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This past year Broadview Tower at 6th & Merchant in Emporia has undergone a renovation. They blasted off all the beige paint and it looks much, much better. Awnings have gone up just like it had in its early days.
Mark Schondelmaier offered this postcard picture of the Broadview Hotel. The card has a 1931 postmark.
Here’s a 2008 photo. Don’t know why they ever painted it in the first place.
Is the air raid watch tower part still up there? Have they used that for storm watching too?
It’s nice to see it back in shape!
According to Laura French’s History of Emporia and Lyon County, Kansas, the Broadview opened in 1923 and cost $400,000, which says a lot about the affluence in Emporia back then. I’m so glad that they’re bringing to back to its former appearance.
Janet – I don’t think it’s so much an air raid tower as the local airplane control tower. At least, I think that’s the case now.
What’s the building used for? And I agree, the beige paint did nothing for the building. Love it’s returned to its past glory.
Greenseeds – it’s low-income housing for seniors and disabled folks.