Putting on the Sheraton-Ritz
The Sheraton-Ritz under construction in 1962 and memorabilia
Rising 187 fee above Nicollet Mall, The Sheraton-Ritz went up in 1963. The hotel contained 300 modern air-conditioned rooms on 19 floors and was the first high-rise building constructed in the Gateway District Urban Renewal Project area. . Swimming pool and family plan. There was free parking for registered guests. The Famous Cheshire Cheese, La Brasserie restaurants, Golliwog Lounge and Minute Chef all did business in the building. the hotel boasted a full range of convention and banquet facilities, but they never built a skyway over to the library. I think I remember a glass pyramid was built above the swimming pool in the 80′s.
Back in the early sixties these bubbly bathing cap models added a little unseasonal beauty to this view of The Sheraton-Ritz ice skating pond in downtown Minneapolis. The models didn’t have to get dressed for their soda break because the patio was heated by infrared lamps. The Federal Government was good enough to subsidize the construction the modern Sheraton-Ritz as part of the Gateway redevelopment project in 1963. The new hotel quickly put the old Nicollet Hotel on the next block out of business. Both building were torn down and became parking lots in the early 1990′s.
