Dallas Statler Hilton
Encyclopedia
The former Dallas Statler Hilton is an iconic building of mid-twentieth century design
located at 1914 Commerce Street in downtown
Dallas, Texas
(USA
). It is located on the edge of the Farmers Market District and adjacent to Main Street Garden Park
. The hotel was praised as the first modern American hotel and was designed by William B. Tabler
. Later renamed the Dallas Grand Hotel, it has remained vacant since 2001.
Designed as the flagship for the new Statler Hilton
chain, the hotel was completed in 1956 at a cost of $16 million. It was the first major hotel built in Dallas in nearly three decades and the largest convention facility in the South. Opening day included luminaries from both coasts converging on Dallas for a four-day celebration.
Architect William B. Tabler
introduced several new construction techniques and materials. The first full application of its kind, a cantilevered reinforced flat-slab system reduced the number of columns needed and created a soaring building. Tabler was also one of the first in the country to use a thin-skinned curtain wall design consisting of 1 3/8" panels made of glass and colored porcelain coated metal. Its innovative features made it a significant contributor to the Modern movement in Dallas, and for the state of Texas.
The Y-shaped building contained 1,001 guest rooms over 20 floors and a ballroom capable of hosting 2,200 people. The room count was reduced to 710 after numerous renovations.
The hotel itself was proclaimed “the last word in hostelries.” The Statler Hilton boasted many firsts for the hotel industry such as elevator music
and custom 21" Westinghouse TVs in every room. It was one of the first hotels to have its ballroom and conference rooms located on lower floors, and a heliport
was located on the roof to shuttle guests from nearby airports.
The outdoor patio located above street level along St. Paul Street contained a large rotating sculpture by José de Rivera
. "A Wishing Star," 12 feet high and 15 feet across, was made of triangulated arms whose undersides were stainless steel and top goldplated.
The Statler played an important role establishing Dallas as a business center for the Southwest. It was the largest hotel in the Southwest, and helped attract convention business to Dallas for many years. According to Dallas’ AIA Guide to Dallas, the Statler and next door’s former Dallas Public Library
, designed by George Dahl
in 1953, make-up the “best block of 1950s architecture in the city.”
In 1988, Hilton Hotels sold the property to Hong Kong investors who re-named it the Dallas Grand Hotel. Its final closure came in 2001.
Over the years interior renovations have erased many of the original design elements, although staircases are still in their original configuration. The exterior has essentially remained unchanged over the years.
The building's rehabilitation has been hampered by a number of structural problems, notably water damage and vandalism on some of the floors. However, many of the floors and hotel rooms have remained untouched since 2001. Ironically, the flat-slab structural system that was so innovative in the 1950s now limits ceiling height to 8 feet and adds challenges to any renovation. The building also contains a large amount of asbestos.
The lack of adequate parking is also a challenge to redevelopment, although there are several nearby large parking garages. Main Street Garden Park
might have included underground parking had there been a private developer interested before construction began in 2008.
Recent residential conversions and redevelopment initiatives by the City of Dallas have helped rejuvenate many of the nearby vacant structures. Main Street Garden Park
, located in front of the Statler Hilton, replaces many unsightly parking structures and is a gathering place for residents, office workers and students of the nearby Universities Center at Dallas
.
Preservation Dallas included the structure in both its 2007 and 2008 Most Endangered lists and has campaigned for preservation of the landmark hotel.
In 2008 the National Trust for Historic Preservation
included the Statler Hilton on its 2008 list of "America's Most Endangered Places
," citing its importance in American mid-century design.
In June 2009 AIA Dallas announced a competition for a temporary installation to provide pleasing views to Main Street Garden Park patrons while the building remains empty. In late 2009 the building's lower levels were covered in opaque plastic and lit from behind, giving the building a lantern-like appearance.
On March 1, 2011 it was reported that the Statler Hilton building and the adjoining library had been sold to a developer, Leobardo Trevino, who intends to restore it. "Right now," he said, "the plans are to clean it up and restore the exterior and make it nice. We'll gut it and take it down to the concrete...But our plans are to restore it to the original and make it look like it did in 1956. We love the property." The development group is also restoring 1600 Pacific Tower
in downtown Dallas.
Mid-century modern
Mid-Century modern is an architectural, interior and product design form that generally describes mid-20th century developments in modern design, architecture, and urban development from roughly 1933 to 1965...
located at 1914 Commerce 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...
). It is located on the edge of the Farmers Market District and adjacent to 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 hotel was praised as the first modern American hotel and was designed by William B. Tabler
William B. Tabler
William B. Tabler Sr. was an American architect who designed more than 400 hotels. He was best known for giving Hilton hotels the clean but sometimes stark face of corporate America, most notably in the 46-story slablike New York Hilton near Rockefeller Center.-Personal life :Mr...
. Later renamed the Dallas Grand Hotel, it has remained vacant since 2001.
History
Statler Hotel
The Statler Hotel company was one of the United States' early chains of hotels catering to traveling businessmen and tourists. It was founded by Ellsworth Milton Statler in Buffalo, New York.- Early ventures :...
chain, the hotel was completed in 1956 at a cost of $16 million. It was the first major hotel built in Dallas in nearly three decades and the largest convention facility in the South. Opening day included luminaries from both coasts converging on Dallas for a four-day celebration.
Architect William B. Tabler
William B. Tabler
William B. Tabler Sr. was an American architect who designed more than 400 hotels. He was best known for giving Hilton hotels the clean but sometimes stark face of corporate America, most notably in the 46-story slablike New York Hilton near Rockefeller Center.-Personal life :Mr...
introduced several new construction techniques and materials. The first full application of its kind, a cantilevered reinforced flat-slab system reduced the number of columns needed and created a soaring building. Tabler was also one of the first in the country to use a thin-skinned curtain wall design consisting of 1 3/8" panels made of glass and colored porcelain coated metal. Its innovative features made it a significant contributor to the Modern movement in Dallas, and for the state of Texas.
