14-story South End hotel starts construction

July 30, 2026

Axios Charlotte | 07.29.2026

Construction started Wednesday on a 14-story, 295-room hotel in South End.

Why it matters: Hotel construction has been slow in South End, while office and entertainment have boomed, creating demand for hospitality space. There’s currently only one other full-service hotel, the Holiday Inn.

  • “The South End market has matured to a point where a project of this caliber is not only viable, but essential,” says Conner White, vice chairman and chief investment officer of hotel developer White Lodging.

What to expect: The Autograph Collection by Marriott hotel, located on 0.6 acres at South Tryon and Bland streets, will feature nearly 10,000 square feet of meeting space and a ground-floor restaurant. Plus, it will have a “first-of-its-kind” open-air pool deck, open to non-guests, on the fifth floor, with:

  • a public steam sauna,
  • cold- and hot-plunge pools,
  • wellness programming,
  • a spa,
  • and a restaurant and bar, accessible by a dedicated ground-floor elevator.

What’s next: The hotel — the name is to be announced — is expected to open in late 2028.

  • White Lodging will develop the restaurant and bar, similar to the JW Marriott it operates in Uptown. (The company also runs Dean’s Italian Steakhouse, Caroline’s Oyster Bar and Aura Rooftop.)
  • More details will come out closer to opening, a spokesperson tells Axios.

Zoom out: Indiana-based White Lodging said in a press release it wants to make Charlotte “a long-term priority market.”

Modern glass office building with tall vertical metal fins, a covered drop-off area supported by concrete columns, and pedestrians on a sidewalk; trees flank the facade and street with cars.
Courtesy of White Lodging
Low-angle view of a tall glass office building with reflective blue windows, metal frames, and a wooden-louvered overhang, set against a bright blue sky with scattered white clouds.
Courtesy of White Lodging
Outdoor pool area beneath a wooden slatted ceiling; left wall features a lattice pattern, with sun loungers and people in swimsuits around a long rectangular pool, glass railing and modern building in background.
Courtesy of White Lodging
Urban plaza with a large tree in front of a modern glass-front building. Ground-floor shops, people walking, and planters with purple flowers and outdoor seating.
Courtesy of White Lodging
Modern glass-fronted building with an outdoor cafe along a planter-filled terrace. People mingle, metal framing and large windows reflect sunlight as trees shade the scene.
Courtesy of White Lodging
Contemporary glass office tower with a grid of windows and cantilevered balconies; reflective facade. Ground level shows cars, pedestrians, and trees beneath a bright blue sky.
Courtesy of White Lodging
Modern glass office building with a central glass bridge and grid-like windows; wood-toned base, greenery on balconies, busy street with cars, cyclists, and pedestrians against a blue sky.
Courtesy of White Lodging
Evening scene of a modern glass office building with a large canopy, tall windows, and concrete columns. People walk near parked cars beneath a blue twilight sky.
Courtesy of White Lodging