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Luxe boutique hotel built from shipping containers to debut in Waco

The Hotel Herringbone will open in March 2024.

Rendering courtesy of Federica Cortabarria at CoveArch

There's a cool new hotel checking into downtown Waco, and this time, it's not from Fixer Upper's Chip and Joanna Gaines.

The modern, art-deco-inspired Hotel Herringbone, at 319 South 4th St., is set to open in March 2024. Converted from a former shipping container development, the hotel will offer 21 boutique rooms for guests, along with four restaurants, including a rooftop bar.

The rooms, ranging from 230-square-foot single rooms to a 1,300-square-foot multi-bedroom suite, are inspired by art-deco and mid-century modern design. Taylor Leage, the hotel's lead interior designer, says in a press release that he wanted to highlight the pre-existing exterior architecture of the space while completely transforming the interior to elicit design aesthetics from all areas of history.

“We aimed to showcase layered elements stemming from the wide-ranging regions and history through the lens of a 20th-century world traveler and her husband – evoking the feeling of your grandmother's attic filled to the brim and brought to life as if it were brand new," Leage says in the release. "Art Nouveau detailing is balanced out with modern futuristic forms, and a bright, bold, modern color palette to bring in a light sense of humor and new life."

In addition to the classic boutique hotel amenities, the hotel will offer luxurious extras, including hotel-branded refillable bottles, MovieBeam entertainment and fitness programming, morning craft coffee services, and a daily happy hour in the evening.

Hotel Herringbone, Waco hotel The hotel is opening in a former shipping container development.Rendering courtesy of Federica Cortabarria at CoveArch

The Hotel Herringbone site was previously home to The Containery, a brightly-colored shipping container development that foreclosed in 2021, and has since sat vacant. Lucky Find Hospitality acquired the development – which spans across an entire city block – and partnered with San Diego-based design firm Rad Lab, FreeForm Development, and acclaimed Waco chef and restaurateur Corey McEntyre to bring the hotel to life.

Lucky Find Hospitality and McEntyre developed four restaurant concepts at the Hotel Herringbone:

Red Herring, a 6,000-square foot warehouse-turned-Mediterranean-inspired fine dining establishment
Lucky Buck's, a fourth-story rooftop lounge and sports bar
Song Bird, an international wine and charcuterie bar and al fresco dining concept, with a goods market and live music space
Nightlight Donuts and Coffee, a ground-floor craft coffee and doughnut bar with indoor and outdoor seating

Hotel Herringbone, Waco hotel The Red Herring spans 6,000-square feet.Rendering courtesy of Federica Cortabarria at CoveArch

There are several more projects in the works to transform the hotel and existing development into spaces for gatherings, events, and experiences.

Event spaces inside and outside the Herringbone Hotel include:

A second-floor hotel ballroom that can fit 150 people
A 500-square-foot boardroom and bridal suite adjacent to the hotel ballroom, overlooking the plaza
A 1,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor vinyl record listening studio and lounge
30,000 square feet of space for restaurants, music and event venues
A 15,000-square-foot public plaza that displays 12 retail spaces
A shaded outdoor play space for children
A large stage for live music performances

The hotel is near popular touristy shops and stops, such as the Dr Pepper Museum, Fabled Bookshop and Cafe, the Waco Downtown Farmers Market, and (of course) the Silos at Magnolia.

"When we began spending significant time in the market, our team quickly fell in love with the community, the people, and the blossoming food, music and art scenes," says Lucky Find Hospitality CEO Rigel Bitterman in the release.

Hotel Herringbone reservations are now open for stays beginning March 15, 2024, with room rates beginning at $233 per night. More information about the hotel can be found at hotelherringbone.com.

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New Parks

Texas to open massive new state park in the Hill Country

Photo from property listing by Icon Global

Silver Lake Ranch adds 54,000 acres to Texas' public lands.

Texans will soon have a massive new state park to explore, second only to Big Bend Ranch State Park in size. Silver Lake Ranch, the 54,000-acre plot of land spanning Edwards and Kinney counties, was owned by the Moody Foundation, and now, largely thanks to a major philanthropic gift, it's headed into public hands.

The Moody Foundation gifted its 87.5 percent ownership interest in the ranch to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), with TPWD purchasing the remaining interest for $11.85 million. The funds come from the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund and Sporting Goods Sales Tax — both approved by Texas voters.

“The Moody Foundation is proud to help preserve this remarkable stretch of Texas Hill Country and make it accessible for generations to come,” said Ross Moody in a press release. “Silver Lake Ranch represents the natural beauty, history, and spirit of our state, and we are honored to make this gift to Texas Parks and Wildlife to ensure it remains protected and enjoyed by all Texans for years ahead.”

The property will officially become Silver Lake State Park, named for the spring-fed 30-acre lake at its heart. Nestled between Rocksprings and Uvalde, the land is home to some beautiful Hill Country wildlife and nature, about two hours from San Antonio.

Currently the park is in its most rugged and undeveloped form: steep limestone canyons drop into rolling hills lined with live oaks and juniper trees, with miles of river frontage tracing the West Nueces River. Several creeks wind through the property, including Sycamore Creek, Lost Creek, and North Spring Creek, along with Blue Waterhole and Dutch Waterhole.

Caves and other landmarks dot the landscape, and wildlife includes white-tailed deer, turkey, javelina, and dove. Portions of the property have even been identified as a potential habitat for the endangered golden-cheeked warbler.

According to the press release, this land, previously used for sheep and cattle ranching, will be developed in phases over the next several years, also using the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund. Initially, access to the park might look like guided tours and limited day-use opportunities while planning and infrastructure are underway. Later, trails and basic visitor facilities will be added, and ultimately, the park will include expanded recreational amenities like camping and paddling access.

Now that the acquisition is complete, TPWD staff and private contractors plan to gather feedback from the public and surrounding communities to help map out recreational opportunities. This may take "many months to complete," says the press release. TPWD will communicate any upcoming milestones, including a potential opening date, at TexasStateParks.org

"This is an exciting addition to our state park system, and we are grateful to our partners at the Moody Foundation for their philanthropy and for bringing this slice of the hill country to the people of Texas," TPWD Executive Director David Yoskowitz says in the press release.

And as folks are pointing out on TPDW's reel announcing the new park: it's "Better than any subdivision."

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