10-859: The Omni Severin Hotel is a historic hotel, opened in 1913. It is a contributing property in the Indianapolis Union Station Wholesale District historic district. The hotel is located directly across Jackson Place from the Union Station head house. It is a member of Historic Hotels of America , an official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation . The Hotel Severin was constructed by Henry Severin Jr., with help from Indianapolis Motor Speedway founders Carl G. Fisher and James A. Allison . It
20-459: A commission fee. The Wholesale District was of primary importance in the transformation of Indianapolis from a small town to a big city. Customers no longer had to rely on retailers who sold finished goods shipped from Louisville, Kentucky , or Cincinnati, Ohio . They could now go to a central location and purchase the same items at wholesale prices. With Union Station nearby, wholesalers could ship goods more cheaply and efficiently. The collapse of
30-538: Is one of seven designated cultural districts in Indianapolis , Indiana , United States. Located in the south-central quadrant of downtown Indianapolis ' Mile Square, the district contains the greatest concentration of 19th-century commercial buildings in the city, including Indianapolis Union Station and the Majestic Building . Contemporary landmarks in the district include Circle Centre Mall and
40-421: Is the lobby of the original hotel, and its immense Austrian crystal chandelier, marble staircase and other fittings are all original. The original mailbox still serves the hotel. The large antique dressers on each elevator landing were originally in the guest rooms. The Omni Severin is the oldest and longest operating hotel in downtown Indianapolis. Wholesale District, Indianapolis The Wholesale District
50-706: The Indianapolis Artsgarden . Prior to its designation as a cultural district, the Wholesale District was one of downtown Indianapolis's most decayed and blighted areas. Around the turn of the 20th century, Indianapolis had one of the largest networks of railroads in the United States with hundreds of passenger trains arriving at Union Station daily. The streets near the station were lined with businesses, hotels, warehouses, and retail shops. Wholesale grocers sold fresh goods daily before
60-739: The Omni Severin Hotel , and a number of upscale restaurants. The area also includes the Hilbert Circle Theatre , home of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra , which underwent a $ 2.5 million renovation in 2003. St. Elmo Steak House has been a fixture in the district since its founding in 1902. Circle Centre Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include
70-723: The Atkinson in July 1988. The hotel underwent a $ 40 million restoration and expansion, which added two wings to the back of the original 1913 building, forming a U-shaped structure. The hotel's entrance was moved to the rear, where a new lobby was constructed. The 424-room hotel reopened on February 3, 1990 managed by Omni Hotels , as the Omni Severin Hotel . Ten years later, Mansur sold the Severin to Omni Hotels. The hotel retains many original 1913 elements. The Severin Ballroom Lobby
80-472: The advent of the modern grocery store. The district had many such grocers, and also wholesalers who sold dry and finished goods. The House of Crane, whose facade remains part of the Circle Centre Mall development, sold cigars; Hanson, VanCamp & Co. sold hardware. In addition, S. Delaware St. became known as "Commission Row", where farmers brought their produce to merchants who sold the goods for
90-832: The economy during the Great Depression devastated the area, with few businesses remaining. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places as the Indianapolis Union Station-Wholesale District in 1982, primarily for its notability as the former center for wholesale trade. Since 1995, more than $ 686 million has been invested in the area, transforming it into one of the city's largest entertainment and hospitality districts. Recent additions include more than 35 new businesses, Circle Centre , Gainbridge Fieldhouse , The Residences at CityWay, restoration of
100-561: Was built on the site of the earlier Grand Hotel, which opened in 1876 and burned down in 1905. The first event at the hotel, the Christamore Settlement Ball, was held on August 22, 1913. The Hotel Severin received its first registered guest the next day, Indiana Congressman James Eli Watson . The Severin was bought by Warren M. Atkinson in 1966. He renovated it, at a cost of $ 2.5 million, and renamed it The Atkinson of Indianapolis . Mansur Development Corporation bought
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