History of The Bell Hotel Building
The Athens Exchange for the Southern Bell Telephone & Telegraph Company, locally known as The Bell Building, is a distinguished century-old landmark in the heart of downtown Athens, Georgia. Designed by prominent architect P. Thornton Marye and constructed in 1916, it originally served as the regional headquarters for the Southeast’s leading telecommunications provider, playing a pivotal role in the community’s growth and development. The building serves as a testament to early 20th- century architectural grandeur, exemplifying Neoclassical Revival style, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
How The Bell Hotel Came into Being
For decades, The Bell Building stood quietly at the corner of Hull and West Clayton streets, serving private commercial purposes after the telephone company relocated its offices in 1966. In 2022, commercial real estate developer Brad Foster and philanthropist Marie Brumley Foster, along with their sons Nicholas, Drayton and Ben, acquired the property, embarking on a family legacy project that would breathe new life into the historic space.
With a deep-seated commitment to preserving the building’s integrity, the Fosters enlisted a team of expert architects and designers to lead an extensive restoration and renovation. At the heart of The Bell’s transformation was a creative collaboration between Brad, Marie, and their eldest son, Nicholas, who worked closely together to develop a visionary new concept for the property. Their shared passion and collective imagination gave rise to a striking new design and identity. Thus, The Bell has been reborn as an exclusive boutique hotel that honors its illustrious past while looking boldly toward the future.
