03 CASE STUDIES

21c Museum Hotels

Assignment Overview

RobertDouglas advised 21c Museum Hotels in their selection of Junius Real Estate Partners, a specialized real estate investment unit of J.P. Morgan Private Bank, as a strategic capital and growth partner.  Under the partnership, Junius will deploy dedicated capital toward developing up to $250 million in projects for the expansion of the 21c Museum Hotels platform.

While a number of private equity funds, institutional investors, and high net worth groups expressed interest in the programmatic equity investment opportunity, Junius was ultimately selected as the best partner to create a powerful growth-focused relationship.

Project Overview

21c Museum Hotels, an award-winning hospitality company based in Louisville, Kentucky, is pushing the boundaries of both the museum and hotel worlds to create a new kind of hospitality experience. The company was founded as a single property by contemporary art collectors and preservationists Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson, whose mission was to share innovative contemporary art with the public and participate in the revitalization of downtown Louisville.

The couple opened the first 21c Louisville in 2006 along downtown’s West Main Street, rehabilitating a series of 19th century warehouses to create an innovative union of genuine hospitality, thoughtful design and culinary creativity — all anchored by a contemporary art museum with thought-provoking exhibitions, interactive site-specific art installations and a full roster of cultural programming. The company now operates six hotels, seven restaurants and employs over 1,000 people. 

Deal Highlights

Client:
Financier:
RE Investment Capacity:
Existing Portfolio:
 21c Museum Hotels
Junius Real Estate Partners
$250 million
Six hotels and seven restaurants

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