Downtown Staunton will get a new boutique hotel in spring 2018

A new boutique hotel plans to open in downtown Staunton this spring. The 49-room Blackburn Inn is scheduled to open on the grounds of the Villages of Staunton at 301 Greenville Ave.  

Robin Miller, a principal of Richmond-based Miller & Associates, is the developer behind the project. He and a partner, Dan Gecker, also developed the 80-acre Villages of Staunton, the original site of Western State Hospital.

Miller is known for the adaptive re-use of architecturally significant buildings in Richmond, Petersburg and Staunton. He said in a statement that state and federal historic tax credits made the Blackburn project financially feasible. He did not disclose the investment cost. 

Designed by Thomas Jefferson protégé and master builder Thomas Blackburn, The Blackburn Inn was originally constructed in 1828. In bringing the building back to life, A Concept 2 Design was commissioned to develop a design that retains the building’s historic components. 

Wide corridors, hallway arches, vaulted ceilings and original heart pine floors have been left intact. An original wood staircase will allow guests to access a rooftop atrium that offers 360-degree views of downtown Staunton. 

Richmond-based Retro Hospitality will manage the property. “We foresee hosting many community events, which will directly benefit Staunton and all of Augusta County,” Paul Cooper, president of Retro Hospitality, said in a statement. 

The Blackburn Inn also will be home to a 16-seat indoor bistro and bar with seating options on the outdoor terrace and columned front porch. Other food and beverage offerings will include a front lobby tea parlor offering coffee, tea and breakfast pastries from a local bakery.