809 Arsenal Site Renovation - Hotel Section

The abandoned 809 Factory lies in Xialaoxi Gorge, outside Yichang, Hubei, about thirty minutes from the city center. Once a Third Front military factory producing gas masks, it ceased production in the 1990s. The site covers about three hectares with 13,000 square meters of building, to be reborn as a resort hotel and family activity center. The project aims to adapt the abandoned factory, preserving and revealing its original character while introducing new functions, reviving industrial heritage into contemporary life. The gorge has karst topography, large level changes and complex geology; Xialaoxi is a summer retreat for Yichang residents, with a clear year-round stream ideal for swimming and leisure. Before renovation the area already had farmstay restaurants and small amusement parks; the 809 Factory sits mid-gorge, closely tied to the stream with excellent natural environment and industrial history. After production ceased the plant was rented to private firms and all machinery removed, leaving raw industrial shells ready for adaptive reuse.