Tribeza
By Heidi Okla
Hotel 1928 Mixes a Passion for Renovation + Design
As documented in the Magnolia Network’s six-part television series, “Fixer Upper: The Hotel,” viewers were invited to come along on the journey of constructing Hotel 1928. Interestingly, the historic structure was not originally used as a hotel, but opened as the Grand Karem Shrine Building in 1928, designed by Dallas architects H. Greene, E. LaRoche and G. Dahl in a Spanish Revival style. It served as a meeting place for Freemason affiliates, followed by a variety of uses for community gatherings. In 1995, the building was sold to the county of Waco and sat mostly vacant when the Gaineses purchased it in 2018.
On a trajectory to propel and celebrate the city of Waco, Chip and Joanna Gaines partnered with AJ Capital Partners to re-imagine, re-envision, and re-format this historic structure into a 33-room boutique hospitality experience — a new undertaking to mix their passion for renovation and design.