Rand Tower Hotel
Building in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Rand Tower Hotel is an aviation-inspired Art Deco building located in downtown Minneapolis’s financial district. Completed in 1929, it briefly was the city’s tallest skyscraper until the Foshay Tower opened later that year.[12][13] The building was the vision of Rufus Rand, Jr., which was symbolic of the city's prominence to serve as the headquarters for his company, Minneapolis Gas and Light Company (now Xcel Energy).[14][15] Rand contracted with Chicago based Holabird & Root to design the building which was constructed by C.F. Haglin & Sons.[16][17]
| Rand Tower | |
|---|---|
Rand Tower Hotel from the west | |
 Interactive map of the Rand Tower area | |
| Former names | Dain Tower (late 1960s–1992)[1] |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| Location | 527 Marquette Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 44°58′38.5″N 93°16′11″W |
| Named for | Rufus R. Rand Jr.[2] |
| Completed | June 7, 1929[3] |
| Height | |
| Height | 311 ft (95 m)[4] |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Holabird & Root[5] |
| Developer | Rufus R. Rand Jr.[6] |
| Main contractor | C.F. Haglin & Sons[7] |
| Designations | |
| Official name | Rand Tower |
| Designated | April 14, 1994[8] |
| Reference no. | 84003937[9] |
| Rand Tower Hotel, Minneapolis, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel | |
|---|---|
 Interactive map of the Rand Tower Hotel, Minneapolis, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel area | |
| General information | |
| Location | 527 Marquette Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Opening | December 2, 2020[10] |
| Management | Marriott International |
| Other information | |
| Number of rooms | 270[11] |
| Website | |
| Official site | |
Rand, a World War I aviator with the Lafayette Flying Corps, embedded aviation motifs within the building’s design.[18] The embodiment of Rand’s vision is depicted above the Marquette St. entrance, where two sculptures are carved into the limestone façade of Mercury with winged helmets and ankles, with each holding a biplane.[18][19] As the Roman god of commerce, travelers, and communication, Mercury was chosen to symbolize progress and movement, welcoming visitors into a lobby with terrazzo floors embedded with star and moon crescent designs.[18][20]
Elements such as the Wings sculpture in the lobby by Oskar J. W. Hansen further emphasize this theme.[21] The two lion-cub mascots, Whiskey and Soda, associated with his Lafayette squadron, also were featured prominently.[18]
In 1963, a permanent overhead walkway was built, followed by a 1969 extension to the NorthStar Center, linking the Rand Tower to the Minneapolis Skyway System.[18]
Renamed Dain Tower in the late 1960s when investment company Dain Rauscher occupied it, the name reverted after they moved out in 1992.[18] The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994 for its architectural design and significance.[22]
Hotel conversion and facilities
Maven Real Estate Partners purchased the property in 2017 for approximately US$18.7 million.[11] After considering a co-working space, Maven decided on a repurposing project, ultimately converting the building into Minnesota’s first Tribute Portfolio by Marriott, aptly named the Rand Tower Hotel.[18][23] The design was curated by ESG Architecture & Design to preserve Rand’s vision.[24][25]
The hotel opened in 2020 with 270 guestrooms, 7,141 sq. ft. of event space, including a unique 5th open space with a glass roof, and Bar Rufus, the hotel’s main restaurant.[26]
History
It originally served as the headquarters of the Minneapolis Gas and Light Company (now Xcel Energy).[18]
A skyway was attached to the building in 1969.[27] Rand Tower was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. It was known for a time as the Dain Tower until Dain Rauscher relocated to the Dain Rauscher Plaza just down the street in 1992. It was purchased by Gaughan Companies in 2004. In 2008, Hempel Properties purchased the Rand Tower to house its headquarters.[28] Maven Real Estate Partners purchased the building in 2017 for $18.7 million.[11] Maven converted the office building[11] into a 270-room hotel,[11] at a cost of $110 million.[29] The Rand Tower Hotel opened on December 2, 2020, as part of the Tribute Portfolio division of Marriott.[30]
Architecture and art
The building was designed in the Art Deco style by the Chicago firm Holabird & Root.[31]
