On its journey to reopen as a Crowne Plaza, the former Hotel Pontchartrain first recieved a healthy splash of purple. Now the Pontch is sporting what can only be described as tusks, but workers on site tell us that these poles are actually supports for an awning meant to shade the hotel's Jefferson entrance. Intel on these renovations has been hard to come by, though we did manage to learn some interesting updates from a few of the workers at the construction site, including word on a ballroom near the top floor.
Work is progressing rapidly within the hotel, which is reportedly in pretty good shape (a worker described it as "not even musty") for having been vacant since 2009. We're told the work being done inside is largely aesthetic and is progressing from the top level down. We spotted several workers in windows on a floor near the middle, so perhaps that's an indication of where things are at. There's apparently a ballroom near the top floor that's still on the to-do list.
The hotel's main entrance was reversed at some point, moving from Jefferson to the opposite face of the building off Larned. The future Crowne Plaza will feature a restored main entrance off of Jefferson, hence the new awning. We don't know what color that new awning will be, but our fingers are crossed for something non-purple. A small drive has been created to allow guests to unload closer to the front door, which will be surrounded by some snazzy granite planters. In some not-so-good news, the yellowish non-slip surface already surrounding the building will be extended to the new front entrance. The Crowne Plaza is currently slated to open this spring.
· Abandoned Hotel to Become Classy Crowne Plaza This Spring [Curbed Detroit]
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