Tax Credit Program Highlight: Adolphus Hotel

Dallas, Dallas County

1912

Designation	Listed in National Register as contributing to Dallas Downtown Historic District
Historic Use	hotel
Current Use	hotel
Total Rehabilitation Cost	$7,189,000
Qualified Rehabilitation Expenses	$4,889,000
Date Certified	December 18, 2015
	Certified for state tax credits only.

History

Dallas businessmen, understanding the need for a first-class hotel in the city, approached the St. Louis beer baron Adolphus Busch in 1910 to discuss the potential investment opportunity in construction of a new hotel. Busch enlisted the help of St. Louis architecture firm, Barnett, Haynes and Barnett, and Dallas architects Alfred Bosser and C.D. Hill, to design the new Adolphus Hotel. Built between 1911 and 1912, the Adolphus was recognized for its high quality Beaux Arts style and was the tallest structure in downtown for several years after its completion. Its mansard roof is still a prominent feature of the Dallas skyline. The hotel eventually became a center for social, cultural, and professional events in Dallas. Over the course of its history, the Adolphus has hosted guests such as Queen Elizabeth II, the Vanderbilts, Oscar de la Renta, Donald Trump, U2, and Babe Ruth

Rehabilitation Project

This project is the first phase of a three-phase project that will revamp the interior of the hotel. This phase primarily addressed the finishes of the ballroom and event spaces within the hotel, including repair and refinishing of historic materials and replacement of non-historic materials. HVAC ductwork throughout these spaces was also replaced, along with larger mechanical equipment related to the HVAC system. Structural work was undertaken in the basement and an exterior fire stair was repaired. Future phases will include work to lobbies and hotel rooms.