Saturday, September 1, 2007
Dallas Grand Hotel to re-open
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DOWNTOWN DALLAS I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for the Dallas Grand Hotel. I spent my first three weeks in Dallas living there -- my publisher at the time had a barter account. Later, once D Magazine had moved to Commerce Street, the hotel's watering hole, "Gatsby's Bicycle Bar" was the closest gin mill to our office. And even though the place was going downhill fast, they had a decent appetizer buffet.
And as I got into the business side, I got us a barter account there. (Hmm, perhaps if they took cash they might have stayed around.) And there were some interesting parties at the rooftop pool when we had guests in town.
The building, vacant for six years, has become quite the Downtown Dallas eyesore. So I'm thrilled to learn, via Randall Turner (via Mike Davis) that a California investor has bought the hotel and a couple adjoining buildings with plans for a comeback.
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Comments
JW Richard Verified
I share the soft spot for the Grand. It was at this hotel that I received an award for my work at KSKY 660AM in 1998. That meant a lot to me because it was my first job in radio outside of my alma mater. Almost three years later, an apartment fire would consume that plaque. However the memory of that night in that hotel comes back every time I pass the building.
2 years, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Lisa Lawrence Merritt Verified
I didn't know this was a "done deal".
Hmmmmm.
2 years, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Clay213 Anonymous
I saw a realtor looking type person down there on Thursday taking some pictures with a digital camera.. and I wondered if something was finally going on!
2 years, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Michael Davis Verified
This deal is under contract. Hopefully it will close. I've been reading that this hotel has been close to the finish line before - let's hope this one makes it.
A barter acct for a large hotel? Wow, that's old school right there.
2 years, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Clay213 Anonymous
It should certainly help turn that corner of downtown around, along with whatever they are building across the street.
2 years, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Lisa Lawrence Merritt Verified
Clay, a park is going in across the street.
I'm in RE and can tell you that until close of contract and work begins....you actually see the rehab, then believe nothing.
2 years, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Clay213 Anonymous
Isn't the park a couple blocks down? And I won't believe anything till I see it! I just know that having some activity at the part of Commerce will definitely help
2 years, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Shawn Williams Verified
I was just looking at the park site with the Grand in the background wondering what would become of the old gal. This would be a BIG WIN for downtown if the Grand and the Merc made it all the way back.
2 years, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
SkyHigh Anonymous
Kaaydah Schatten is supposed to be the buyer. She works for Stewart Title. She propsoed an indian casino for the building a while back. Not sure anyone takes here seriously - she's never done anything but act like she had money. She also claims she did all the work for the Park across the street (behind the scenes), but people involved just laughed when I mentioned here name. One referred to her as "Kaaydah the Clown." I think she's from Canada.
2 years, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Tiffany Ritter Verified
YAY. I went to a party there once when I was 16. If I recall correctly, I dug the windows...
2 years, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
michaelhooper2100 Anonymous
I am astounded in 2007 to see a forum in which a gutless weasel such as "Sky High" could get away with the degree of character assassination I observe in his anonymous diatribe above, with regard to my friend Kaaydah Schatten. Other than being from Canada, the entirety is fantasy. This is the type of garbage which justifies censorship. I invite anyone to verify any questions they may have either with me, or with Kaaydah herself. Probably one of those nasty little twits she's always going out of her way to help. Figures!
2 years, 1 month ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
TitleKingDFW Anonymous
I think Kaaydah Schatten arranges financing for big real estate deals. She also created that new park in Downtown Dallas, near the Grand Hotel. I seem to remember she was an investor in the Fairmount Hotel, too. I've only met her once, but she's one of the Dallas "movers and shakers." She does the really big deals in town.
I know she is a close friend of Ross Perot, too. So, I think she has the ability to pull off the Grand Hotel deal.
2 years ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
SkyHigh Anonymous
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
1 year, 12 months ago
SkyHigh Anonymous
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
1 year, 12 months ago
pixelchick Anonymous
on a side note, I think that torn down area has to do with the UCD (university center of Dallas). I think UNT bought a bunch of property and is going to be turning things into student friendly facilities. This is all hearsay I could be wrong..
1 year, 11 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Mike Orren Staff
SkyHigh's two most recent comments were removed because they crossed the line in terms of what we deem civil and acceptable discourse.
He seemed to be suggesting that this deal had fallen apart -- I just did a quick search and found nothing to confirm or deny that.
He also wanted to know about michaelhooper2100 above. michaelhooper2100 is an attorney who also contacted me directly representing Kaaydah Schatten wanting us to remove SkyHigh's original comment. Schatten also contacted me with the same request. We did not do so. And their requests have nothing to do with the removal of these two comments. We're not in the business of censoring opinion -- but we do have bounds of good taste, and personal insults that have nothing to do with the matter at hand are off the table.
