Williams & Williams, the premier brand in real estate auction, in partnership with Auction Network, will conduct two days of commercial real estate auctions in Baton Rouge, La., and Natchez, Miss., on Nov. 17-18, 2009. Interested buyers can bid onsite or online.

Kicking off with a live Studio Auction at 5pC on Nov. 17 at the Eola Hotel in Natchez and ending with a second Studio Auction at 4pC on Nov. 18 at the Hilton Capital Center in Baton Rouge, Williams & Williams will auction 10 choice commercial and historic properties as well as development land on behalf of Bob Dean Classic Properties.

“There is global appeal to both Baton Rouge and Natchez,” said Bob Dean of Bob Dean Classic Properties. “I selected Williams & Williams to auction my properties due to the company’s proven ability to bring the global market to each property to achieve the highest possible market value.”

The Natchez Studio Auction will offer buyers a rare opportunity to acquire historic properties including the 131-room Eola Hotel on the National Register of Historic Places; the Guest House, an intimate bed and breakfast; and The Prentiss Club, a private event hall for social gatherings.

The Baton Rouge Studio Auction will offer the Dean Tower, a 14-story Class B office building in Baton Rouge's mid-city corridor; the six-story Regions Bank Building; the Commerce Building, an eight-story, downtown office building providing approximately 115,000 gross square feet; the historic Cangelosi Home and assemblage; and Choctaw warehouses, as well as 77+/- acres of development land.

Williams & Williams will also auction two former senior care facilities in Lake Charles, La., and Opelousas, La., via absolute without reserve auction.

“Baton Rouge is one of the top 20 strongest metros in the United States,” said Pam McKissick, Williams & Williams President and COO. “This is a huge opportunity for successful business or redevelopment in Baton Rouge’s thriving business district and the excitement of auction will attract buyers from around the world.”

Natchez Auction Preview: The Prentiss Club

Currently used as a private event hall for social gatherings, the Prentiss Club was chartered as a private men's club in 1903 by the state and “was created for social and literary purposes only.” The club was named in honor of noted orator and attorney, Sergeant S. Prentiss. A portrait sculpture of him adorns the façade of the building.

Designed by Soule and MacDonald of New Orleans and built by local contractors (Stietenroth and Dowds), the Renaissance Revival building is solidly constructed of brick, stone, iron, tile and terracotta and distinguished by a columned Loggia leading to a 72 foot long tiled terrace. The jewel of the elegant reception hall is a handsome double staircase, which leads guests to two ornate bedroom suites upstairs, along with an ornate ballroom.

The Prentiss Club was the center of much of the social activity of the city prior to the opening of the Eola Hotel in 1927. For a time it was used as a Masonic Temple. In 1976, then owner, Deposit Guaranty Bank, applied to demolish it for a parking lot. Three local women purchased the building and are owed a great debt for rescuing one of the few fine 20th century buildings in the city.

A deposit of $100,000 is required to bid on this property. Furnishings do not convey with the real estate.

Natchez Auction Preview: The Eola Hotel

Built in 1927, renovated in 1998, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the 131-room Natchez Eola Hotel offers its guests the ambiance and charm of the Old South with the convenience of modern amenities. The Natchez Eola Hotel is graced with elegant interiors, arched doorways, crystal chandeliers, marble trim, stately columns, Mississippi River view balconies and a New Orleans courtyard with an original fire-and-water fountain.

Grand and stately, the Eola Hotel is furnished throughout with fine antiques, original oil paintings, statuary fountains and lush florals. Step out of the Eola's courtyard into the heart of historic downtown Natchez, where you'll discover Natchez Under-the-Hill, riverboat gambling, and the city's renowned Antiques Row, all within walking distance of the Eola. Horse-drawn carriages will deliver you to the door of magnificent antebellum mansions graced with innumerable white columns, rich Italian marble and moss-laden trees.

Named "Eola" after the developer's daughter, the Natchez Eola Hotel opened on July 1, 1927. Local newspapers hailed the hotel as a symbol of civic progress. Beginning in 1932, the Eola became headquarters for the annual Natchez Spring Pilgrimage.

The hotel enjoyed years of prosperity and celebrity visits, but by the 1960s, was showing its age. It quietly closed in 1974. Then, in 1978, under new ownership, a major restoration project commenced. Six and one-half million dollars later, the landmark hotel reopened. Elaborate chandeliers, columns, arched doorways, marble trim, and the famed "Peacock Alley" were returned to their original splendor. Preservation efforts sensitive to the original architecture earned the Natchez Eola membership in the National Register of Historic Places. The premier historic hotel property in Natchez, Miss., the Eola once again is a command center to the annual antebellum home pilgrimages. The hotel hosts the annual Natchez Antiques Forum.

The tallest building in downtown Natchez, the seven-story Eola Hotel overlooks the city from the corner of Main and Pearl Streets. Just two blocks from the Mississippi River, and one block from the city's new convention center, the hotel is within easy walking distance of most of the city's attractions, restaurants, and nightlife.

The Natchez Eola Hotel offers the finest convention and meeting facilities in the area. The greatest care has been taken to create functional spaces that do not sacrifice the elegant ambiance of this historic hotel. With +/- 3,995 square feet of meeting space, the Eola Hotel provides meeting spaces that range from small boardrooms that seat a dozen individuals to a grand ballroom, which can accommodate 400 guests. Lé Grand Pré Ballroom, on the mezzanine, offers a beautiful space for private dinners and receptions. The Grand Pré seats up to 250 people for banquets and 400 people for receptions. The ballroom can be divided into four private rooms that will accommodate groups from 15 to 110 people.

Rooms are handicapped accessible along with smoking and non-smoking. Some rooms come furnished with refrigerators, microwaves, ice machines, and fireplaces, along with balconies and/or connecting balconies. The premium suite comes with a jacuzzi and fireplace. Other amenities include: data ports, voice mail, cable television, radio & alarm clocks, coffee makers, hair dryers, irons and ironing boards.

A deposit of $100,000 is required to bid on this property. For this property, there may be an additional fee (to be determined) to the high bid for personal property conveying with the real estate.

Natchez Auction Preview: Bed & Breakfast

The Guest House, an intimate hotel/bed and breakfast, has 16 exquisitely appointed and furnished guest rooms. Located in the heart of the oldest settlement on the Mississippi River and originally built in the 1840s, The Guest House offers visitors a unique and unforgettable Southern hospitality experience of the true South. The Guest House was originally a one-and-a-half story, Greek Revival townhouse built for Samuel and Jane Newman in the mid-1840s. As originally built and documented in historic photographs, the Guest House resembled the nearby John Smith House, a smaller brick cottage at the corner of North Pearl and Jefferson Streets.

In 1902-03, the second story was completed, which is the reason for the difference of windows between the first and second floor. Since the Victorian Era renovation, many architectural features were changed from the original Greek Revival architecture. Fireplace mantels and door moldings were "modernized" into the Victorian style and the front pediment and four massive columns added. The enlarged and remodeled building also featured a swimming pool at the rear where the courtyard exists today.

The dedication to preserve the original architecture style and décor of the property, the Guest House is celebrating its 26th year as a fine hospitality establishment in the heart of historic downtown Natchez.

A bid deposit of $100,000 is required to bid on this property.

For more information visit williamsauction.com