Photo/Illutration An artist's rendering of Hotel Indigo Nagasaki Glover Street, which is expected to open in December within a Western-style building in Nagasaki following renovation work (Provided by Mori Trust Co.)

NAGASAKI--An imposing late 19th century building here that once served as an orphanage is undergoing extensive refurbishment ahead of its opening as a hotel in December.

The three-story, red-brick property was built in the Meiji Era (1868-1912) on what is now Glover Street in the city’s Minami-Yamatemachi district. It was originally used by a Catholic monastic order.

Located a 5-minute walk from the famed Glover Garden, the building, along with other sites, is undergoing renovation work as part of a state-designated protected zone for historic architecture.

The structure in question is slated to open Dec. 13 as Hotel Indigo Nagasaki Glover Street under a foreign-affiliated brand.

The original building on a hill overlooking Nagasaki Port dates from 1898. It accommodated a monastic order, a school for non-Japanese children and an orphanage.

After World War II, the property was utilized for the Mary orphanage as well as a kindergarten, among other things.

It was acquired by hotel operator Mori Trust Co., and the Mary orphanage relocated to a nearby site in 2019.

The refurbishment work requires that the Western-style building’s external appearance, along with the cobblestones around it, be preserved. A deconsecrated church that boasts stained glass windows was converted into a restaurant.

The former orphanage boasts three stories above ground and a basement. The refurbished structure will boast a total floor space of 4,500 square meters and be equipped with 66 guest rooms.

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