Huntington's historic Pullman Plaza Hotel will be going through some major changes in the coming months after being purchased by Jay Batra, a New York real estate mogul.
According to local media reports, the Pullman Plaza Hotel will go through significant renovations over the next year as it is transformed into a DoubleTree by Hilton hotel.
Amanda Hodges, a front desk worker at the Pullman Plaza Hotel, said that employees were made aware of the sale last Wednesday and that they're excited for the changes to come.
"It's like a fresh start," Hodges said. "The building has so much potential."
While Hodges wasn't aware of the specific renovations that would occur at the hotel, she said she had heard that they would be substantial.
"It's going to be a total upgrade," she said. "Completely different. Everything is going to be new."
Pullman Plaza Hotel has an extensive history of owners and transitions. Tyson Compton, the president of the Cabell-Huntington Convention and Visitors Bureau, said that the hotel opened as a Holiday Inn in the 1970s before transitioning into a Radisson hotel and later the Pullman Plaza Hotel.
Becoming a DoubleTree by Hilton will only be another step for the hotel, which resides steps away from Pullman Square, Huntington's premier location for entertainment, shopping and dining.