Purdue News
Purdue News
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January 14, 2002
Union Club Hotel opens newly renovated wingWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Union Club Hotel at Purdue University will open its newly renovated north wing to guests on Friday (1/18). The 18-month modernization project, which cost $ 9.5 million, will be paid for solely through hotel revenues. Infrastructure improvements, including a new heating and air conditioning system, new water heaters and softeners, passenger elevator upgrades and a new service elevator, account for a large portion of the cost.
The 131 refurbished rooms, with decor dating back to 1955 when the wing was built, feature all new furnishings. The centerpiece of each room is a large cherry wood armoire, which holds a new 25-inch television, dresser drawers and an enclosed coat rack. A matching desk and lounge chair complement the armoire. Hotel manager Jerry Day says that while the rooms are not as large as the deluxe rooms in the south wing, guests will have ample room to relax in comfort. "We tried to be creative in how we used the space and how we furnished them to maximize the space we do have." Other updates include two phone lines and voice mail for each room. An iron, ironing board and mounted hair dryer also are provided. Bathrooms feature an extended vanity and a large mirror, which covers one wall. The mechanical locks at each room entrance have been replaced with recodable magnetic-striped keys. The rooms, which house both an extra long single and a double bed, cost $75 for single occupancy and $82 for double occupancy. Five handicapped accessible rooms are available, along with five larger rooms with hospitality suites. Days says that throughout the corridors and in the rooms, architects made ample use of wood to retain the original ambiance of the hotel, for which the first wing was built in 1929. "We didn't want to make it glossy and glitzy," Day says. "We retained the oak woodwork and mimicked the paneling to keep the traditional feel." Day says he is considering decorating the corridors with Purdue memorabilia. He also plans to update the fitness room with new equipment and provide a room with washers and dryers for guests with extended reservations. Day says he is pleased with the renovation, which posed many challenges. "It's a pretty monumental undertaking," he says. "Imagine equipping 130-something rooms in your house." Days says Purdue alumni now have one more reason to spend the night on campus. "We want to preserve the notion that guests don't feel like they come home to Purdue unless they stay here." The public can request tours of the remodeled wing by calling (765) 494-8913. Writer: Marydell Forbes, (765) 496-7704, mforbes@purdue.edu Source: Jerry Day, (765) 494-8919, jday@purdue.edu PHOTO CAPTION:A newly renovated hospitality suite in the Union Club Hotel overlooks Academy Park in the heart of campus. Beginning Jan. 18, guests will be able to view the results of an 18-month, $ 9.5 million modernization project, in which 131 rooms were refurbished. (Purdue News Service Photo by David Umberger.) A publication-quality photograph is available at ftp://ftp.purdue.edu/pub/uns/day.hotel.jpeg. Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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