1215 Wyandotte, Kansas City, Missouri
SCOPE OF WORK: Federal & Missouri Historic Tax Credit Applications
CLIENT: Wright Investment Company
INVESTMENT: $18,250,000
COMPLETED: Summer 2007
AWARDS: Preserve Missouri Statewide Preservation Award (2008)
Aladdin Hotel
Constructed in 1925, the picturesque Aladdin Hotel is part of a thematic National Register district that includes many of Kansas City’s historic downtown hotels. Architect Phillip Drotts designed the 16-story building in a style described as “Italian Romanesque.” Its whimsical design is typical of Kansas City’s era of grand hotel building. The local chapter of the American Institute of Architects recognized the hotel as the best new building in Kansas City the year it opened. Decorative terracotta human figures and floral and animal motifs accent the red brick and white terracotta building. The hotel was associated with major convention activities, including the Republican National Convention in 1928. Patrons visited the Zebra Room for entertainment and drinks.
Wright Investment Company purchased the shuttered hotel in 2005 with plans to renovate it as a Holiday Inn Express. On the exterior, the masonry was cleaned and the damaged terracotta painstakingly restored. The new canopy and sign that hang on the front façade replicate images seen in historic photographs. The historic configuration and fabric of the lobby and mezzanine, much of which was hidden by non-historic alterations, was reclaimed. Guestrooms received freshened finishes, and back-of-house spaces were reconfigured to be more functional. The building is once again an attractive downtown hotel with hip boutique flair.
Rosin Preservation guided the owner through the rehabilitation process, working closely with the architect and contractors to make sure the historic elements of the lobby and mezzanine were retained and restored. The owner received federal and state historic tax credits for their sensitive restoration that restored the building’s elegance.
Aladdin Hotel exterior
Aladdin Hotel lobby
Aladdin Hotel room