Hotel Lafayette
- Table of Contents
Grand
Marquis Ballroom
- Hotel Lafayette
Named
after the Marquis
de Lafayette
2011 Tour
conducted by Owner Rocco Termini October 25, 2011 Part of the Center for the Study of Art, Architecture, History and Nature Noon Hour Lectures ... AUDIO ![]() Grand Marquis (de Lafayette) Ballroom "In 1916,
Esenwein
& Johnson was commissioned to add a ballroom to the
hotel. A two and three-story brick addition was constructed south
of the recent addition, extending the hotel footprint to the north line
of Darrow Alley. Completed in 1917, this addition was
constructed of brick, with white terra cotta trim on the Ellicott
Street facade that is more restrained in design than that used on the
earlier building, but nonetheless in sympathy to the original
building." - WCPerspective,
History of The
Lafayette: Part Two
"The largest public space in the building, the ballroom is situated in an addition constructed southeast of the hotel in 1916-1917. Unlike the other large spaces on the main floor, it is unobstructed by columns, as there are no guest room floors above. The ceiling features large beams supported by fluted Corinthian pilasters along the side walls. The upper sections of the walls between the pilasters swag decoration in plaster relief. At the western end of the space is a small stage in the form of a semicircular exedra, which was added within the westernmost bay of the original space during the alterations to the hotel during 1924-1926. Three large windows on the south and one on the east originally lighted the space, but these have been filled in, and now contain small sash windows. " - WCPerspective, History of The Lafayette: The Interior ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Rocco Termini, Signature Development in the Grand Marquis Ballroom ![]() Rocco Termini, Signature Development in the Grand Marquis Ballroom ![]() Rubber mold created by artisans to reproduce damaged molding in Grand Marquis Ballroom ![]() Plaster replacements ![]() |
Photos taken on April 24, 2012 During a Construction Tour conducted by Owner Rocco Termini of Signature Development Co., LLC, as part of the C-SAAHN Noon Hour Lectures ... Lecture Audio "The
[Grand
Marquis] ballroom
is the largest public space in the Lafayette. This space was
added during the 1916-1917 addition. The ballroom is long, and
is unobstructed by any columns because there are no rooms above
it. The ceiling has large beams supported by pilasters along the side
walls. There were three small windows boarded up which have now been
reopened to their original size.
"Damage to the ceiling was extensive. The plaster beams were removed, the damaged ones replaced, and a new system was put in place to support the new beams and ceiling. Unlike the floors in other areas of the hotel, the floor in the ballroom is wooden. One speculation is that when this addition was built, the owners could not afford a tile floor and used the cheaper covering of hardwood." - Jackie Abarella's Blog (online March 2018) ![]() ![]() ![]() 2012 replica crystal chandeliers ![]() Patera ... Festoons ... Ribbons ![]() Dentil molding ... Corinthian pilaster features fluting and bell flowers (chandelles) ... Festoons ... Ribbons ![]() ![]() Ceiling medallion |
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