The century-old Capitol National Bank building at 700 J Street is finally on its way from pushing paper to checking in guests, as a fresh round of permits signals that the long-discussed Hotel Eleanor project is getting real in downtown Sacramento. The seven-story, granite-clad landmark across from Golden 1 Center is slated to become a boutique hotel that keeps its historic skin while tucking modern guest rooms and ground-floor dining inside. If city reviews stay on track, the project could move from planning to construction in the coming months, as reported by the Sacramento Business Journal.
According to the Sacramento Business Journal, the City of Sacramento received building permit applications earlier this week for the Hotel Eleanor conversion, following design approvals granted last year. The filings mark the latest step for a conversion that has been under debate and in planning since 2024, as it shifts from the conceptual stage into formal review.
What the plans call for
Architectural renderings and plan summaries outline an adaptive reuse approach that preserves the ornate facade while reshaping the interior for hotel life. The upper floors would be converted into about 107 guest rooms, with the ground level reworked for a lobby, dining areas and event space.
The proposal identifies roughly 83,000 square feet of building area, including a 2,140-square-foot banquet hall and a basement dining or bar space set within the former bank vault, according to the published renderings and design notes.
Those design details are laid out in planning imagery and coverage of the project’s visuals. SF Yimby reports that the design team plans only limited exterior changes, primarily a new bronze awning and a 7th Street lobby entrance, while keeping decorative elements such as bronze-framed windows and terracotta figures in place.
Who’s behind the project
The property was acquired last year for about $11.06 million by Hotel Eleanor LLC, an ownership entity tied to Los Angeles-area developer Roger Hume. Earlier in the project’s rollout, the Sacramento Business Journal reported the initial sale and conversion plans, while California corporate filings list Hotel Eleanor LLC with a principal address connected to the 7th Street site.
State records compiled by BizProfile show the formal Hotel Eleanor LLC filing details and confirm the company’s address information.
Developer track record
Hume’s team has some local experience turning historic bones into hotel keys. He previously led the adaptive reuse of Eastern Star Hall into the Hyatt House at 2719 K Street, a project that preserved the historic lobby and facade while adding hotel rooms above. That earlier conversion, documented by the architects and owner’s representatives, is frequently cited as a template for pairing preservation with modern hospitality uses.
HRGA project summaries describe the Eastern Star Hall work and Hume’s role in bringing the branded Hyatt House to market, illustrating the type of retrofit approach now planned for the building at 7th and J.
Timeline and what comes next
With permit applications now in the city’s queue, the Building Division will conduct plan checks covering structural integrity, accessibility standards and fire-safety requirements before any construction permits are issued. The length of that review depends on the project’s scope and staff workload, and additional plan revisions are common for adaptive reuse projects of this scale.
The developer has not released an official construction schedule or public cost estimate. Earlier coverage of the project’s renderings indicated that the final budget and detailed timeline are still being worked out. General information on how the permitting process unfolds is available from the City of Sacramento Building Division, which outlines review steps and submittal requirements for commercial building permits.
