Hyatt Regency Milwaukee

The Hyatt Regency Milwaukee is located at 333 West Kilbourn Avenue in Downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in the United States. The 21-story hotel was built in 1979 and is owned by Cambridge Landmark, a Miami-based private equity firm.

Hyatt Regency
Image from Martin Luther King Junior Drive
Map
General information
Address333 West Kilbourn Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Coordinates43°02′27″N 87°54′52″W / 43.040833°N 87.914444°W / 43.040833; -87.914444
Renovated2019
CostUS$37.3 million
OwnerCambridge Landmark
Technical details
MaterialPoured concrete
Floor count21
Design and construction
Architect(s)Py-Vavra Architects-Engineers
Website
Hyatt

Background

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The hotel was built in 1979 and is 353,054 sq ft (32,799.8 m2) with 33,000 sq ft (3,100 m2) of meeting space.[1] The Hyatt Regency is a 21-story 484-room hotel located in Downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was built by the Hunzinger Construction Company and designed by Py-Vavra Architects-Engineers. One of the hotel's most unique features is the revolving rooftop restaurant. It is made using poured concrete.[2] The restaurant was called the Polaris and opened in 1980. On April 12, 2009, it closed and the space was used for meetings.[3] In 2015 the area was reopened after a renovation and the owners announced that the space would no longer rotate.[4]

History

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In 2007 the owners of the hotel were the Noble Investment Group, an Atlanta-based company.[1][3] Noble purchased the property from Gary Grunau and his partners for US$43.9 million. In 2009, Noble spent approximately $19 million to renovate.[5] In 2018 a Miami-based private equity firm (Cambridge Landmark) paid $37.3 million to purchase the hotel.[1][6] In 2019 the new owners began renovating the hotel.[5]

The first three days of the 2004 Green National Convention were held at the Milwaukee Hyatt Regency, while the final day was held at the Baird Center convention venue.[7] In 2023 the Milwaukee Skywalk was added to connect the Hyatt to the Baird Center.[8]

Assassination attempt

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The hotel was built on the site of the former Gilpatrick Hotel.[9] On October 14, 1912, the Gilpatrick was the site of an assassination attempt on the former President of the United States Theodore Roosevelt.[10][11] A plaque commemorating the assassination attempt was added to the front of the Gilpatrick Hotel by the United Spanish War Veterans of Milwaukee County in 1926. After the Gilpatrick was razed the plaque was saved and stored. In 1979 the plaque was affixed to the newly constructed Hyatt Regency.[9]

On October 14, 2012, to mark the 100th anniversary of the assassination attempt, the city reenacted the event. It took place at the east entrance of the Hyatt Regency where the Gilpatrick once stood. The participants wore period costumes including several police re-enactors.[12]

Death of Dvontaye Mitchell

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On June 30, 2024, Dvontaye L. Mitchell, a 43-year-old African-American man, died after being pinned to the ground by four security staff members at the hotel. The four staff were fired and have been charged for felony murder.

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Hess, Corrinne (3 July 2018). "Downtown Milwaukee Hyatt sold". BizTimes - Milwaukee Business News. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  2. ^ "Hyatt Regency Hotel". Hunzinger Construction. Hunzinger Construction Company. 19 November 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  3. ^ a b Sherman, Jeff (9 March 2009). "Hyatt's Polaris takes its final spin April 12". OnMilwaukee. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  4. ^ Fredrich, Lori (14 October 2015). "Polaris will reopen with new name at Hyatt Regency". OnMilwaukee. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  5. ^ a b Taschler, Joe. "Renovations continue at Hyatt Regency hotel in downtown Milwaukee". Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  6. ^ Harlow, Kristin (10 July 2018). "Cambridge Landmark Purchases Hyatt Regency Hotel in Milwaukee, Plans Renovation". REBusinessOnline. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  7. ^ "Green Party National Convention 2004 - Milwaukee, WI". gpus.org. Green Party of the United States. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  8. ^ Duran, Ethan (12 April 2023). "Gilbane, C.D. Smith crews place 110-foot skywalk connecting Hyatt to convention center". The Daily Reporter. BridgeTower Media. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Plaque That Will Be Happen". The Kokomo Tribune. 29 August 1979. p. 13. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  10. ^ "Famous Hotel Passes Away". Kenosha News. United Press. 2 April 1932. p. 8. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  11. ^ Tichelaar, Tyler R. (12 June 2018). When Teddy Came to Town. Marquette, Michigan: Marquette Fiction. pp. 20–21. ISBN 978-0-9962400-5-5. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  12. ^ Schultze, Steve (14 October 2012). "Re-enactment of Roosevelt shooting is true to history". The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Gannett. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
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