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 A union station (also known as a union terminal, a joint station in Europe, and a joint-use station in Japan) is a railway station at which the tracks and facilities are shared by two or more separate railway companies, allowing passengers to ...

head house. It is a member of

Historic Hotels of America Historic Hotels of America is a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation that was founded in 1989 with 32 charter members; the program accepts nominations and identifies hotels that have maintained their authenticity, sense of pla ...

, an official program of the

National Trust for Historic Preservation The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately funded, nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that works in the field of historic preservation in the United States. The member-supported organization was founded in 1949 by ...

History

The Hotel Severin was constructed by Henry Severin Jr., with help from

Indianapolis Motor Speedway The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is an automobile racing circuit located in Speedway, Indiana, an enclave suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the home of the Indianapolis 500 and the Verizon 200, and and formerly the home of the United State ...

founders

Carl G. Fisher Carl Graham Fisher (January 12, 1874 – July 15, 1939) was an American entrepreneur. He was an important figure in the automotive industry, in highway construction, and in real estate development. In his early life in Indiana, despite fa ...

and

James A. Allison James Asbury Allison (August 11, 1872 - August 3, 1928) was an American entrepreneur and businessman. He was the inventor of the Allison Perfection Fountain Pen and with Carl G. Fisher, founded Prest-O-Lite, a manufacturer of automobile headlight ...

. It 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 James Eli Watson (November 2, 1864July 29, 1948) was a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from Indiana. He was the Senate's second official majority leader. While an article published by the Senate (see References) gives his year of birth as ...

. 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 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 Omni Hotels & Resorts is an American privately held, international luxury hotel company based in Dallas, Texas. The company was founded in 1958 as Dunfey Hotels, and operates 50 properties in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, totaling over 2 ...

, 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 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.

References

{{reflist Hotels established in 1913 Hotels established in 1990 Hotel buildings completed in 1913 Hotels in Indianapolis Historic district contributing properties in Indiana 1913 establishments in Indiana National Register of Historic Places in Indianapolis Hotel buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Indiana Historic Hotels of America

History

See also

References