to redevelop the building into the Hilton
Garden Inn Downtown Phoenix.
CSM has previously transformed a
19th century train depot in Minneapolis
and a 1920s Milwaukee department store
into hotels. Their Phoenix hotel will offer
a similar authentic historic experience with
modern amenities. Ryan Companies is the
general contractor for the project, working
with Elness Swenson Graham (ESG)
Architects. Historic Consultants, a
company specializing in revitalizing historic
structures, is overseeing the restoration to
Image courtesy of author
soon afterwards. The historic building sat
empty and continued to deteriorate for
more than two decades.
Plans to transform the Professional
Building into the Hotel Monroe, a 150room boutique hotel slated to open in
2008, failed during the Great Recession.
The property was sold to Minneapolisbased hotel developer CSM Lodging for
$7.9 million in 2013. The company
negotiated a $30 million loan with the
Phoenix Community Development and
Investment Corporation the following year
Jean Kasitch
James Bagshaw
Rental Manager
[email protected]
Rental Account Manager
[email protected]
480-258-4818
602-723-6838
Fifty six
retain the building’s designation on the
national register.
From the outside, the hotel will look
nearly identical to its predecessor, with its
limestone façade, grand entryway with
decorative grills above the doors, and Art
Deco architecture. Inside, the hotel’s
common areas will feature the same
renowned style, from its 24-foot ceilings
and ornamental bronze elevators to
intricate wrought ironwork, rich colors,
and interior columns. The former bank
lobby is being restored to its original
splendor and will serve as the main
reception area for hotel guests.
A surprise touch is the redisplay of one
of the building’s long-lost features. “Brad
Hall, a Phoenix history buff, had the
original brass sign that was displayed on
the exterior of the building,” CSM Vice
President of Operations Rob Hall says. “He
generously donated the sign that reads
‘The Professional Building,’ to the project,
and we’re incorporating it into the lobby.”
The renovation is preserving one of
Phoenix’s most beautiful buildings and
offering new downtown lodging options.
“From the moment they enter our doors,
our guests will feel as though they have
stepped back in time,” Afsaneh Torres,
director of sales and marketing for the
Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Phoenix,
says. “With the resurrection of this
building, we are helping to preserve an
important piece of our history for both
locals and visitors to enjoy.”
Winter 2015