Raleigh’s circular former Holiday Inn ultimately caught a break. The city council voted December 2, 2025, to grant historic landmark status to the 1969 building at 320 Hillsborough Street, protecting it from the wrecking ball. Developers at Tidal Real Estate Partners originally wanted demolition for a fancy new tower. They changed their tune when landmark designation came with a 50% property tax break. The quirky round hotel will reopen as a boutique Hotel Indigo in 2026. The full story of how this modernist relic survived gets even more interesting.
After years of sitting on the chopping block, Raleigh’s iconic round hotel on Hillsborough Street ultimately caught a break. The Raleigh City Council voted December 2, 2025, to grant historic landmark designation to the former Holiday Inn at 320 Hillsborough Street. Talk about cutting it close.
Built in 1969, this circular oddity was once Raleigh’s tallest building. Yeah, times have changed. The State Capitol Holiday Inn, as it was known back in the day, became a downtown fixture for over fifty years. That unique round design made it stand out in the early skyline—impossible to miss, really. The modernist structure features distinctive decorative concrete breeze-block screens that wrap around the building’s curved facade.
This circular oddity dominated Raleigh’s skyline when height meant something different.
Things looked grim when Tidal Real Estate Partners, some New York outfit, bought the place in 2021. By 2022, they were talking demolition. Big plans for a shiny new tower with a Kimpton Hotel and fancy apartments. Guess what? Those plans went nowhere. The old round building just sat there, waiting for the wrecking ball that never came.
The preservation push ultimately gained traction this fall. The Raleigh Historic Development Commission heard the nomination on November 12, with Collette Kinane handling the agenda item. Council had initially kicked it back to the preservation commission on November 4—typical bureaucratic dance. But by December 2, they’d come around.
Here’s the kicker: Tidal Real Estate Partners actually accepted the designation. Why? That sweet 50% property tax reduction probably helped. The catch is they have to preserve the building’s character, and any exterior changes need commission approval. Suddenly, demolition didn’t look so attractive.
Renovations have been happening throughout 2025. The plan? Reopen next year as a Hotel Indigo, part of IHG Hotels and Resorts. They’re putting a restaurant on the top floor. The circular shape stays, of course—that’s the whole point.
The designation recognizes the building’s “special historical and architectural value” and its contribution to Raleigh’s distinctive character. Translation: no more threats from the wrecking ball. The round hotel lives on, transformed into a boutique property while keeping its quirky charm.
Sometimes preservation actually wins. Who would’ve thought a building once destined for rubble would become protected heritage?