EDENTON — For years, Hotel Hinton has stood vacant on East King Street and near Broad Street, its dark windows and deteriorating facade serving as a reminder of promises that never materialized. On Tuesday night, town officials and developers shared perhaps the most detailed and encouraging update yet on the future of one of Edenton’s most recognizable landmarks.

Developer Dawson Tyler told the Edenton Town Council during the June 9, 2026, meeting that construction plans for the long-awaited restoration have now been completed and submitted to Chowan County for review, marking a major milestone in a project that many residents have watched with equal parts hope and skepticism.

For more information about the council meeting, visit the story about council’s approval of a letter of support for a proposed second grocery store. A wrap up of the rest of the meeting will appear in a later article.

Mayor Hack High and Councilmen Patrick Sellers and Craig Miller will not in attendance. Mayor Pro Tem Elton Bon presided over the meeting attended by Councilmen Bob Turner, Aaron Coston and Samuel Dixon.

“We’ve reached a lot of milestones that a couple years ago I wouldn’t have thought would have been reached,” Tyler said during his presentation.

The update comes about a year after Down East Preservation unveiled its vision for transforming the 1926 Art Deco hotel into a 59-room boutique hotel with a tavern, art gallery, event spaces and outdoor courtyard. The project is being completed in partnership with SAGA Realty and Construction, which purchased the building in 2015.

Historic Fascade

Among the topics during Tuesday’s presentation was restoring architectural features that helped define the building during its early years.

Tyler showed council members historic photographs depicting the hotel’s original appearance and outlined plans to restore the front colonnade, upper balcony railing, storefront windows and other architectural details that have disappeared over time.

“We want to bring the building back to its ultimate historic look,” Tyler said.

The effort reflects a broader goal of reconnecting the structure to its place in Edenton’s history.

According to preservation records, the site originally housed the Bayview Hotel and Joseph Hewes Hotel. In the late 19th century, the inn featured a large two-story porch overlooking downtown. When Hotel Hinton opened in 1926, it quickly became one of the town’s premier destinations and remained a community centerpiece for decades before Chowan County acquired the building in 1960 for government offices.

Tyler said the current restoration seeks to honor that legacy while creating a destination that serves both visitors and residents.

“When this building is complete, this is going to be something that all of Edenton’s proud of,” he told council. “It’s going to speak to you as something that is quintessentially Edenton.”

Years of Planning

Although little visible construction has occurred, Tyler emphasized that significant work has been underway for more than a year.

The project team recently submitted a complete set of construction drawings covering structural engineering, life-safety systems, plumbing, electrical work, HVAC systems and historic preservation requirements.

“We’ve been knee-deep in this thing for a year, pushing it every single day,” Tyler said.

He described the project as one of the most complicated renovations he has ever worked on because of the building’s age, historic significance and the coordination required among architects, engineers, preservation specialists and contractors.

“I personally have not ever been involved in a project that has so many different moving pieces and parts,” he said.

County officials are now reviewing the plans, a process Tyler said could take several months before construction permits are issued.

Town Leaders See Momentum

Town Manager Corey Gooden said the update represented the progress council members had been waiting to see after years of uncertainty surrounding the building.

“We’ve waited and waited and waited,” Gooden said. “A lot of that was to make sure that we had the timing right.”

Tyler, who repeatedly thanked local officials for their support, credited the town’s leadership with helping keep the project moving.

“I feel very fortunate to live in a town that is led by people that care to the degree that y’all do,” Tyler told council. “It’s a really, really wholesome thing.”

Gooden also noted that the project is currently on schedule and some review will be conducted at a later date.

If approved, the project will include hotel rooms on the upper floors, a tavern and art gallery on the ground floor, and an outdoor courtyard designed to host music and community events.

For a town that has spent years debating the future of Hotel Hinton, Tuesday’s update offered something many residents have been waiting for: Evidence that restoration may finally be moving from concept to construction.