Excelsior Springs, Mo.— A tavern cherished in the 1800s and later a grand hotel, seeing a rise and fall to vacancy in 1998, the Royal is poised to light up again. Garrett Wilson, CEO of GKW Restoration from Kansas City, announced his recent purchase of the landmark at 201 South Street. He is planning for a multi-year restoration that will blend architectural reverence with modern innovation.
Wilson says the Royal will be transformed over time, restoring its five-story structure and planned for mixed-use; this includes an Airbnb structured hotel, a rooftop ballroom and terrace, and street-level retail space.
“We’d like to bring it back to a hotel,” Wilson said. “Floors two through five would be unmanned Airbnb-style rooms, and the top floor we’d like to bring back the rooftop terrace and ballroom as an event space.”
Wilson’s vision for the Royal stems further than just business, as he also carries with him a passion for restoration, adding that he obsesses over historic masonry, stone, and brick.
“I can’t walk into a restaurant, or any building, without noticing the architecture and old joints,” he said.
Wilson said he never set out to pursue restoration. He simply wanted to attend college and play golf on the weekends until he was “roped into a summer construction job.” That experience led him into the field, eventually inspiring him to start his own restoration business, where he combines a love of historic character with practical construction knowledge.
Now, 16 years into the restoration industry and serving as an active board member of Historic Kansas City, he leads his team with core values of integrity, respect, and accountability. His mission, he explained, is to deliver quality workmanship and products that not only serve every client but also build lasting relationships while preserving historic buildings from demolition.
GKW Restoration has successfully tackled a diverse portfolio of restoration projects, including the renowned American Electric Lofts in St. Joseph, a converted Richardsonian Romanesque-style building featuring 140 residential units, commercial lease spaces, and community amenities, while preserving its historic façade. GKW has also been trusted on assignments like the Habitat for Humanity renovation in Kansas City.
As for the Royal Hotel, Wilson noted, he is working closely with Heritage Consulting to aid in guiding GKW through the restoration process, while also applying for state and federal historic tax credits. This includes the 353 tax abatement program implemented in Excelsior Springs under the Redevelopment Corporation to remove blight, encourage reinvestment, and preservation in downtown.
For the Royal Hotel project, Wilson’s goal is to restore the building’s exterior as closely as possible to its original design, including the iconic rooftop sign, as a tribute to the days when it was a popular gathering place for both locals and travelers in Excelsior Springs.
“It would be nice to see that building saved and not taken down,” Wilson says. “We want to get that sign back on the top and get that lit up.”
He acknowledged that restoring a building like the Royal Hotel will not be without challenges, particularly with anticipated mechanical and electrical issues. Even so, Wilson, his team, and Heritage Consulting are determined to bring new life to one of Excelsior Springs’ most iconic landmarks.
Wilson stated that restoration of the Royal Hotel is scheduled to begin winter of 2025, with work expected to continue for approximately two and a half to three years, targeting project completion by mid-2027.
Wilson pointed to a recent demographic report from the Downtown Excelsior Partnership (DEP) showing the community has demand for at least 120 more hotel rooms. That need, he said, makes the Royal Hotel’s revival not only a preservation effort but also a timely solution to a growing lodging shortage in the community.
“We’re not just restoring buildings,” Wilson says. “We’re restoring trust, history, and community pride.”
If you appreciate the value our local journalism brings to the community, please consider making a recurring contribution to the Excelsior Citizen!
