Today we’d like to introduce you to Andy Bergfeld.
Hi Andy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I went to college in Dallas and Law School in Houston from the fall of 1988 until the fall of 1997. During that time, I saw both Dallas and Houston begin to see their urban core transform from strictly catering to office users (although those are important) to more of a mixed use seeking to attract people seeking a destination with character and history. I moved back to Tyler in 1997 and began practicing law. By 1999, I was able to acquire my first building in the Tyler Central Business District. By finishing out some vacant space and converting some underutilized space into loft apartments, I was able to get the property fully leased and the bug was set for my future in Downtown Tyler revitalization. Over the next 24 years, my business partners and I bought every building that we felt like presented and opportunity to further downtown and, hopefully, make a little money, financially. As Downtown really began to take shape and show its true character, I realized the main thing we were still missing was overnight lodging. I knew I had never been in the hospitality business, but I was determined to give it a go if the right opportunity presented itself- which leads us to the Greyhound Inn. Officing on the square and being involved in much of what is going on downtown gives me a unique opportunity to be somewhat familiar with almost every property in our Central Business District. The Greyhound bus station was no different and I considered it one of the ugliest buildings in Downtown. A square building with now detail. Stucco on the first floor and metal clad on the second, with very few windows. Only after I was tipped off that there might be an original early 1930’s Art Deco building under the existing exterior, and that it had apartments on the second floor that had been mothballed since the late 1950’s, did I think this might be the building I had been looking for. Armed with a flashlight in a completely pitch black second floor of the building, that had been boarded off to the world for years, I stuck my head through a broken window and could see that the original Art Deco building was still intact behind the metal and stucco.
This was the beginning. I was able to get the building under contract, remove the stucco and metal, and reveal the original building. I then had to go through the process of getting the building listed on the National Register of Historic places (which took about a year and was one of only two properties approved in Texas during the pandemic year). Following its listing on the National Register, then the process of submitting for Historic Tax Credits was next. Once approved for tax credits the real fun began, renovating one of the most beautiful Art Deco buildings in East Texas. Historic character like the zig zag cast stone, glass block, original windows, hardwood floors and floorboards were all restored. Door hardware, bathroom tile and furnishing were selected to match the significant historic periods of the building’s history with each room designed to create an atmosphere unlike anything else in East Texas. The renovation won the Historic Tyler Preservation Award for 2024 and the East Texas Historical Association’s Lucille Terry award, given to the top preservation project in East Texas. We have been selected as a presenter at the Texas Historical Commission’s annual convention, Real Places, on the topic of Historic Tax Credits and adaptive reuse. Today, the Greyhound Inn serves and a unique opportunity to experience the quaintness of a downtown square in a historic town with the urban experience of being in the Capital of East Texas- One block to over a dozen restaurants and other entertainment venues. Only several miles from the Tyler Rose Garden, Hospital District, Caldwell Zoo and the Azalea District. It is a true destination for anyone looking for a weekend getaway.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
1. Trying to get on the National Register of Historic Places during the pandemic.
2. Renovation cost increase of over 25% in the two years from when we purchased the building to when we got approved for tax credits.
3. Trying to get local contractors and subs to understand the finesse you have to use in restoring a historic building.
4. Learning an entirely new business (hospitality), especially in the digital world where it’s all about clicks, search optimization, while having a system that is user friendly.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I started working as a trial lawyer right out of law school but I always wanted to be a real estate owner and developer. After 7 years practicing law, I was able to go full time into commercial real estate. In 2018, I moved my real estate company to the square in Downtown Tyler after the purchase of the Plaza Tower with two other business partners. In 2024, a business partner and I opened the Greyhound Inn, the first contactless hotel in Tyler. We operate and manage it from my office, one block away and it operates much like and Airbnb where you book everything online and are given a code to get in the gate, main doors and your room. We have a building manager that can be reached by phone or text during normal business hours. Our parking lot is secure, and each room has its own personal touch- historic photos of the bus station, downtown Tyler, rose fields, local celebrities and much more adorn the walls in the Greyhound Inn. If you are looking for an alternative to the chain hotels, the Greyhound Inn is just what you are looking for.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Also check out our wide range of dining and entertainment options in Downtown Tyler including some of my favorites; Prime 102, Rick’s, Culture ETX, Don Juan, Andy’s frozen custard, Crema Coffee, ETX Brewery and many more.
See more at Greyhoundinntx.com.
Pricing:
- Check our website for pricing as it changes by the day of the week and season.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.greyhoundinntx.com
- Instagram: @greyhoundinnetx
- Facebook: Greyhound Inn
Image Credits
David White
