ALANA SILVA Star-Tribune correspondent | Posted: Saturday, May 8, 2004 12:00 am
EVANSTON - Stepping through the door into the old Hotel Evanston at 1025 Front Street, Downtown Development Director Amy Nelson gingerly crosses the water damaged floor and into the dark interior.
"I don't go too far into the rooms," she says. "They're kind of scary and they've been neglected."
Pieces of crumbled Sheetrock fallen from the walls and ceiling make walking difficult.
"There was a fire here at one time and a lot of damage from a leaky roof," Nelson adds. "You need a lot of vision, but you can see the potential."
As Nelson leads the way up a rickety staircase to the second and third floors, some outstanding features do stand out. Beautiful wood moldings outline some of the passageways, and an atrium with skylights that opens between the second and third floors casts a welcome light into the dim interior.
There is a large basement area, too, but Nelson says it's in bad shape and she doesn't want to go down into it.
Pushing hard on the front door to lock up the building, Nelson says, "(The hotel) is looking old and tired. But the bones are in good shape. It's not without its faults, but we feel confident that the building has enough structural integrity that it is economically feasible to restore the building."
The 1912 structure was once at the heart of downtown Evanston. Despite its current state of decay, some say it will be at the heart of the town again.
The Urban Renewal Agency of the city of Evanston purchased the Hotel Evanston on March 30, 2001 from Andrew Holman and William J. Douglas for about $80,000, according to Nelson. Since then, amid some controversy as to why it should be involved in real estate, the city has been trying to find someone to develop and lease out the building for business or retail use. Nelson says that the city always hoped it would be restored as a restaurant and hotel.
As time passed, she says they were getting nervous about the roof deteriorating and whether anyone would be able to use the building at all.
She says it came down to the question of whether you leave old buildings stand and deteriorate or do you do something about them.
About one year ago, Kevin Peterson, a retired investment banker from Utah, was surfing the Internet and happened on Evanston's Web site. He saw that the city was looking for a developer for the Hotel Evanston. His interest piqued, he jumped into his car and drove to Evanston.
"Their need met my interest," Peterson puts it simply. He adds, though, "These are difficult, complicated deals to do. You have to ask yourself, 'Do we go through all the pain to do this or tear it down for a parking lot?' You have to have the city behind you. It's too difficult for a private investor to do on his own."
Peterson, whose most noteworthy project so far was refinancing the historic preservation of the Egyptian Theater in Ogden, Utah, expects the deal for the Hotel Evanston to close before the end of the year. He is also in the process of starting two other historic preservation projects in Wyoming, including a hotel in Sheridan.
On the Hotel Evanston project, Peterson is working with architect Kurt Dubbe in Jackson to complete plans that will include 25 to 28 luxury rooms, a restaurant and bar facility, lobby and private meeting rooms. He expects construction work will start early next year.
Since Peterson plans to make use of the 20-percent tax credit for historic preservation, remodeling of the hotel will need to be architecturally consistent with what it was like originally. Dubbe says that they will maintain the historic character in the original corridors, but will combine some of the small rooms to make larger rooms so all have private baths. The original hotel had about 52 rooms, but only the large rooms had private baths.
Plans for the hotel also include restoration of the atrium space with new skylights. Dubbe says they envision a small private library or gathering area in this space.
Some of the $4 million restoration cost will go towards removing hazardous materials, such as lead-based paint and asbestos, and redoing the infrastructure - plumbing, electric and heating. The building must meet all current building code standards, including seismic standards.
"It will take through 2005 to build it," says Peterson. "We're hopeful it will be ready the summer of 2005."
Dubbe says that the city of Evanston has been extremely supportive in working to restore the building.
The Hotel Evanston was opened in 1912 on Front Street by Pete Downs and another man named Tisdel. A combination restaurant, hotel, saloon and dance hall, it served many railroad employees and was the hub of activity in Evanston. The original hotel had 31 guest rooms. Additional rooms, equipped with hot and cold running water and telephone service, were added in 1918. Fourteen of the guest rooms had private baths.
In the mid-1940s, the hotel, as it went through a succession of owners, was known as Hotel Freeman with Freeman's Cafe. It was nice for the times," remembers John Lunsford. "It was a busy gathering spot," he says. "A lot of railroaders went in there and ate."
Lunsford, chief administrative officer for Fire and Ambulance Service, remembers a fire at the hotel. About 30 years ago, he says, a young man, in an arson attempt, set fire to some linens. The fire was caught before it became serious, says Lunsford, and there was only some smoke damage.
Continuing under different owners, the Hotel Evanston is remembered by many locals as a Greyhound Bus Station and 24-hour cafe. Craig Lott, whose father Mack Lott owned the hotel in the '60s through the '80s, says a lot of long-term residents stayed in the hotel, including employees of local businesses and even of the hotel itself.
The steakhouse restaurant known as the Black Lantern was changed to cafeteria-style in 1972 to take care of the bus passengers. Lott remembers sliding down the laundry chute and some good poker games in the atrium area. Bathroom facilities were 10-cent pay toilets in the basement. An old menu shows grilled hamburger steak for $1.65, soup du jour for 20 cents, and homemade fruit pie for 30 cents.
However, when the oil boom of the 80s busted, says Lott, the hotel couldn't pay for itself anymore and wasn't worth keeping. The Lotts sold it in 1992, and after three more owners during which time it was largely neglected, it was finally sold to the Urban Renewal Agency.
"I don't know if it's feasible to save it, and I got a lot of memories," Lott says.
The city will not lose any money on this exchange of property. The hotel will be sold at fair market value, or about $5,000 more than the purchase amount.
"The city never intended to own it," Nelson says. "We wanted to get it back on the tax roles."
Nelson sees the revitalization of the hotel as a good complement to the historic preservation done at Depot Square and the ongoing work at the Railroad Yards and Roundhouse.
"This fits in the overall plan - to get properties developed so that there is no blight left," says Nelson. "It completes the plan to get the corridor vibrant and properties on the tax rolls."
Nelson says that revitalization such as the Hotel Evanston is significant to residents because they will have more choices of things to do. It could also make a difference in attracting new businesses and companies to town as they see that the town has a vibrant, active downtown area with hotels and restaurants.
While the hotel itself will offer about 40 new jobs, Nelson hopes that it will also serve to attract companies with high-pay jobs.
Although some local business people see the project as unnecessary interference and competition by the city and as a possible traffic problem, others see it as an improvement to the area.
"I don't believe in the city being in private industry," Lott says. On the other hand, he adds, "I would like to see something valuable happen to downtown Evanston. Competition is good. It makes you keep on your toes."