Difference between revisions of "New Palace Hotel, Fargo, ND"
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==Origins== | ==Origins== | ||
| − | + | The Schmidt Building, as the cornicepiece read, was built in 1882, but was destroyed in the Fargo Fire of 1921, and rebuilt in 1922. | |
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==1950s== | ==1950s== | ||
| Line 11: | Line 10: | ||
==1980s== | ==1980s== | ||
| − | In the 1986, the building was purchased by William Powers. At that time, the hotel was known as the New Valley Hotel, catering to low-income tenants, mostly retired men. | + | In the 1986, the building was purchased by William Powers. At that time, the hotel was known as the New Valley Hotel, catering to low-income tenants, mostly retired men. The street-level was divided into a number of retail spaces. At the end of the 1980s, these spaces were occupied by Mr. Don's State College of Beauty, Golden Razor barber shop, and The Rage, a vintage clothing store. |
==1990== | ==1990== | ||
| − | At around 7pm on February 5, 1990, Mary Lindstrom noticed smoke rising from Don's State College of Beauty, on the first floor of the New Palace Hotel building. She alerted authorities and helped the residents of the hotel to safety. Fire crews arrived quickly, but found the blaze uncontrollable. The building was an utter loss | + | At around 7pm on February 5, 1990, passerby Mary Lindstrom noticed smoke rising from Mr. Don's State College of Beauty, on the first floor of the New Palace Hotel building. She alerted authorities and helped the residents of the hotel to safety. Fire crews arrived quickly, but found the blaze uncontrollable. The building was an utter loss and was razed. The Rage moved to Roberts Street, adjacent to the Gardner building. The Golden Razor moved across the street, to 315 Broadway, into a space now being renovated along with the [[The_Fargoan_Hotel|Fargoan Hotel]]. Mr. Don's ceased to exist. |
| + | |||
| + | ===Arson=== | ||
| + | |||
| + | While all residents were interviewed about the fire, which appeared to be started intentionally, Donald Gooselaw, owner of Mr. Don's State College of Beauty, seemed an early suspect for arson. Lindstrom's observed that smoke originated in the beauty college, and Gooselaw's shop was pending eviction from the retail space due to four months' back rent, totalling $2,144.99; the eviction was scheduled for the Monday following the fire. Another witness, who had her hair done in Gooselaw's salon, said Gooselaw was complaining about the furnace's poor performance, even though the building's owner said it had been recently serviced. I could find no outcome of the arson investigation at this time. | ||
==Today== | ==Today== | ||
| − | The area is a parking lot for the neighboring building, which was saved from destruction. The absence of the New Palace Hotel allowed an additional | + | The area is a parking lot for the neighboring building, which was saved from destruction. The absence of the New Palace Hotel allowed an additional entance to be added to the neighbor building at 322 Broadway, on the north side, providing an entrance for upstairs offices. |
==References== | ==References== | ||
| − | ''The majority of the content came from various editions of the [[Fargo Forum]] from February, 1990, regarding the fire.'' | + | ''The majority of the content came from various editions of the [[Fargo_Forum|Fargo Forum]] from February, 1990, regarding the fire.'' |
Revision as of 03:09, 14 July 2007
The New Palace Hotel was a 2-story building at the southwest corner of 4th Avenue North and Broadway in Fargo, ND. Not the most auspicious of area hotels, it gained little recognition until its destruction February 5th, 1990. It was also known as the Schmidt Building.
Origins
The Schmidt Building, as the cornicepiece read, was built in 1882, but was destroyed in the Fargo Fire of 1921, and rebuilt in 1922.
1950s
The 1954-1955 city directory shows the main floor of the building unoccupied, while the New Palace Hotel has the address of 324½ Broadway.
1980s
In the 1986, the building was purchased by William Powers. At that time, the hotel was known as the New Valley Hotel, catering to low-income tenants, mostly retired men. The street-level was divided into a number of retail spaces. At the end of the 1980s, these spaces were occupied by Mr. Don's State College of Beauty, Golden Razor barber shop, and The Rage, a vintage clothing store.
1990
At around 7pm on February 5, 1990, passerby Mary Lindstrom noticed smoke rising from Mr. Don's State College of Beauty, on the first floor of the New Palace Hotel building. She alerted authorities and helped the residents of the hotel to safety. Fire crews arrived quickly, but found the blaze uncontrollable. The building was an utter loss and was razed. The Rage moved to Roberts Street, adjacent to the Gardner building. The Golden Razor moved across the street, to 315 Broadway, into a space now being renovated along with the Fargoan Hotel. Mr. Don's ceased to exist.
Arson
While all residents were interviewed about the fire, which appeared to be started intentionally, Donald Gooselaw, owner of Mr. Don's State College of Beauty, seemed an early suspect for arson. Lindstrom's observed that smoke originated in the beauty college, and Gooselaw's shop was pending eviction from the retail space due to four months' back rent, totalling $2,144.99; the eviction was scheduled for the Monday following the fire. Another witness, who had her hair done in Gooselaw's salon, said Gooselaw was complaining about the furnace's poor performance, even though the building's owner said it had been recently serviced. I could find no outcome of the arson investigation at this time.
Today
The area is a parking lot for the neighboring building, which was saved from destruction. The absence of the New Palace Hotel allowed an additional entance to be added to the neighbor building at 322 Broadway, on the north side, providing an entrance for upstairs offices.
References
The majority of the content came from various editions of the Fargo Forum from February, 1990, regarding the fire.
