Hotel 1928 Historic Transformation

Constructed in 1928, the Karem Shrine Building originally hosted Shriners from across Texas for dinners and large galas and is on the National Historic Register. After its purchase by Magnolia, a Texas-based lifestyle brand led by Chip and Joanna Gaines, the design team transformed this Moorish Revival-style lodge into a contemporary boutique hotel. Salas O’Brien provided structural engineering design for the building in the heart of downtown Waco. Since the original building had no existing structural drawings, the team used laser scanning to assist in analysis and ground-penetrating radar to identify concrete reinforcement.

We identified many significant repairs during construction, including the successful removal and partial rebuild of a massive existing multi-wythe brick chimney to accommodate the hotel’s floor spaces. The upper floor was sloped for drainage as it was formally a roof deck, so we used geofoam to level the floor without adding significant weight. The new rooftop addition now seamlessly blends with the original structure and features sweeping views of the Magnolia Silos.