Purple Hotel facts for kids
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Purple Hotel
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Formerly listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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The Purple Hotel in July 2012
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | 4500 West Touhy Avenue, Lincolnwood, Illinois |
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| Built | 1960 |
| Architect | Hausner & Macsai |
| Architectural style | Modern |
| NRHP reference No. | 13000553 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | July 31, 2013 |
| Removed from NRHP | January 2, 2020 |
The Purple Hotel was a famous hotel in Lincolnwood, Illinois. It was also called the Hyatt House Hotel. Built in 1960, it was special because of its bright purple bricks. This hotel was the first Hyatt hotel in the Midwest. It was a very important hotel for the Chicago area until the 1970s. The Purple Hotel had two restaurants and hosted many live music shows. A notable event happened in its parking lot in 1983. After changing owners several times, the hotel closed in 2007. It was torn down in August 2013. The hotel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in July 2013. It was removed from the list in 2020.
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The Purple Hotel's Story
The hotel first opened its doors in 1960. It was known as the Lincolnwood Hyatt House. Architects Hausner & Macsai designed the building. They used a modern style for its look.
Why Was It Purple?
The reason for its unusual purple color is a bit of a mystery. One owner said it was supposed to be dark blue. They claimed the purple was a mistake made during manufacturing. However, the original architect had a different story. He said his clients specifically chose the purple bricks. He even advised them against it!
Fun Features of the Hotel
The Purple Hotel offered many cool things for its guests. It had two fancy restaurants, Tessy's and T.J. Peppercorn's. There was also a great outdoor swimming pool. One musician who visited called it "the greatest" pool. The hotel was also famous for its live entertainment. Many popular singers performed there. These included Perry Como, Roberta Flack, and Barry Manilow.
Why the Hotel Closed
The Purple Hotel closed its doors in January 2007. This happened because of problems with health and safety rules.
Problems Found
Village inspectors checked the hotel. They found mold in many rooms. Out of 225 rooms, 208 had mold. There were also issues with the windows. The roof was leaking in places. The hotel's fire sprinkler system also had problems.
Efforts to Save It
After the hotel closed, the village considered tearing it down. They said they would demolish it unless someone would fix it up. A local resident named Jake Weiss bought the property. He wanted to rebuild the hotel almost exactly as it was. He even bought old items from the original hotel. He worked with the North Capital Group and architect Jackie Koo. They planned to fix up the large property.
A group of people started a campaign to save the hotel. Because of these efforts, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This happened in July 2013. The North Capital Group had bought the building in 2011. They first wanted to save and fix it.
Demolition and New Plans
However, the group later decided to tear the hotel down. They planned to build new shops and homes on the land instead. Before the demolition, the hotel's purple bricks were sold. This happened at the 2013 Lincolnwood Fest. The money raised helped the Lincolnwood Public Library. The Purple Hotel was finally torn down on August 27, 2013.
Today, the area is called the District 1860 site. As of 2020, plans for the site include two new hotels. There will also be about 300 apartments. Plus, new restaurants and shops are planned for the area.
Images for kids
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Demolition work begins on the hotel
