Boone Tavern was built by Berea College in 1909 as a campus guest house. After nearly 100 years of operation, the hotel underwent an $11.3 million renovation during 2008-2009 to make significant upgrades to the building’s infrastructure, improve efficiency, lower operating costs, and add modern technologies and other features. The overarching principle for the renovation was to maintain Boone Tavern’s historic character while creating a ‘green’ hotel for the 21st century.
LEED Gold certification for Boone Tavern, which is a member of Green Hotel Association, was based on a number of green design and construction features. The renovation earned points for sustainable site work, water and energy efficiency, materials and construction methods, indoor environmental quality, use of recycled and regional materials, and innovation in design processes.
The renovation’s success is the result of design and construction collaboration by Berea College, led by Steve Karcher, Berea’s vice president for business and administration; EOP Architects of Lexington, Kentucky; Richard Polk, project principal; and Alliance Corporation, the project’s construction manager. In 2004, Berea College and EOP Architects completed work on another historic building on campus, Lincoln Hall, the first LEED Certified building in Kentucky. Both Lincoln Hall and Boone Tavern Hotel are on the National Register of Historic Places.
