Aiken Design Board Greenlights Laureate Hotel Project, Construction To Start in January

The Aiken Design Review Board gave its approval for exterior design changes at The Laureate Hotel on Aug. 4. This 87-room building will rise next to the historic Farmers & Merchants Bank building in downtown Aiken.

Chad Ingram wanted to revise the Certificate of Appropriateness that officials issued back in January 2025. The big shift? Moving the entrance and lobby away from the bank building at Lauren Street and Park Avenue, then placing them under a new porte-cochère on Hayne Avenue instead.

Architect McDonald Law explained how the redesign avoids a tricky renovation of the Park Avenue façade. A courtyard will appear on the north side of the bank building.

The new structure will link to the historic bank. Meeting spaces, a restaurant, a bar, and a workout room will sit inside the bank building. Guest rooms—all 87 of them—will fill the new construction.

"We don't want to delay a project anymore. We're ready to move ahead," Ingram told the board, according to The Post and Courier.

"I've got significant amounts of time, energy and capital invested and engaged in contracts with people. We're ready to move forward. We don't want delay," he said.

Ingram accepted what the board wanted changed. Members voted yes on the design modifications and proposed amendments—no objections.

"We're excited about the project. We're glad to move forward. We thank the DRB for unanimously approving, and we're ready to get going," Ingram said.

Construction kicks off in January. Crews expect to finish 16 months after that. The project marks a major step for downtown Aiken's hospitality sector.