The Carpenter Building, historically the Carpenter Hotel or Hotel Carpenter and known colloquially as The Carpenter, is a historic building at 221 South Phillips Avenue in downtown Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Originally serving as a hotel from 1912 to 1966, it is now used for retail and apartment space. It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1986.

History

As one of the earliest hotels in Sioux Falls, the Carpenter Hotel contributed significantly to the city's early commercial growth. The nearby wooden Cataract Hotel was by this time notorious for having burned down twice by 1912, and new accommodations were needed. With Frances G. Carpenter decided to build a new hotel out of sturdier material; indeed, early advertisements stressed that it was fireproof. Joseph Schwartz, who designed several other buildings in Sioux Falls and the surrounding area, was hired to design the hotel. The total cost of construction was $250,000. After its opening on October 15, 1912, the hotel became very successful, accommodating prominent visitors and hosting frequent events in its ground-floor dining room and ballroom. Notable guests during this period included

Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress in film, stage, and television. Her career as a Hollywood leading lady spanned over 60 years. She was known for her headstrong independence, spirited perso ...

, Jimmy Dorsey,

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in more than 70 short and feature films, with 5 ...

, and

Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader known as the "King of Swing". From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing big bands in the United States. His co ...

. The Sioux Falls KSOO radio station had its first office in the hotel from 1926 to 1937. Local architect

Harold Spitznagel Harold Theodore Spitznagel (December 7, 1896 – April 26, 1975) was an American architect from South Dakota. Spitznagel was best known for residential and institutional architecture, including the original Mount Rushmore visitor center. His sty ...

was hired to remodel the hotel in 1940.

Sheraton Hotels and Resorts Sheraton Hotels and Resorts is an international semi-luxury hotel chain owned by Marriott International. As of June 30, 2020, Sheraton operates 446 hotels with 155,617 rooms globally, including locations in North America, Africa, Asia Pacific, Cen ...

acquired the hotel in 1956 and carried out major renovations. However, in 1966, Sheraton sold the building to Nettleton College, a local business school, for use as a dormitory; during this period, it was named Nettleton Manor. In 1983, it was sold to a private owner and was converted into retail and office spaces. The building was listed on the

on August 13, 1986, due to its history as a commercial center and its early 20th century architectural integrity. Today, the building hosts several retail shops and the upper floors have been converted into apartments. The ballroom is used for special occasions.

Architecture

The six-story Carpenter Building is a simple rectangular building in the Early Commercial style, later remodeled into a Moderne influence. It is built out of brown bricks and concrete and sits on a stone foundation. The cornice, which sits just below the sandstone parapet, is made out of pressed tin molded into scrolls. Decorative brickwork and sandstone inclusions span the building's front façade. Sandstone belts, some set with box decorations, surround the windows and divide the first three floors. A smaller, three-story addition sits on the north side of the main building and is styled in a similar fashion. Much of the interior is the result of Harold Spitznagel's extensive remodel in 1940 and involves elements of early

Moderne architecture Moderne architecture, also sometimes referred to as Style Moderne or simply Moderne, Jazz Age, Moderne, jazz modern or jazz style, describes certain styles of architecture popular from 1925 through the 1940s. closely allied to Art Deco. Origina ...

. The main lobby and staircase are encased in marble, and the lobby bathroom is decorated in its original green Vitrolight.

References

{{NRHP in Minnehaha County, South Dakota National Register of Historic Places in Sioux Falls, South Dakota Hotel buildings completed in 1912 Commercial buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in South Dakota Hotel buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in South Dakota 1912 establishments in South Dakota