Hayes Hotel

In 1924, leading citizens of Jackson formed the Jackson Community Hotel Company in order to fund the construction of a new hotel. The site along Michigan Avenue was chosen based on its proximity to the Michigan Central Railroad. Once funding was secured, the company hired the Chicago architectural firm of Holabird & Roche to design the new hotel. The hotel opened in November 1926 with over 200 rooms, a ballroom, dining hall, dancing hall, various conference rooms, and retail storefronts on the ground level.^[2]

In 1951, the Hayes Hotel was purchased by the conglomerate International Hotels, Inc., which refurbished the guest rooms. In 1964 the hotel was purchased by the Civic Center Hotel Corporation, a local Jackson business organization. Renovations were completed in 1967; however, the hotel was not profitable, and in 1973 it was sold to Consumers Energy. Consumers used the top floors for office space and leased the lower floors back to the Civic Center Hotel Corporation. Despite the sale, the hotel was unable to turn a profit, and hotel operations ceased in 1975.^[2]

Consumers remained the primary occupant in the 1980s and 1990s, and in 2000 the building was purchased by the city of Jackson. The building has been vacant until 2024.^[2] The city expected to sell the building to developers J. Jeffers & Co. in early 2024. The plan is for the building to be redeveloped into 84 apartment along with event space and retail areas.^[3]