Tower Hotel (Anderson, Indiana) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Tower Hotel
|
|
|
U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
|
,_Anderson,_Indiana,_Nov_4th,_2011.jpg)
Front and eastern side of the hotel
|
|
 Location in Indiana
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 1109 Jackson St., Anderson, Indiana |
|---|---|
| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1930 |
| Architect | Erwin F. Miller; A.J. Glasser Company |
| Architectural style | Art Deco, Late Gothic Revival |
| Part of | Anderson Downtown Historic District (ID06000307) |
| NRHP reference No. | 97001180 |
| Added to NRHP | October 10, 1997 |
The Tower Hotel is a historic building in downtown Anderson, Indiana. It stands at the corner of Eleventh and Jackson Streets. Even though it's called a hotel, it has a very interesting past. It was built to be a fancy hotel, but things didn't go as planned.
Contents
The Hotel That Never Opened
The Tower Hotel was built in 1930. It was meant to be a grand hotel with many features. These included a bakery, a barber shop, a large hall for events, and a business center. It would also have had a big lobby and a dining room.
However, the Great Depression hit hard. This was a time when many people lost their jobs and money. Because of this, the hotel building was finished on the outside, but the inside was never completed. So, the Tower Hotel never actually opened its doors as a hotel.
What Happened Next?
For many years, the building stood empty. Later, a group called the Gospel Trumpet bought the building. They changed it into apartments, giving it a new purpose.
Near the Tower Hotel, there was once a special building called an "auto hotel." This was a place where people could park their cars. It also offered full car maintenance services. This idea never became very popular. The auto hotel building was torn down in the 1990s.
A Historic Landmark
In 1997, the Tower Hotel was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes important buildings and places across the United States. Being on this list means the building is special and worth preserving.
The Tower Hotel is also part of the Anderson Downtown Historic District. This larger area was added to the National Register in 2006. It means the whole downtown area has many important historic buildings.
New Owners and New Hopes
By late 2011, the owners of the Tower Hotel faced problems. The costs to keep the building running were too high. They had to close it down. The first two floors were covered with wood for a while.
In February 2013, news came out that the building would be sold. An auction was held, and people could visit the building before bidding. On February 20, 2013, a businessman named Youri Frankine bought the Tower Hotel for $100,000.
Mr. Frankine was excited about his new purchase. He said he wanted to make the building look "just like it was" before. He also hoped to make the apartments inside nice and fitting for the historic outside look. He believes this project will help make downtown Anderson lively again.
Images for kids
-
Front and eastern side of the hotel
-
The Tower Hotel building
See also
In Spanish: Tower Hotel para niños
