Westward Ho (Phoenix) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Westward Ho |
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| General information | |
| Type | Residential (formerly Hotel, Office) |
| Architectural style | Mission/Spanish Revival |
| Location | 618 North Central Ave., Phoenix, Arizona |
| Coordinates | 33°27′17.9″N 112°4′25.82″W / 33.454972°N 112.0738389°W |
| Construction started | 1927 |
| Completed | 1928 |
| Opened | December 15, 1928 |
| Cost | $2.5 million (estimate) |
| Height | |
| Tip | 488 ft (149 m) |
| Antenna spire | 280 |
| Roof | 208 ft (63 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 16 |
| Lifts/elevators | 3 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Fisher, Lake, and Traver; Louis L. Dorr |
| Main contractor | J. B. McNeil Company, 1928, Del E. Webb Construction Company, 1948 |
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Hotel Westward Ho
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| MPS | Phoenix Commercial MRA (AD) |
| NRHP reference No. | 82002082 |
| Added to NRHP | February 19, 1982 |
The Westward Ho is a tall building in Phoenix, Arizona. It has 16 stories and stands about 208 feet (63 meters) tall to its roof. For over 30 years, it was the tallest building in Arizona. This changed in 1960 when the Meridian Bank Tower was finished.
The building was mostly a hotel from when it opened in 1928 until it closed in 1980. It also had offices and restaurants. One famous restaurant was on the 16th floor, called Top of the Ho. There were also big rooms for events. The Turquoise Room on the second floor hosted many wedding parties. The Thunderbird Room was a large convention center next to the hotel. It could hold 1,600 people and was used for many big events in Phoenix.
After the hotel closed in 1980, new owners changed the building. It became a place for older people and those with disabilities to live. Today, about 320 people live in 289 rooms. These rooms were recently updated to be more comfortable for residents.
Building History
Plans for the hotel were announced in spring 1927. It was first going to be called the Roosevelt Hotel. Money for the project came from Sutherlin-Barry & Company in New Orleans, Louisiana. The owner was G. L. Johnson from Chicago, Illinois. The architects, Fisher, Lake, and Traver, also designed the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, California.
Work on the hotel stopped in early 1928 when only six stories were built. In April, J. B. McNeil Company from Los Angeles, California, was hired to finish the hotel.
In September 1928, Charles V. Bob from New York City bought the hotel project. He took over all the financing for building, furniture, and equipment. The hotel's name was then changed from Roosevelt to Westward Ho. On December 15, 1928, the Westward Ho officially opened its doors.
A librarian at the Sun City Museum said that famous developer Del Webb started his career hanging doors at the hotel. His company later built an addition to the hotel. A five-story annex was added west of the main building in 1948 by the Del E. Webb Construction Company.
In 1949, a tall steel tower and antenna were put on top of the building. This was used to broadcast Phoenix's first television station, KPHO-TV CBS-5. KPHO moved its transmitter in 1960. Later, the antenna was used by a radio station. Today, the antenna on Westward Ho works as a cell tower.
In 1982, the National Register of Historic Places listed the Westward Ho as a historic building. This means it is an important part of history. In 2003, a group of investors bought the building.
Changes in Ownership
The Westward Ho has had several owners over the years. G. L. Johnson started the project in 1927. He sold it to Charles V. Bob and August Heckscher in 1928. Heckscher took full control in the early 1930s. After he passed away in 1941, his wife inherited the hotel, but she also passed away a few months later.
In 1943, partners John B. Mills and R. H. Hawn bought the hotel. They owned several other large hotels in Texas. The management of the Westward Ho stayed the same after they bought it.
In December 1972, the Mills family sold the hotel to Leisure Inns and Resorts Inc. from Cleveland, Ohio. This company faced money problems. In March, they sold the hotel to Deil Gustafson, a banker from Minneapolis. He also owned a hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In May 1975, the hotel announced it would no longer be a hotel. It would become a place for retired people to live. The building faced more financial issues and changed hands again. In December 1977, Al and Marie Seidel and their partners bought the building.
New Life for Westward Ho
After a difficult time, the Westward Ho was sold in December 1977. The new owners planned to use government money to turn it into a home for older people. Renovations started in mid-1980 to change the hotel into a housing complex. The first residents moved in the next year. Today, the building provides housing for people who are physically or mentally disabled.
The building was updated again between 2003 and 2004. This was to make living conditions better for residents and to fix up the building's outside. Old window air conditioners were removed, and a new central air system was put in. About 450 outside windows were replaced with new ones that looked like the originals. The outside was cleaned, and the building was repainted its original beige color. Fire safety systems were also improved.
Famous Visitors
Many important people have visited the Westward Ho:
- Vice President Richard Nixon had breakfast at the hotel on October 15, 1960, before giving a speech.
- Then-actor (and future President) Ronald Reagan spoke at an event in the Thunderbird Room on May 30, 1961.
- President John F. Kennedy had dinner at the Westward Ho on November 17, 1961, to honor Senator Carl Hayden.
- Senator Ted Kennedy campaigned for Presidential candidate John Kerry at the Westward Ho on January 30, 2004.
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