Dallas Hilton
Encyclopedia
The Dallas Hilton, also known as Hilton Hotel and today operating as the Dallas Hotel Indigo
, is a historic structure located at the corner of Main Street and S. Harwood Street in downtown
Dallas, Texas
(USA
). The hotel is a contributing property
in the Harwood Historic District
and Main Street District. It is also located across the street from Main Street Garden Park
.
, was his first hotel to bear the "Hilton
" name. Conrad Hilton operated one of the two earliest hotel chains in the state, and went on to become a world leading hotel operator, with an international chain of hotels and resorts.
Unlike his earlier hotels, which were bought and renovated but not built by Conrad Hilton himself, the new hotel in Dallas was designed by Hilton from the ground up to be a prominent high rise hotel.
For the building site Hilton chose the highest point in downtown Dallas. Hilton retained the prominent architectural firm of Lang and Witchell, one of the two most respected firms in Dallas, to design the new hotel. They designed the hotel as a 14-story, reinforced concrete and masonry structure in a simplified Sullivanesque style with symmetrical facades and Beaux Arts detailing. Its horseshoe plan is similar to that of the Magnolia Building and features two massive towers projecting toward Harwood Street which form an open court. The towers were tied together on the main (Harwood) facade with a frontispiece entrance and an elaborate bridge at the l0th level.
Ground was broken on July 25, 1924 and the building was completed just over one year later for a total cost of $1,360,000—Hilton's second most costly Texas highrise. The hotel officially opened on Thursday, August 6, 1925. Hilton maximized all available space in the public areas of the hotel for an assortment of vending services. The presence of the druggist, men's shop, barber shop, valet service, beauty shop, coffee shop, tailor, cigar/newsstand, telegraph office, dining room and others dovetailed with Hilton's emphasis on service while the rents those services paid supplemented the finances of the operation. Not wanting to tie up capital in land ownership, Hilton introduced the idea of a 99-year land lease with the Dallas Hilton. The concept was well known in the East in 1925, but it was new to Texas commerce circles.
Hilton's private offices were also located on the mezzanine level as were seven sample rooms with Murphy wall beds. The 325 guest rooms were typically small and were painted in colors of pearl gray and cream. The rooms and corridors were carpeted. Most had full baths, and the rest had half baths. Seventy-five percent of the rooms had south or east exposure for maximum ventilation; no rooms were located on the west.
The competition of the luxurious Adolphus
and Baker Hotels located just blocks away compelled Hilton to formulate a marketing strategy for attracting a new clientele — "The Average Man" — to whom a moderately priced, modern hotel of handsome design would appeal in a city where there were few alternatives.
In 1961 the building was sold to Earlee Hotels, but the hotel continued to bear the name White Plaza until 1974. During these years the hotel began to deteriorate physically and decline in popularity.
On February 15, 1985, the hotel was sold again to the Dallas Plaza Partners of California, made up of Hotel Equity Management and Blackmond, Garlock and Flynn real estate merchant banker of San Francisco. The Dallas Plaza Partners contracted with Corgan Architects Associates to restore the hotel and Jerry O'Hara to renovate the interior, which took ten months. In December 1985, The Dallas Plaza Hotel opened its doors. It was later renamed the Aristocrat Hotel of Dallas and managed by Holiday Inn
.
The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places
and designated a Dallas Landmark in 1985. It was also designated as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
in 1988.
. The property's interior underwent a $5 million renovation that introduced hardwood floors, spa-like guest bathrooms, a business center and an upgraded fitness area. Today the hotel contains 3000 square feet (278.7 m²) of meeting space and 169 rooms.
Hotel Indigo
Hotel Indigo is a chain of boutique hotels, part of the InterContinental Hotels Group. It is promoted as being "the industry’s first branded boutique hotel experience." The concept includes a retail-inspired design concept with changes throughout the year. Guestrooms feature murals, area rugs,...
, is a historic structure located at the corner of Main Street and S. Harwood Street in downtown
Downtown Dallas
Downtown Dallas is the Central Business District in Dallas, Texas USA, located in the geographic center of the city. The area termed "Downtown" has traditionally been defined as bounded by the downtown freeway loop: bounded on the east by I-345 Downtown Dallas is the Central Business District...
Dallas, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
(USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
). The hotel is a contributing property
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
in the Harwood Historic District
Harwood Historic District
The Harwood Historic District is a historic commercial district and Dallas Landmark District on the east end of downtown Dallas, Texas lying in parts of the City Center District, Main Street District and Farmers Market District...
and Main Street District. It is also located across the street from Main Street Garden Park
Main Street Garden Park
Main Street Garden Park is a public park located in downtown Dallas, Texas, USA The $17.4 million park was primarily funded through the City of Dallas’ 2003 and 2006 bond programs and is the first of several planned downtown core parks, including Pacific Plaza Park and Belo Garden Park...
.
The beginning
The Hilton Hotel, built in 1925 for Conrad HiltonConrad Hilton
Conrad Nicholson Hilton was an American businessman and investor. He is well known for being the founder of the Hilton Hotels chain.-Early life:Hilton was born in San Antonio, New Mexico...
