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The Classified Moto event space offers a full bar, kitchen, stage and view of the Richmond skyline.
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Owner John Ryland says the exterior of the building deliberately blends with the industrial neighborhood.
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The Schnickschnack Room is one of the five unique guest rooms in the boutique hotel.
Artful renovation and design are transforming Manchester’s industrial structures into fresh, modern residential and commercial spaces. These renovated buildings in the neighborhood across the James River just south of downtown Richmond coexist with old railroad freight terminals and trucking depots, conjuring a vibe that holds true to the area’s industrial past.
Keeping with the neighborhood’s rugged energy is motorcycle enthusiast John Ryland’s renovation of the former Estes trucking company office. He purchased the two-story midcentury building in 2022 to convert it into a garage for his thriving custom motorcycle business, Classified Moto. The project, designed by architects Fultz & Singh, evolved from a motorcycle repair shop into a mixed-use space that includes a high-end boutique hotel with venue space atop the garage.
“I wanted the outside to be elegantly uninviting,” Ryland says. “I like the wow factor when people aren’t expecting anything from the outside and enter into a warm and inviting space inside.”
Ryland’s budget grew from $750,000 to $2.1 million after a gut renovation and the addition of premium upgrades, including a glass-cab elevator, a 40-foot balcony facing Richmond’s skyline and soundproofing to mitigate motorcycle shop noise. After a two-year renovation, Ryland feels like the result matched his creative vision.
“It may have been cheaper to tear the building down and build something new, but I liked the building’s midcentury industrial vibe,” he says.
Serving as the middleman between the architects, the contractor and his financial partner, Ryland quickly understood that communication is essential for any renovation project. “I learned how important it is to understand what’s included and not included — how everything needs to be clear,” he explains. “For example, there was scarring on the cinderblocks after the asbestos abatement, but it wasn’t in the contract to fix.”
Inspired by speakeasies of the Prohibition era, Ryland designed the interiors himself, selecting a vintage aesthetic of rich, dark colors. A sliding bookcase leads to the venue entrance, and inside are small lounges for breakout spaces, a fully appointed kitchen and bar, and a stage with professional lighting and sound. Each of the five guest rooms is decorated differently, with cozy reading nooks, a few old paintings with motorcycle imagery and unique decorative objects such as the illuminated vintage automobile grille mounted above the bed in the El Mayor room.
“I learned a lot about the renovation and design process with this project,” Ryland says, noting that he doesn’t see another project of this scale in his future, though renovation consulting is a consideration.
