Tiger Hotel
The Tiger Hotel is a hotel in Columbia, Missouri. Built as a hotel in 1928, the building later housed a retirement home and banquet center. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. In 2012, the building was fully restored and reopened as a boutique hotel. Currently, the Tiger Hotel remains fully functional as a luxurious boutique hotel and maintains a prestigious 4-diamond rating.
Tiger Hotel | |
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| Location | 23 S. 8th St., Columbia, Missouri |
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| Coordinates | 38.950918°N 92.32885°W |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1928 |
| Architect | Gentry, Alonzo H. |
| NRHP reference No. | 80002316[1] |
| Added to NRHP | February 29, 1980 |
History
In the 1920s, the Tiger Hotel was designed by renowned architect Alonzo H Gentry. The building was built in 1928[2] by the Simon Construction Company. Upon opening, it was the first skyscraper to be located between Kansas City and St. Louis. The building originally opened with over one hundred rooms, a fully operational elevator, and a cooling system which were impressive feats at that time. The magnitude of the building and its features quickly drew attention from around the state. Due to the Tiger Hotel's popularity, the "Tiger" sign on top of the building became an icon for both the city of Columbia and surrounding areas.[3]
Over the 20th century, the building remained iconic but was not always a roaring success. The rise and decline of the economy affected the hotel like any other business in the country. Therefore, the building had several owners throughout the decades. One owner even turned the building into a Motor Hotel to meet the needs of residents in Columbia and surrounding areas.
In 1987, the Tiger Hotel was turned into a retirement community to make use of the vast number of rooms and other facilities on site. In 2011, the building was sold again. It underwent a complete renovation. The Hotel kept many of its original features but complements them with modern features and decorations. As of 2014, the hotel now offers 62 rooms and suites.
References
- "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- "Tiger Hotel, Columbia | 129083 | EMPORIS". www.emporis.com.
- Leslie Murphy Lee and Diane Bashor (September 1979). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Tiger Hotel" (PDF). Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved 2016-09-01.
