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The Niagara
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The Niagara, June 2009
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| Location: | 201 Rainbow Blvd., Niagara Falls, New York |
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| Built: | 1925 |
| Architect: | Esenwein and Johnson of Buffalo, NY; Wright and Kremers, Niagara Falls |
| Architectural style: | Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals |
| Governing body: | Private |
| NRHP Reference#: |
08001145 [1] |
| Added to NRHP: | December 5, 2008 |
The Niagara, also known as Grand Hotel Niagara is a landmark hotel in Niagara Falls, Niagara County, New York.
At 12 stories, it was designed by noted Buffalo architects Esenwein and Johnson and considered a skyscraper when it was built between 1923 to 1925. Located 1/4 mile from the Horsehoe Falls, it is one block from the Seneca Niagara Casino. It has nearly 200 guest rooms as well as convention facilities. Over time it has been known by various names including The Hotel Niagara; John's Niagara Hotel; Park's Inn; International; Days Inn-Falls View; and Travelodge Niagara Falls.
It was reportedly the home of Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio while filming Niagara in 1952.
The property was closed for renovations from 2007, while none took place. In 2010, the property was foreclosed by the State Bank of Texas, which expressed no interest in ownership, after the owners, Amidee Hotels & Resorts, abandoned the property and allowed it to fall into foreclosure after their parent company, Amidee Capital Group, LLC, filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. The building was condemned by the Niagara Falls Department of Code Enforcement after the heating system failed, which caused water pipes in the building to burst. The city shut off the water when this happened, leaving the building without running water or a functional fire sprinkler system, which constitutes several code violations.
In April 2011, the property was sold at a foreclosure auction for $1,250,000 to Jamil Kara, a developer from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He has told the Niagara Falls, N.Y. Gazette that he plans to build a five-star hotel and condominium.[2]
In September 2011, the hotel changed hands once again after Toronto developer Harry Stinson arranged to buy the building from Kara for an undisclosed amount. Stinson announced that he plans to bring the hotel back to it's original look with an emphasis on 1920's design with a few new added facilities. His company, Stinson Developments,[3] has estimated that they will finish by late 2012.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.[1]