“Hutch rebuilds Hutch” is how Mark Davenport describes the complete renovation of the historic Hoke Building — the iconic downtown Hutchinson property that first went up in 1910 as office space and sat vacant and waiting for decades.
When Mark and his wife Phoebe Davenport, a Kansas City-based couple who develop large residential and commercial properties, first began the journey of restoring the dilapidated building at First Avenue and Walnut Street in early 2021, they committed to using local contractors as much as feasibly possible.
The couple has followed through. Every step of the way — from architectural changes to plumbing, electrical, plaster, painting, concrete and more — the Davenports have relied on local subcontractors to help convert the building into their vision of a 23-room boutique hotel, featuring a wine bar and coffee shop. They’re planning to open the 4-story hotel in phases and are working toward having the first and second floors ready for traffic later this year.
But “Hutch rebuilds Hutch” doesn’t just refer to the Hoke project. The Davenport’s foray into reviving neglected downtown Hutchinson properties started in the summer of 2020 with their purchase of the Plaza Towers and then the Leon Apartments — both in close proximity to the Hoke. Mark Davenport said “Hutch rebuilds Hutch” has been their mantra from the beginning.
“It’s the philosophy of our business,” he said. “Rather than go to large contractors out of Wichita,…
