Noble’s style leaves indelible mark

Two big projects in downtown Rome are closer to reality.

Romans don’t have to hunt far and wide to see the impact native Rome architect Robert Noble has had on his hometown. By his own count, Noble believes he’s been involved in between 300 and 350 design projects across the community.

His impact is expected to grow even larger over the course of the next 12-18 months as two projects he has collaborated with Rome businessman Ira Levy rise out of the ground.

Noble is serving as the architect for the apartments at 529 Broad St., The Lofts at Third and Broad, as well as the next expansion of the Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham.

Noble traces the roots of his family in Rome in the mid-1800s.

“I never actually decided to be an architect so much as I realized I was going to be one when I was still in high school,” Noble said “It made decisions easy after that because I didn’t go through a great soul searching of what to do.”

He was licensed by the state in 1984. Among his work in recent years are the Southeastern Mills Research and Design facility off Old Lindale Road, The Church at Northside in Armuchee and the South Rome campus of the Boys & Girls Club. Ira Levy Robert Noble checks out plans for an addition to the Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham while working at his office on South Broad Street.

Noble said computers have changed have a major impact on architecture since he began his practice in Rome 33 years ago.

“A lot fewer hands touch a set of drawings now than used to,” Noble said. “Just to draw a floor plan by hand I can do that, as quickly as I can on a computer, but as soon as you start changing it the computer is enormously faster. The ability to do that in three dimensions in a computer automatically keeps things from being in the same spot.”

Noble said it could be a challenge to not depend on the computer to make decisions rather than the architect deciding what to do.

Noble started to work with Levy on the expansion of the Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham, which will parallel the Oostanaula River between the existing building File, Doug Walker / Rome News-Tribune

Architect Robert Noble plans to incorporate design elements from the existing section of the Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham in next phase that will overlook the river.

and the Third Avenue parking deck, about four years ago.

The building will include design elements from the body of the original section of the Hawthorn Doug Walker / Rome News-Tribune

as well as some of the board and batten elements of the second phase of the hotel that actually overlooks the river. Noble said parking would be incorporated underneath the body of the new building. “You’ve got a lot of different materials there,” said Noble.

The new addition will have balconies on rooms that overlook the river but the rooms facing toward Broad Street will not feature balconies.

Noble said he’s really enjoyed working with Levy. “You know it’s going to be done properly,” Noble said.

The Lofts at Third and Broad will be a brick condominium building designed to blend in with the rest of the Broad Street community.

“It’s important to me that a building looks like it belongs where it is,” Noble said. The condos will be constructed on upper levels. Commercial spaces are also designed for commercial ownership. Retailers will actually buy their space. Noble said the design is for up to six commercial spaces on the Broad Street level. Noble said that the exterior shell drawings are finished, and the merchants will be able to design their own space. What is currently envisioned as two or three retail spaces might be combined to make one.

“Groundbreaking I hope will be soon,” Noble said.

Through the years, Noble’s practice has occasionally taken on additional staff. He’s had several that became licensed while working for him then decided to go their own way. “One or two were already registered themselves,” Noble said. Right now he’s just got one assistant. “It’s been a long time since the crash, but construction seems to be finally coming back around here,” Noble said.

Asked about his favorite projects through the years, Noble said, “My favorite building is the next one.”

While most of Noble’s work through the years has been centered in Rome, a couple of Noble’s next projects are in neighboring Summerville and Centre, Alabama.

Noble is designing the new Fairway Community Center in Summerville, a 3,075-square-foot facility.

He is also handling the renovation of the former Marine Armory in Centre into a small civic center type of building.