The Finest, Smaller Hotel
Built as a luxury hotel, the Francis Drake has become a temporary housing facility for homeless and transient people. The hotel has 147 rooms and has been used as an overflow shelter by Hennepin County when its primary shelters fill up. The hotel was designed by Minneapolis architect, Joseph V. Vanderbilt. The building went up and opened for business in 1926. Vanderbilt also supervised the design of Dunwoody Institute, Fairview Hospital, Hennepin Avenue Methodist Church and the Northwestern Bell Telephone Company building.
in 2013 with memorabilia
