By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Niles has always been a community of rich history. It's proven in the buildings, homes and other historical sites around town. From houses that date back to the 1800s, to farms that have been in families for generations, it truly is an honor for most residents to call this city home.
In this series, we are taking our readers on an adventure to explore and get to know Niles. Historical homes, farms, schools and some of the oldest buildings have been researched and are being brought to life for your enjoyment.
Historical buildings and homes cover many streets in Niles. From carriage houses to Greek Revivals and Italian villas, some of history's true beauty can be found right in your own neighborhood.
An early Niles builder, Jacob K. Brown was the one man responsible for most of the fine early homes and buildings of Niles. When his obituary notice was published on Oct. 16, 1890, he was credited with having constructed "21 schools, a dozen mills and 50 stores, dwelling houses and other buildings during his residency in Niles."
He built his first house on the East side of Fourth Street just south of Main. The house was sold to Henry Hoffman for a schoolhouse and he then purchased a lot south of this home and built for himself the residence which used to be the site of the Chamber of Commerce Building. These are only two of the many homes he built during his residency in the city of Four Flags.
In 1860, Brown built six stores, which were occupied by Niles Mirror, Larimore Drug Store, William B. Beeson store, the store for G.A. Colby and a store for E.S. Badger, which was later occupied by Colby and Griffin, druggists. These six stores still stand in their original spots and sit on the North side of East Main Street.
In 1867, Brown was given a contract by Henry Pike to construct the three-story Pike Hotel, located at Main and Fourth streets. The hotel was destroyed in the early 1900s and in 1925, the Four Flags Hotel was built.
The Niles Businessmen's Association proposed that the city was in need of a major hotel of the finest and most modern quality. They formed the Niles Hotel Corporation and began selling bonds to the public at $100 a share. A community enterprise was born as stocks for $230,000 were raised to offset the $350,000 needed to build the hotel.
The structure was completed and open for business on July 4, 1926.
One unique feature the building carries is that it was built as a fireproof hotel.
"The floors are made of foot-thick concrete and the brick is fire brick square tiles, which are thick and hollow," said Tony Sakara, one of the hotel's current owner.
Sakara and five partners joined together to purchase the building in 2005. The current name has been changed to Renaissance Place.
"There's a lot of history here, and since we purchased the building last year, we have hopes of remodeling a lot of things inside," Sakara added.
When the Hotel first opened in 1926, room rates were $2.00 and $3.50. The hotel employed a full staff, which included everything from a person who ran the elevators, to others who overlooked all of the rooms.
"Everyone was in uniform," Sakara said.
The hotel also played host to many notable figures such as Eleanor Roosevelt, Knute Rockne, Al Capone and Truman Capote. Now, the rooms are occupied by residents who call this historical structure home.
"In the 1970s, there were 78 rooms. Now, there are 41, with 25 rooms rented," Sakara said.
Sakara said a few of the rooms need to be renovated before they can be rented out, but those plans, as well as others, are in the works.
"Eventually, we would like to bring a few things back to the way they used to be," Sakara said.
The lobby, for example, features a fireplace, which is still visible. There were also planters and furniture, where people could gather for a chat or get cozy by the fire. A room was put up in place of the old lobby, which sat to the right of the main doors.
"We would like to open that back up and add additional space for the Queen Anne Room," Sakara said.
The Queen Anne Room was once used for a ballroom, where women would dress in their finest attire and men would put on their best suit and dance the night away. Today, Sakara said people rent it for wedding receptions and wedding anniversaries. The ballroom currently holds 200 people, and future plans will create an indoor/outdoor expansion that will accommodate over 450 people.
Lipstick Jungle was added to the main street retail space, which is operated by Sakara's wife, Susan.
"That's done very well," Sakara said of the business.
Other plans for the future include renewal and renovation of the apartments on the second through fourth floors.
No matter how much the hotel has changed and will change in the future, it will always be a part of Niles' history and many fond memories will live on.