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Hotel Detective

- procyon - Monday, May 7th, 2007 : goo

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image 20051

web.archive.org/web/20010518231643/http://www.purplehotel.com/
The Purple Hotel (formerly a Hyatt and a Radisson; note signage difference in archived website and current photo) is a local landmark in the north suburbs of Chicago. It has fallen into disrepair recently (mold behind the wallpaper, etc.) and is scheduled for demolition soon, so my boyfriend (who is from the north suburbs and whose family apparently went there frequently for Thanksgiving in the eighties, though he doesn't remember it) and I stopped by to visit it and document its exterior before it goes down.

image 20052
It was a cloudy day, and my camera is well-worn and entry-level, so some photos have been Photoshopped a bit to show how purple it really is.

image 20053

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A few small bits of this fell down just before we walked under it. Maybe a bird pushed them down.

image 20065

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The building next door (and the hotel's landscaping) picked up some of the color.

There are a lot of other cool mid-20th-century buildings in Lincolnwood, too, like Lincolnwood Produce
image 20067

and the Patio Motel
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and the Stars Motel has a cool sign
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but is now this
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and soon to be this
image 20071

This article has been viewed 14093 times in the last 6 years


little ukraine: great post, as always, procyon

friend of the purple: 21st May 2007 - 16:35 GMT

know the hotel's architect by chance???? the MAPA or a similar org. could help avert demolition if its significance and value can be 'reinforced'.

coasterdude407: 22nd Jul 2007 - 15:10 GMT

I started my hotel career with The Hyatt Lincolnwood in August, 1987. 20 years later I am still with Hyatt but in Orlando, FL. It is so sad to see The Purple Palace in such sad shape. I will always have fond memories of The Hyatt Lincolnwood. Thanks so much for sharing your pictures.

Dan: 30th Jul 2007 - 20:29 GMT

Thanks for sharing your pictures. My parents got married at the Purple Hyatt in May, 1975 and they took us kids back there in May, 1985. I hadn't been back there since then, so I went by there the other day to see it and take pictures too. Any news on the demolition progress? I'd like to make a final trip when the wrecking ball is there. They're probably going to put up some more condos... just what we need. Sad.

makearchitecture: John Vinci is the architect

procyon: 12th Jan 2008 - 19:55 GMT

Nick and I were looking around on the internet... a Trib article from the time (1961) says Hausner & Macsai and Freidman, Alschuler and Sincere did it. Where did you find the bit about Vinci being involved? That would be really interesting.

Passerby: 16th May 2008 - 16:29 GMT

With the history linked to that hotel there is no stopping the wrecking ball. To quote the article in the Suntimes: Community development director of Lincolnwood Timothy Clarke "Asked when he'd like the hotel torn down, he answered, "Yesterday.""

went there: 18th Nov 2008 - 00:11 GMT

its so sad that they can't find anything better to do with the purple hotel. more conodos really? I say turn it into a community center or a big gay dance club. I used to go there all the time in the early eighties and have fond memories of it.

Peter: 22nd Dec 2008 - 19:52 GMT

I randomly came across this page, which gives a bit of backstory:
www.beachwoodreporter.com/column/the_tuesday_papers_101.php

little ukraine: 22nd Dec 2008 - 20:36 GMT

hey pretty nice, that page links back here

Peter: 22nd Dec 2008 - 20:46 GMT

yup. thats how i found it... buried in some referral-logs, heh...

Ozzi: 2nd Jan 2009 - 03:59 GMT

All you guys, Guess what the Purple hotel is under contract and going to open again in end of 2009. Some indian group of investers are buying it for 29 Million.

Greg: 15th Sep 2009 - 16:28 GMT

i did work in that shitty hotel.. all the rooms had mold in it.

mookie: 4th Nov 2009 - 21:15 GMT

just wondering... drove by the purple hotel recently... did not notice anything going on there except something with the us cellular tower on top of the hotel being reinforced .. is this really going to reopen or not... did not see any construction equipment just the us cellular work

Bren: 21st Dec 2009 - 07:53 GMT

I drive by the hotel almost everyday to get to work. Around the end of summer I was seeing a little activity going on people coming in and out and cars parked out front. Who knows, maybe they will re-open it.

George: 9th Feb 2011 - 20:05 GMT

Here are some follow up articles on the purple hotel from 2010:

http://skokie.patch.com/articles/the-eyesore-that-is-the-purple-hotel
http://skokie.patch.com/articles/tif-plan-for-purple-hotel-advances-without-a-peep

Love the pics!

...: 26th Mar 2011 - 15:30 GMT

I too worked at the Hyatt during 1987. What's your name coasterdue407?

...: 8th Oct 2012 - 06:44 GMT

There was a mob hit here back in 1983, Allen Dorfman got whacked in the parking lot here. it was in the movie "casino"...

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