National Register of Historic Places

Hotel America

Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut
Listed
September 6, 2012
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
12000359

About this property

The Hotel America is a historic former hotel building at 5 Constitution Avenue on Constitution Plaza in Hartford, Connecticut. Built in 1964, it is believed to be the first building erected in the state as part of an urban redevelopment project, and is an important local early example of Modern architecture. Now the Spectra Boutique Apartments, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012. The former Hotel America building marks the eastern end of Constitution Plaza, a major 1960s development on the east side of Hartford's downtown. It is a twelve-story structure, built out of steel, concrete, and glass. Its main axis is oriented north–south, with the building passing over Kinsey Street on large steel I-beam trusses. The Hartford Redevelopment Agency was founded in 1950, and Constitution Plaza was its first major project, designed to revitalize an urban slum area on Hartford's east side. The Hotel America building was designed by Curtis & Davis, a firm noted for its Modernist architecture, and was completed in 1964. The trusses carrying the building over Kinsey Street were the largest made to date in the state. The hotel's branding changed several times over the years, named as a Sonesta, and in its later years, as a Clarion Hotel. The vacant building was acquired by developers in 2011 and converted into luxury apartments. National Register of Historic Places listings in Hartford, Connecticut

Location

5 Constitution Ave.
Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut
41.76870, -72.66928

Categories

ARCHITECTURECOMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTSOCIAL HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Geology
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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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The Community
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Nearby Historic Sites

Department Store Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi
Cheney Building
Industrial
0.2 mi
Bulkeley Bridge
Industrial
0.2 mi
First National Bank Building
Industrial
0.2 mi
Christ Church
Industrial
0.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Hotel America listed on the National Register?

Hotel America was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 6, 2012.

What type of historic resource is Hotel America?

Hotel America is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Hotel America?

The period of significance for Hotel America is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Hotel America?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Hotel America will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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