The Newark Times was invited to take a sneak peek at the Hotel Indigo before all of the construction, installations, and furnishing are complete. And as much as we were hapkcalpy to be invited in, we were equally impressed by the work going on behind the curtain. Hotel Indigo occupies the location that was originally the First National State Bank Building, located at 810 Broad Street. The building was designed by Cass Gilbert, who was also responsible for the St. Louis Art Museum, The Woolworth Building in NY, the United State Supreme Court building, and was on was on the design committee of Rockefeller Center. First National State Bank Building was built in 1912. The building stands 165 ft and is 12 stories tall with a steel frame and a facade of applied masonry. It is worth note that the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
True to Hotel Indigo tradition, the downtown Newark location incorporates interior design points from the history of the surrounding neighborhood. In this particular case, the muse was Thomas Edison. From the lighting fixtures to the mosaic mural in the hotel lobby – created by Glassroots – to the wallpaper murals that can be found in common areas as well as guest rooms, the Hotel Indigo Downtown Newark prominently pays homage to Thomas Edison and his contributions. Hotel Indigo downtown Newark also harmoniously weaves historic traditions of exposed brick, exposed steel beams, and repurposed wood, not to mention the original bank vault door that can found on the ground floor, and the vault gate that can be found in the basement on your way to the 24-hour gym.
Hotel Indigo boasts some unique amenities. Behind the guest lobby, the ground floor is home to a restaurant and bar with an open kitchen, and an espresso bar. The 12 floors are occupied by a total of 108 guest rooms including the 2-floor loft style guest rooms on the top floor. Each room maintains at least some exposed brick from the original edifice. There is a conference room on the second floor that was originally the office of the bank president. Plans are in the works for an outdoor cigar lounge on the 5th floor. And in case you hadn’t already heard, there is also a rooftop bar that has indoor and outdoor seating, and spectacular views of the city.
The hotel is slated for a December 4th opening, albeit a quiet opening to give the staff some time to hone in on the Hotel Indigo brand’s service standards and to develop the individual personality of the downtown Newark location. You can book your stay at the hotel by clicking HERE.
