Warden Plaza Hotel (abandoned) (Fort Dodge, Iowa)

USA / Iowa / Fort Dodge / Fort Dodge, Iowa
 abandoned / shut down  Add category
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Large downtown hotel. It went out of business decades ago and was used as senior citizen housing and inpatient drug treatment programs before it was abandoned.
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Coordinates:   42°30'16"N   94°11'7"W

Comments

  • It is filled with dead birds.
  • The building IS NOT demolished and I am The property manager . look on LoopNet or contact the City of Fort Dodge ,Iowa. Scheduled for a Historic renovation spring 2015
  • Thee DUMBEST thing about this poor building was when Heartland Communications Group bought it, CHASED everybody out and thought that they had a gold mine to make "condos" out of it. Just what in the HELL were these morons thinking.?!?!?!? And whats wrong in making affordable housing for the low income people of this town.? If they did this again.. one word.. "RENT CONTROL" And I would LOVE to see the 4th floor dance hall again, I've seen pictures and it was gorgeous. "Historic renovation" in the spring 2015, well, it's April 15th and I haven't heard anything yet.. The SOONER the BETTER... http://webster.iowaassessors.com/parcel.php?gid=17646
  • Well aware that it's spring 2015. Historic renovation still on the books. If your so anxious to get this going how about forking over some financial backing? Getting all the funding to do a historical renovation of this magnitude takes time and patients it doesn't happen over night. The fourth floor ballroom that you have seen in pictures was gone a long time ago. There are plans on bringing that back also. The little shops on the West side (Interior) are scheduled as the first things to be brought back to life. But again, it all takes money. The City and county will only let you build a few low income family or affordable housing units within the city, after that your flooding the city with affordable housing units . ... Property Manager Warden Plaza
  • Thought this was sold recently?
  • Yes I'm also aware that it takes money and lot of it, the boiler alone was (I heard) was going to be at least $100,000, and Karen and Bob should of done something about it when they owned it way back when, but..(not to mention) the electrical lines, I'm not sure what that all entails, I also see that it was put on the register back in 1980, now one would think think that the state historical society would of been on this a long time ago.... with something..anything, they might of but I never heard about it and if there, it was just a band-aide .Yeah I know, bureaucracy, red tape, peoples "pet" projects elsewhere like anywhere east of I-35 and south of I-80, you know, more important places in the state is going to be on top of that list... wow... what a shock. And frankly, whats wrong with flooding the market with affordable housing, rent should NOT be the same price as ones our personal house mortgage, where the logic in that anyway.? That I could never figure out at all regardless if its one bedroom or a whole house and I seriously think that they SHOULD bring back rent control, not only in Fort Doge, but across the country as well, but I'm NOT holding MY breath for that to happen any time soon.. But none the less, I seriously hope that it's sooner then later the Warden regains its glory to what it once was so many years ago.. The old restaurant on 10th and 1st was a decent place to eat, The mezzanine was always well kept (what FM station was there, cant remember). And a off-duty guard and I explored everything in that building.. it was fun to see it.. Lastly. everybody knows it's FAR cheaper to build new then to refit something old.. and the money required to refit as new may NOT happen within out lifetime I'm afraid and thats sad. btw.. next time Im in town and your willing to kill an afternoon, I would LOVE to go back in it just to see it again, no matter what condition its in..and give me a "tour" of what plans are pending for it.
  • Would love to show you the place and talk to someone who actually lived in the Warden. How do I contact you ?
  • Samuel ... Not Quite .. The sale is still pending. We need to wait for additional funding before we proceed with the sale . This additional funding comes from state and national historical tax incentives. It's a long drawn out process and can not be accomplished overnight. All parts must fall into place before we can make it happen. ... Property Manager Warden Plaza
  • I understand. Thank you for the info sir.
  • Ok sounds good. Will be contacting you shortly. Look forward to meeting you,. and no need for elephant gun LOL (that's an idea) Might want to bring a flashlight though.
  • Not a problem Samuel glad to help you out.
  • I think this buiding's restoration is key to the revitalization of Fort Dodge's downtown. Maybe the college's construction students can be utilized in helping to restore it. Maybe the college could add Historic Restoration to its construction program. Once the electricity and water are at least partially restored, I'm sure tours of the property could generate income to help with restoration costs.
  • http://www.kcci.com/news/2-charged-gun-incident-caught-on-camera/38463350 "It was a toy gun. I approached them with a toy gun trying to scare them. That's all it was," Robert Hanse said. Fort Dodge police said it wasn't a BB gun but a .22 caliber gun, and the situation should have never escalated to that point.
  • Burglars use U-Haul truck to ram into... Vote for top pizza place in Iowa,... Here are airfare rates to follow Iowa... New traffic crackdown running... WATCH VIDEO HERE. Robert Hanse, 62, has been charged with assault while displaying a weapon. His wife, Cindy Hanse, 60, has been charged with child endangerment. Kyle Alstott caught the incident on camera, saying it was a scary situation. "I was standing somewhere in front of my truck in the video, and that's when I was recording, 'She's got a pistol,'" Alstott said. "I think I was still shaken up about four hours later." Alstott said he was fixing the siding on a shed in an alleyway at a friend's house. When he was about to wrap up around 4:30 p.m. Thursday when Robert Hanse came out of the house on the other side of the alleyway and told them to get off his property. One of Alstott's workers exchanged words with Robert Hanse. Then, Hanse's wife grabbed a gun out of her purse. In the video, Cindy Hanse waves the gun in front of her two kids, pointing it at one of them. "I couldn't believe that they were that reckless with a gun," Alstott said. Robert Hansen took the gun out of his wife's hand and pointed it at one of Alstott's workers, who tries to find cover. Levi Porter was in the truck with Alstott. "I'm just sitting there shaking," Porter said. "I'm just trying to duck and get behind his car." Robert Hanse said he feared for his family's safety and was protecting them with what he says was a BB gun. "We were told by this gentleman, more than likely the one that shot the video, that he was here to take care of the family. If we went to the police, we would not live to tell the story. "It was a toy gun. I approached them with a toy gun trying to scare them. That's all it was," Robert Hanse said. Fort Dodge police said it wasn't a BB gun but a .22 caliber gun, and the situation should have never escalated to that point.
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This article was last modified 11 years ago