The New-Denison Hotel, as it was originally known, was reportedly named for two of the investors, and a Cincinnati businessman named John Denison. A previous project on the site, the Sheets Hotel, had been launched in 1870, however, it languished. Only the first four floors of the building were standing when fire nearly destroyed it in 1874. Judge E. B. Martindale joined New and Denison in the purchase of the charred remains, and H. B. Sherman of Milwaukee built the prestigious hotel on the ruins at the corner of Ohio and Pennsylvania streets. It opened in 1880.
In the early 1890s, D. P. Erwin purchased the property and added more stories and a mansard roof. The six-story hotel boasted 250 rooms and a number of amenities, including a billiard room and bar. The dining rooms were popular with local residents, who could purchase Sunday dinners for 75 cents.
The hotel was well known for its political connections. Both the and state organizations had headquarters there for a time. Before and during legislative sessions, the Denison was the site of party caucuses and closed-door negotiations. Political schemes were hatched in Parlor A on the second floor or in the “Amen Corner,” a secluded nook in the lobby.
By the 1920s, the hotel had become less popular. Norman A. Perry and Ruth (Perry) Griffith, who were heirs of , purchased the Denison. With automobiles, they realized the need to provide more parking in downtown Indianapolis and identified the Denison Hotel’s location as an ideal place to build a parking garage. They razed the building in 1933.
Named after the hotel, Denison Service Parking, one of the earliest paid parking facilities in the U.S., opened on March 29, 1934. The Perry and Griffith families subsequently built other parking garages in the city and kept the name, . The company remains in the hands of the Griffith family. It operates 69 parking facilities across Indianapolis and has locations in such cities as Las Vegas, Denver, Minneapolis, Ft. Myers, and Pompano Beach.
Named after the hotel, Denison Service Parking, one of the earliest paid parking facilities in the U.S., opened on March 29, 1934. The Perry and Griffith families subsequently built other parking garages in the city and kept the name, . The company remains in the hands of the Griffith family. It operates 69 parking facilities across Indianapolis and has locations in such cities as Las Vegas, Denver, Minneapolis, Ft. Myers, and Pompano Beach.
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