Campbell had a clean palette with which to create an inviting landscape for courtyard lingering. Originally from San Antonio, Campbell selected drought-tolerant plants including big muhly grass and silver ponysfoot.
To create more shade, several trees were added across the property, such as sycamores. The exterior design at the site features new shade and privacy trellises covered by Carolina jessamine and tangerine crossvine.
The courtyard offers a gathering space for guests with loungers from Petrified Design ATX. The 701 Lounger is made of cumaru wood, a Brazilian lumber known for its durability. Each sports a bright splash of color with a powder-coated finish.
In the evenings, the courtyard is lit with overhead party lights, with a fountain to anchor the space.
“The courtyard encourages memories of congregational gatherings and the rooms convey just a touch of early Texas culture. The Talbot Commons preservation is a great way to tell Taylor’s history,” said Janetta McCoy, who holds a doctorate in architecture and is a former bed-andbreakfast
owner.
To help establish the landscaping, Talbot Commons installed a 2,700-gallon rainwater collection system.
ON THE HORIZON FOR TALBOT COMMONS
The work isn’t done at Talbot Commons. The next phase includes a coffeeshop in a food-and-beverage outlet, located on the west side of the Talbot Commons Sanctuary, a part of the old church.
Haciendo Coffee opening in summer
Local brews from Haciendo Coffee Roasters have been a staple at Taylor’s Heritage Square Farmers Market and similar venues across Central Texas. Owners Tasha and Billy Wiginton will expand their coffee-roasting business into a brick-and-mortar coffeeshop this summer.
According to Billy Wiginton, Haciendo Coffee will utilize a larger air roaster and will roast in-house a couple of days a week. The company will brew drip coffee using its signature coffee-bean blends from different countries, house-made cold brew and espresso drinks.
“We are working with some local restaurants and bakers to offer some grab-and-go items that pair well with the coffee and fit the culture of our brand, so think breakfast tacos, conchas and empanadas, as well as other sweet and savory offerings,” Wiginton said.
In this new space, coffee drinkers will find free Wi-Fi, plenty of outlets and tables inside and out. Haciendo Coffee will be open weekly with hours starting at 6 a.m. on weekdays.
The Talbot Commons Sanctuary
With its symmetry, the former First Presbyterian Church offers a civic, or federal, styling to the exteriors, favored by many buildings of the era. Its sanctuary is shallow compared to larger churches that favored a cathedral floor plan and the exterior features three arched bays, supported by a pair of columns.
According to developer Doug Moss, this building is still seeking a tenant and will be revitalized to suit. This spring it received new exterior paint to accentuate the architectural details, including its stained glass windows.
607 North Main
Public Sketch Real Estate Development purchased the 1930s boarding house along Main Street in January. With an eye towards future growth, the property is being considered for an expansion of the Talbot Commons Pocket Hotel, according to Moss.
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