The Y-shaped building contained 1,001 guest rooms over 20 floors and a ballroom capable of hosting 2,200 people. The room count was reduced to 710 after numerous renovations.
The hotel itself was proclaimed “the last word in hostelries.” The Statler Hilton boasted many firsts for the hotel industry such as elevator music
Elevator music
Elevator music refers to instrumental arrangements of popular music designed for playing in shopping malls, grocery stores, department stores, telephone systems , cruise ships, airports, doctors' and dentists' offices, and elevators...
and custom 21" Westinghouse TVs in every room. It was one of the first hotels to have its ballroom and conference rooms located on lower floors, and a heliport
Heliport
A heliport is a small airport suitable only for use by helicopters. Heliports typically contain one or more helipads and may have limited facilities such as fuel, lighting, a windsock, or even hangars...
was located on the roof to shuttle guests from nearby airports.
The outdoor patio located above street level along St. Paul Street contained a large rotating sculpture by José de Rivera
Jose de Rivera
Jose de Rivera was an American abstract sculptor.-Life:He grew up in New Orleans. He dropped out of high school, but finished at a boarding school. He worked on the plantation, fixing farm machinery.In 1924, he moved to Chicago.He studied drawing with muralist John W. Norton...
. "A Wishing Star," 12 feet high and 15 feet across, was made of triangulated arms whose undersides were stainless steel and top goldplated.
The Statler played an important role establishing Dallas as a business center for the Southwest. It was the largest hotel in the Southwest, and helped attract convention business to Dallas for many years. According to Dallas’ AIA Guide to Dallas, the Statler and next door’s former Dallas Public Library
Old Dallas Central Library
The former Dallas Public Library, now known as Old Dallas Central Library, is a multi-level civic structure located at 1954 Commerce Street in downtown Dallas, Texas . It is located on the edge of the Farmers Market District and adjacent to Main Street Garden Park...
, designed by George Dahl
George Dahl
George Leighton Dahl was a prominent American architect based in Dallas, Texas during the 20th century. His most notable contributions include the Art Deco structures of Fair Park while he oversaw planning and construction of the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition.-Background:George Dahl was born in...
in 1953, make-up the “best block of 1950s architecture in the city.”
In 1988, Hilton Hotels sold the property to Hong Kong investors who re-named it the Dallas Grand Hotel. Its final closure came in 2001.
Current Condition and Challenges
The building's rehabilitation has been hampered by a number of structural problems, notably water damage and vandalism on some of the floors. However, many of the floors and hotel rooms have remained untouched since 2001. Ironically, the flat-slab structural system that was so innovative in the 1950s now limits ceiling height to 8 feet and adds challenges to any renovation. The building also contains a large amount of asbestos.
The lack of adequate parking is also a challenge to redevelopment, although there are several nearby large parking garages. 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...
might have included underground parking had there been a private developer interested before construction began in 2008.
Recent residential conversions and redevelopment initiatives by the City of Dallas have helped rejuvenate many of the nearby vacant structures. 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...
, located in front of the Statler Hilton, replaces many unsightly parking structures and is a gathering place for residents, office workers and students of the nearby Universities Center at Dallas
Universities Center at Dallas
The Universities Center at Dallas is a partnership between the Dallas County Community College District and four Texas universities. It is located in the historic Titche-Goettinger Building in the Main Street District area of downtown Dallas, Texas, and was the first partnership of its kind in...
.
Preservation Dallas included the structure in both its 2007 and 2008 Most Endangered lists and has campaigned for preservation of the landmark hotel.
In 2008 the National Trust for Historic Preservation
National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is an American member-supported organization that was founded in 1949 by congressional charter to support preservation of historic buildings and neighborhoods through a range of programs and activities, including the publication of Preservation...
included the Statler Hilton on its 2008 list of "America's Most Endangered Places
America's Most Endangered Places
Each year since 1987, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has released a list of places they consider the most endangered in America. The number of sites included on the list has varied, with the most recent lists settling on 11...
," citing its importance in American mid-century design.
In June 2009 AIA Dallas announced a competition for a temporary installation to provide pleasing views to Main Street Garden Park patrons while the building remains empty. In late 2009 the building's lower levels were covered in opaque plastic and lit from behind, giving the building a lantern-like appearance.
On March 1, 2011 it was reported that the Statler Hilton building and the adjoining library had been sold to a developer, Leobardo Trevino, who intends to restore it. "Right now," he said, "the plans are to clean it up and restore the exterior and make it nice. We'll gut it and take it down to the concrete...But our plans are to restore it to the original and make it look like it did in 1956. We love the property." The development group is also restoring 1600 Pacific Tower
1600 Pacific Tower
1600 Pacific Tower, also known as the LTV Tower and National Bank of Commerce Building, is a skyscraper in the City Center District of Dallas, Texas. The building rises 434 feet . The structure contains 33 floors of office space, standing as the 29th-tallest building in the city...
in downtown Dallas.
In the media
- In 1976 Tina TurnerTina TurnerTina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
was scheduled to perform at the Statler Hilton. It was from here she left her abusive husband, Ike TurnerIke TurnerIsaac Wister Turner was an American musician, bandleader, songwriter, arranger, talent scout, and record producer. In a career that lasted more than half a century, his repertoire included blues, soul, rock, and funk...
, for good. As he slept in their suite, Tina sneaked down the back stairs "with a Mobil credit card and thirty-six cents." She then walked to the nearby Ramada Inn Plaza Hotel for safety.