Hilton Milwaukee City Center
Hilton Milwaukee City Center in May 2021
Map
Hotel chainHilton Hotels
General information
Architectural styleNeoclassical architecture, Art deco
Address509 West Wisconsin Ave
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Opening1928
OwnerMarcus Corporation
Design and construction
Architect(s)Holabird & Roche
Other information
Number of rooms729
Number of restaurants3
ParkingParking garage
Public transit accessBus interchange MCTS
Website
hiltonmilwaukee.com

The Hilton Milwaukee City Center is a historic Art Deco-style hotel opened in 1928 and located in the Westown neighborhood of downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is owned by the Marcus Corporation, which also owns the Pfister Hotel and the Saint Kate Hotel in Downtown Milwaukee.

History

The hotel opened in 1928 as the Schroeder Hotel. It was owned by hotel magnate Walter Schroeder and designed by Holabird & Roche.[1] Its exterior is in the simplified neo-classical style, while its interiors are Art Deco, with extensive use of hardwoods and intricate decorative metal detailing.[2] It has a height of 275 feet (84 meters), with an antenna extending its total height to 187 meters. The building has 25 floors and 729 rooms.

The Schroeder was sold to Sheraton Hotels in 1966 and renamed the Sheraton-Schroeder Hotel. Sheraton sold the hotel in 1973 to local businessman Ben Marcus, who renamed it the Marc Plaza Hotel.[3] In 1995, the Marcus Corporation brought in Hilton Hotels to manage the property, and it was renamed the Hilton Milwaukee City Center. A 13-floor addition, designed by Kaler Slater Architects and built by Mortenson, was constructed in 2000.[4]

It was planned to serve as the headquarters hotel for the 2020 Democratic National Convention,[5] before the COVID-19 pandemic forced a temporary closure, along with major changes to the DNC to a remote format.[6]

In March 2020, the hotel closed due to COVID-19 pandemic.[7] In June 2020, Marc Corporation permanently laid off 79 workers at the Hilton Milwaukee City Center[8]

Hilton Milwaukee City Center is a member of Historic Hotels of America, an official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ Tanzilo, Bobby (March 4, 2014). "Urban spelunking: Schroeder Hotel/Hilton City Center". OnMilwaukee. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Discover Hilton Milwaukee City Center". Historic Hotels of America. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  3. ^ "What's in a name? For Koss, a verse or two". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. April 20, 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  4. ^ "Hilton Milwaukee City Center". EMPORIS. Retrieved August 21, 2016.[dead link]
  5. ^ "Hilton Milwaukee City Center to Serve as Democratic National Convention Headquarters Hotel In 2020". Associated Press. October 9, 2019. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  6. ^ "Marcus to close Hilton, St. Kate, but will leave The Pfister open during coronavirus pandemic". Milwaukee Business Journal. March 24, 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  7. ^ "Marcus to close Hilton, St. Kate, but will leave The Pfister open during coronavius pandemic". Milwaukee Business Journal. March 24, 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  8. ^ "Marcus Corp. To Lay Off More Than 400 In Milwaukee, Elsewhere". Wisconsin Public Radio. June 29, 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  9. ^ "Hilton Milwaukee City Center". Historic Hotels of America. Retrieved November 4, 2016.

External links

43°02′18.6″N 87°55′05.3″W / 43.038500°N 87.918139°W / 43.038500; -87.918139

Records Preceded byPabst Building 2nd Tallest building in Milwaukee 1927—193084m Succeeded byWisconsin Tower
High-rises in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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