Hotel Kimball facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hotel Kimball
Historic postcard: Kimball Hotel
Alternative names	Kimball Towers Condominiums
General information
Type	Hotel
Architectural style	Renaissance Revival
Address	140 Chestnut Street
Town or city	Springfield, Massachusetts
Country	USA
Construction started	1910
Opened	1911
Cost	$1,000,000
Design and construction
Architect	Albert Winslow Cobb
Designations	(see Designated landmark)
Known for	Site of the United States' first-ever commercial radio station, Westinghouse's WBZ, and for hosting guests including many U.S. Presidents, dignitaries, and film stars
Other information
Seating capacity	450
Number of rooms	309

The Kimball Towers Condominiums is a famous old building in Springfield, Massachusetts. It was first known as The Hotel Kimball and later as The Sheraton-Kimball Hotel. You can find it at 140 Chestnut Street in the Metro Center area.

This building was designed by architect Albert Winslow Cobb in 1910. It was built in the Renaissance Revival style, which means it looked like grand buildings from the Renaissance period. The Hotel Kimball is very important because it was home to the United States' first-ever commercial radio station, Westinghouse's WBZ. Many famous people stayed here, including U.S. Presidents, important officials, and movie stars.

The Kimball building is part of the Apremont Triangle Historic District. Its main entrance is on Chestnut Street, between Bridge and Hillman Streets. Since 1983, the Kimball has been protected as a historic site. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2012 and 2013, the building went through big updates to keep its historic look.

History of the Kimball Hotel

In the early 1900s, Springfield was one of the richest cities in the United States. Many wealthy travelers visited, but the city only had one top-class hotel. In 1910, a rich businessman named William Kimball decided to build a new luxury hotel. He hired architect Albert Winslow Cobb, who was known for his unique building styles. Cobb designed the hotel to sit on one of Springfield's high hills.

When the hotel opened in 1911, the Springfield Republican newspaper wrote about it. They said it cost about $1,000,000 to build. The newspaper called it "an example of all the latest ideas in hotel evolution." They also mentioned its "splendor with refinement," meaning it was fancy but also tasteful.

The outside of the Hotel Kimball had a strong stone base and arched windows. It also had decorative stone bands and a detailed roof edge. Inside, there were grand rooms for events, like a beautiful ballroom and a fancy lounge. It also had many rooms for guests. The New York Times reviewed it in 1911. They said it was "ranking with the finest [hotels] in the country." They called it "a magnificent hotel, modern and metropolitan in every appointment."

Back then, the guest rooms had "solid mahogany floors" and chairs with "hand tooled-leather" upholstery. This leather even had the Kimball family symbol on it. The hotel was built in a wealthy neighborhood. It had 309 guest rooms and a dining room that could seat 450 people. The grand ballroom was 22 feet (6.7 meters) high and could hold 350 guests. In 1912, a room cost between $1.50 and $3.50 per day. The hotel was always busy with proms, weddings, meetings, and banquets.

For many years after it opened in 1911, The Kimball was the most important hotel in Western Massachusetts. In the 1940s, it became the first grand hotel bought by Sheraton Hotels and Resorts. Sheraton Hotels was based in Springfield at the time. After being bought, the Kimball was renamed the Sheraton-Kimball Hotel. It stayed a high-quality hotel until the early 1980s. Then, it slowly started to change into The Kimball Towers Condominiums.

When it was a hotel, the Kimball hosted many important people. This included U.S. Presidents like Calvin Coolidge, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and John F. Kennedy. Many movie stars, kings, and rich business owners also stayed there.

In the late 1960s, a new highway, Interstate 91, was built. At the same time, many wealthy people started moving out of Springfield to the suburbs. This had a negative effect on the city's Metro Center and the Sheraton-Kimball Hotel. Many old, grand hotels across the U.S. were torn down during the 1970s and early 1980s. But in 1983, the Kimball was saved from being destroyed. This was thanks to its listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

Soon after, two developers bought the building to turn it into apartments called condominiums. The plan was to change the 309-room hotel into 132 condominium units. However, the developers ran into financial trouble and went bankrupt. They were later jailed for problems with another project. For almost ten years, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation managed the Kimball Towers. Many of the units were left unfinished. Only the top three floors (6, 7, and 8) of the ten-story building were completed. During this time, many units were sold to people who didn't live there. The future of the building and Springfield seemed unclear.

In the 2000s, the Kimball started to get better. It became financially stable and well-managed again. This stability had been missing since its days as the Sheraton-Kimball Hotel. The "Millennium Room" was updated. This room used to be part of the Kimball's famous Pickwick Lounge restaurant and bar. The lounge was where the Kennedy family held many campaign meetings. Now, the Millennium Room hosts art shows and performances by artists and musicians. In 2011, the Kimball celebrated its 100th anniversary on St. Patrick's Day. As of 2012, most people living in Kimball Towers own their homes. The building is still undergoing big renovations to keep its historic certification.

Westinghouse's WBZ Radio Station

The Kimball is famous because it was home to one of the United States' first commercial radio stations, Westinghouse's WBZ. From 1921 until the station moved to Boston, Massachusetts in the 1930s, WBZ's broadcast name was "WBZ-AM, Hotel Kimball, Springfield." Later, it was "WBZA-AM & FM, Hotel Kimball, Springfield."

Having the radio station's main office in The Hotel Kimball brought many popular entertainers to Springfield. Even though Springfield was a mid-sized city, it was one of the wealthiest in the U.S. from the 1870s to the 1960s. These entertainers were attracted by the hotel's great reputation, as well as the radio station's and Springfield's fame.