TYLER, Texas — A New Orleans-based developer that is working to renovate downtown Tyler's 1950s-area former Carlton Hotel has purchased three more historic buildings to add several rental housing units and retail space.
NORF Companies has acquired The Fair, The Lindsey and The Wilcox in downtown Tyler.
The Lindsey was built in 1945 and is located at 123 S Broadway Ave. The Fair was built in 1949 and is located at 115 S. Broadway Ave., and The Wilcox was built in 1956 and is located at 230 S. Broadway Ave., according to the Texas downtown historic property listings website.
According to an announcement shared on New Orleans City Business News, NORF plans to renovate The Lindsey and Wilcox buildings into a mixed-use and multi-family building, adding around 80 new rental units to the downtown Tyler market.
For The Fair, NORF is seeking to remodel parts of the building, which is already a Class B office building, and allow it to continue operating as an office space. The company is also looking for a tenant for the building’s ground-floor retail space, according to the announcement.
Late last year, NORF obtained the Carlton Hotel, which was once in its prime a 115,000-square-foot, upscale hotel with a three-story parking garage, rooftop swimming pool and a cabana, according to the Tyler Morning Telegraph.
Fitzpatrick Architects in Tyler, along with Albert Architecture based in New Orleans, will serve as the design team for the projects.
According to the news release, these projects will use Qualified Opportunity Zone Fund tax benefits, federal and state Historic Tax Credits, and potentially New Markets Tax Credits.
NORF described the Tyler market as “bullish” and noted the University of Texas at Tyler will be completing construction on its medical school next year.