Lafayette Building

Last crawled date: 1 year, 7 months ago

The Lafayette Building originally opened in 1925. St. Louis architect George Barnett designed the elven story building. The hotel closed in 1933 and reopened in 1941, after the Great Depression. The building commercialized in 1953, undergoing major mechanical, electrical and plumbing revisions on the upper levels. The interior decor was changed throughout the building to incorporate a red and white color scheme. During this era, the Sky Room, Lobby and Mexxanine of the Lafayette became a political platform for Arkansas governors, U.S. Senator Dale Bumpers, and U.S. President Bill Clinton. Up until 1973, the Lafayette also hosted many civic groups including Missouri-Pacific and Rock Island Lines, and the Kiwanis, Optimist, Lions, and Civitan Clubs. The Lafayette changed hands again in 1981 and a six million dollar restoration effort was begun. The lobby and mexxanine areas were restored to their original 1925 decor, including intricately stenciled ceiling. In 2008, the Lafayette finished the conversion of Floors 6-10 into thirty upscale condominiums. #Arkansas #Bill_Clinton #building #condominiums #downtown #hotel #Hughey #Jeffrey #Lafayette #Lafayette_Building #Little_Rock #President #senate #Square #state