Karcher Hotel - 8/15/11

A tour of the ruins of the Karcher Hotel; downtown Waukegan, IL. HUGE thanks to Heidi at Artspace, and David from the City for giving me a chance in here!

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National Register #02000845 - Constructed in 1925 as a hotel for transients, and later became a retirement hotel for active senior citizens around the late-70s or early-80s.

A deadly fire broke out in the middle of the night on Christmas 1984, and its charred and partially-gutted ruins were left abandoned for 27 years.

In 2011 the building was purchased by Minneapolis-based Artspace, and is to be converted into 36 living/working lofts for artists.

As this building was on my "UE Bucket List" for many years, I have volunteered to document the building's revitalization for Artspace, and will be visiting this structure frequently.

More info on its redevelopment can be seen here: www.artspacewaukegan.org/

And for architectural details: www.4240architecture.com/projects/current/0/0/138