An artist rendering shows a guest room at Marcus Whitman Hotel & Conference Center, Walla Walla.

WALLA WALLA — The Marcus Whitman Hotel & Conference Center in downtown Walla Walla is upgrading and updating the interior lobby of the building.

Jenne Oxford, regional vice president for Columbia Hospitality, said when artist renderings of the updates and renovations were published, the images did not include some details that Walla Walla locals noticed. She said some of the details were not included because they are renderings and cannot pick up every aspect of the original building.

“The idea is to modernize but also keep all of the existing historic elements in place,” Oxford said. “I think the things that people were worried about changing just didn’t make it into some of the artist renderings and it created some anxiety but the chandeliers and phone booths are staying.”

She said the lobby would be repainted, some of the original furniture would be reupholstered and that the woodwork, mailboxes and other historical fixtures in the lobby are there to stay. “All of the charm and things that we love about the Marcus Whitman will still be there.”

The Marcus Whitman Hotel & Conference Center sold to Marcus Whitman Holdings LLC on Dec. 30, 2022, and according to a Walla Walla County property search, the building at 6 W. Rose St., sold for more than $18 million.

Oxford said the new ownership is partially what has prompted the updates and renovations at the Walla Walla landmark. “The intent with the new ownership group was to really invest in the property and to restore it,” she said.

The lobby is the first project on the list of updates with all the renovations set to be completed by summer’s end. The Marc, a restaurant and bar in the hotel, will be modernized with the process starting in late fall. Finally, the hotel guest rooms are set to get a facelift in early 2024.

The reactions of the announcement of the building updates have been a mixed bag. “People are nervous, of course, when you are making changes to a beloved and iconic spot,” Oxford said. “I think also there are people who are really excited about the changes, and they are ready to see how it evolves.”

Another change in the hotel is the removal of a series of paintings on the second floor that depicted the Whitman Massacre. Oxford said all the paintings are accounted for and the company is looking for a partnership with a local museum or historical society where they could be displayed.

The Marcus Whitman Hotel opened in 1928 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.

“We’re being really thoughtful about keeping the historic elements in place,” Oxford said. “We are really excited and cannot wait for the whole community to experience the new Marcus Whitman.”