, was his first hotel to bear the "Hilton
Hilton Hotels
Hilton Hotels & Resorts is an international chain of full-service hotels and resorts founded by Conrad Hilton and now owned by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton hotels are either owned by, managed by, or franchised to independent operators by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton Hotels became the first coast-to-coast...
" name. Conrad Hilton operated one of the two earliest hotel chains in the state, and went on to become a world leading hotel operator, with an international chain of hotels and resorts.
Unlike his earlier hotels, which were bought and renovated but not built by Conrad Hilton himself, the new hotel in Dallas was designed by Hilton from the ground up to be a prominent high rise hotel.
For the building site Hilton chose the highest point in downtown Dallas. Hilton retained the prominent architectural firm of Lang and Witchell, one of the two most respected firms in Dallas, to design the new hotel. They designed the hotel as a 14-story, reinforced concrete and masonry structure in a simplified Sullivanesque style with symmetrical facades and Beaux Arts detailing. Its horseshoe plan is similar to that of the Magnolia Building and features two massive towers projecting toward Harwood Street which form an open court. The towers were tied together on the main (Harwood) facade with a frontispiece entrance and an elaborate bridge at the l0th level.
Ground was broken on July 25, 1924 and the building was completed just over one year later for a total cost of $1,360,000—Hilton's second most costly Texas highrise. The hotel officially opened on Thursday, August 6, 1925. Hilton maximized all available space in the public areas of the hotel for an assortment of vending services. The presence of the druggist, men's shop, barber shop, valet service, beauty shop, coffee shop, tailor, cigar/newsstand, telegraph office, dining room and others dovetailed with Hilton's emphasis on service while the rents those services paid supplemented the finances of the operation. Not wanting to tie up capital in land ownership, Hilton introduced the idea of a 99-year land lease with the Dallas Hilton. The concept was well known in the East in 1925, but it was new to Texas commerce circles.
Hilton's private offices were also located on the mezzanine level as were seven sample rooms with Murphy wall beds. The 325 guest rooms were typically small and were painted in colors of pearl gray and cream. The rooms and corridors were carpeted. Most had full baths, and the rest had half baths. Seventy-five percent of the rooms had south or east exposure for maximum ventilation; no rooms were located on the west.
The competition of the luxurious Adolphus
Adolphus Hotel
The Hotel Adolphus is an upscale hotel and Dallas Landmark in the Main Street District of downtown Dallas, Texas which was for several years the tallest building in the state of Texas.- History :...
and Baker Hotels located just blocks away compelled Hilton to formulate a marketing strategy for attracting a new clientele — "The Average Man" — to whom a moderately priced, modern hotel of handsome design would appeal in a city where there were few alternatives.
Changes
During the Great Depression, Hilton lost four hotels and saved five, one of which was the Dallas Hilton. In 1938, he relinquished the operating lease of the Dallas Hilton after his move to California. George Loudermilk, the owner, contracted with another well known hotel operator in Texas, A. C. "Jack" White, in July 1938 to run the hotel. White changed the name of the hotel to the White Plaza. He also undertook improvements totaling $150,000, including improvements to the air conditioning system. The 325 rooms were converted to 234, all with private baths. Loudermilk resided at the hotel until his death in 1953.In 1961 the building was sold to Earlee Hotels, but the hotel continued to bear the name White Plaza until 1974. During these years the hotel began to deteriorate physically and decline in popularity.
Restoration
In 1977, Opal Sebastian, real estate investor, purchased the building and changed the name to the Plaza. All floors above the fourth level had been closed for an unknown period of time, and all rooms were in poor condition. Sebastian reopened the floors one at a time as they were rehabilitated.On February 15, 1985, the hotel was sold again to the Dallas Plaza Partners of California, made up of Hotel Equity Management and Blackmond, Garlock and Flynn real estate merchant banker of San Francisco. The Dallas Plaza Partners contracted with Corgan Architects Associates to restore the hotel and Jerry O'Hara to renovate the interior, which took ten months. In December 1985, The Dallas Plaza Hotel opened its doors. It was later renamed the Aristocrat Hotel of Dallas and managed by Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn is a brand of hotels, formally a economy motel chain, forming part of the British InterContinental Hotels Group . It is one of the world's largest hotel chains with 238,440 bedrooms and 1,301 hotels globally. There are currently 5 hotels in the pipeline...
.
The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
and designated a Dallas Landmark in 1985. It was also designated as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark is a designation awarded by the Texas Historical Commission for historically and architecturally significant properties in the state of Texas....
in 1988.
Today
In 2006 the hotel was converted to the Dallas Hotel Indigo, a boutique chain franchised by InterContinental Hotels GroupInterContinental Hotels Group
InterContinental Hotels Group plc is a global hotels company headquartered in Denham, United Kingdom. It is the largest hotels company in the world measured by rooms , and has over 4,500 hotels across over 100 countries...
. The property's interior underwent a $5 million renovation that introduced hardwood floors, spa-like guest bathrooms, a business center and an upgraded fitness area. Today the hotel contains 3000 square feet (278.7 m²) of meeting space and 169 rooms.