Lincolnwood's Purple Hotel Is No More
By Chuck Sudo in News on Aug 27, 2013 9:40PM
The story of Lincolnwood’s Purple Hotel came to its inevitable conclusion Tuesday when crews began demolishing the long-vacant building to make way for a new retail development anchored by a new hotel.
The Purple Hotel opened in 1962 as a Hyatt hotel and over the decades became as noted for its disrepair and ill-repute as it did its architecture and its color. When it was eventually shut down in 2007 numerous complaints were filed against it citing the hazardous conditions found inside: mold; a lack of water in many rooms; rodent droppings and insect infestations.
The site the hotel was long earmarked for retail development and was put up for auction last May. The development that will take its place is being called a new town center for the northern suburb. As for the Purple Hotel’s recent sordid past, Mayor Jerry Turry told the Sun-Times he hopes it stays there.
“We don’t like to think about that and just look forward to something that will create new memories for people. Whatever gets built, people still will be calling it the Purple Hotel site.”