The Capp Towers Motor Hotel 1313 Nicollet Avenue South turned a few heads when it opened on Tuesday April 2nd, 1963. The 6.5 million dollar structure with 330 rooms could accommodate 800 guests. Capp Towers was the third downtown motel to open that year after the Inn Towne and the Northstar Inn. The 15 story building had a unique spindle shaped design to give every room an outside view. Capp Towers was believed to be the first building of its size erected with pre-stressed pre-cast concrete. The hotel interior was contemporary in design but old world features were added to provide contrast. There was extensive use of the Roman arch throughout the lobby floor. Multicolored stain glass windows by Rochester Minnesota artist William Saltzman were featured in the lobby. The Puerto Rican Weaver, V’Soske wove a rug of sunburst design in red and gold for the Hall of Flags ballroom foyer.
Brick vaults in one wall of the Brandywine Bar were fitted with a selection of imported wine bottles behind a wrought iron grating. The infamous Blue bar featured original paintings by Keane in Butterfield and a provocative sculpture by Harriet Frischmuth. There was a 300 car ramp for guests.The Golden Table Restaurant had a 19th Century French antique table with gold leaf. Foreign and American dishes were served. The domed cocktail lounge on the 14th floor offered unique views of the twin cities through tinted transparent shell. The Caribbean Room, also located on the 14th floor was dominated by a bow tie shaped pool, artificial trees and plastic tropical foliage to create the mood of a tropical beach. Decorative hats were mounted on the ceiling.
Rooms were done in contemporary furniture. They all had air conditioning, radio, television and a combination tub and shower. Capp towers also offered 18 suites with 5 designed in a special style. Every floor had a mix and ice cube room. Rates began at ten dollars. In the lower arcade, a gift shop, beauty salon, barbershop, health club including sauna baths and an art exhibit made the place feel like a shopping mall. The area also boasted an exhibition Hall which together with the Hall of Flags ballroom provided a convention facility. The ballroom sat 650 for dining in 750 for a meeting. The Capp Towers facilities included 9 meeting rooms and a coffee shop on the lobby floor. Del Stanley of Dayton’s was the designer and decorator. Ackersberg and Associates were the architects.
The building, still standing toward the end of Nicollet Mall, has changed names a few times over the years. I’ll probably always think of it as a Holiday Inn. These days the place is operated by the Singapore based Millennium Hotel chain.