1 year, 11 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Andrew Laska Verified
Was that the downtown Hilton at one point?
Andrew
1 year, 11 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
SkyHigh Anonymous
Apparently, Kaaydah Schatten is now going to work for the new Mayor. Lucky him. She is supposed to be heading up the Trinity River project and the elusive Convention Center Hotel. DallasMetropolis.com reported the Grand Hotel would have an important announcement in January. I confirmed Kaaydah was no longer "involved." It seems there is a new buyer who wants to do student housing. Stay tuned.
1 year, 11 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
SkyHigh Anonymous
Kaaydah Schatten never got the job with the Mayor - lucky mayor. I guess she stays at Stewart Title, answering phones.
So far, no "important announcement" either. Maybe a "real" group will come in and buy the hotel and either knock it down or fix it up. These bs false promises are not helpful.
The dirt seems to have value, the building doesn't. In my humble opinion I think it would be good to just tear it down and do a better job - build something that people want. Maybe housing. But, restoring it seems a waste of money. 8 foot ceilings are very 1950.
If you love the Hotel Grand - keep your pictures and your memories. Look forward to something even better.
1 year, 9 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Lisa Lawrence Merritt Verified
What did I say, People???
Maybe I can get to the bottom of this....
1 year, 9 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Chris Kidd Verified
Hey, it would be a great downtown mix loft/commercial property, if they priced it right for the middle class person (40-60k/yrI say keep the building and do it right.
1 year, 9 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Peter Stawicki Verified
Chrisdanger - do we really need another loft property downtown? Seems like thats the way the whole city is going.
I stayed in the Grand way back in 1986. It was an amazing weekend and it was a great old hotel. I have always been upset about it just sitting there unused.
1 year, 9 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Chris Kidd Verified
Im all for urban renewal, esp. for people who normally cant afford the "right" to live downtown, if we're going to achieve any real synergy, we need more properties right in the thick of it for us real folks who make a decent wage, but get shutout due to all the idiotic hoops and walls some of these properties put in place. Once you have that, the real fun begins.
1 year, 9 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
DC Anonymous
La la la build a decent school, put some cops on the streets and build some decent places to live that aren't so stupidly priced... no one cares
1 year, 9 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
SkyHigh Anonymous
People like Kaaydah Schatten raise false hopes by claiming they want to restore an old building (how nice an they are really just trying to make broker fees on a transaction. She will say anything to make a buck. It turns out Kaaydah is just a receptionist for Stewart Title and tried to play "broker." She said she was investing her own money, but had none.
The renewal of downtown Dallas is very important - it requires vision, money and persistence. Not phony brokers with "millions" to invest. Now it appears Kaaydah-the-clown is out of the Grand Hotel and some new folks are working on a proposal. I hope they are successful. They have promised an announcement in January.
It's a shame we do not have any type of regulation for the "deal makers" who will say anything to earn a fee. Dallas deserves better.
1 year, 9 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
DC Anonymous
SH: Rather than continuing with your ongoing comments about this woman, why don't you just really lay out what it is that she's done to you to raise your ire. I'm afraid otherwise this just looks like drivel.
1 year, 9 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
CastleHills Anonymous
If you google the name Kaaydah Schatten, you get a whole bunch of impressive stories about how she rose from poverty as a Canadian-born Indian, to become extremely successful (and a multimillionaire) by starting some kind of ceiling-cleaning business.
1 year, 9 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
SkyHigh Anonymous
CastleHills - The problem is that the stories are not true. She uses them to convince well meaning people that she has money to invest. Her former husband had the business, not her. She also shows up in numerous multi-level marketing scams. You can also find her referenced on Scam.com
I have worked with several individuals in town that she falsely claimed to be an "investor" with funds to finance projects. She took fees and then never delivered anything.
After she was dismissed from the Grand Hotel deal I checked her out. She is a receptionist at Stewart Title, not an investor. She filed bankruptcy on several companies, yet continues to show up in deals claiming to have money and "connections." If you look back far enough you'll see that see suggested the Grand become an Indian casino, but when it was researched she had no connection to any native American tribe. She refused to comment for a Dallas Morning News article.
I do believe there is a deal forthcoming for the Grand Hotel (before the end of the month) that thankfully has nothing to do with Kaaydah Schatten.
1 year, 9 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Lisa Lawrence Merritt Verified
A friend and neighbor of mine told me her ex boyfriend is an architect who is now working on the restoration for the Grand.
Other than that I have no more information.
1 year, 9 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
michaelhooper2100 Anonymous
Once more, the outrageous lies from SkyHigh, who must be getting sky high before blogging here. Truth? Kaaydah Schatten has " no entries " on scam.com; Kaaydah has NEVER worked for Stewart Title in ANY capacity; Kaaydah has NEVER been in bankruptcy ( check the public record ); Kaaydah IS working with the owners of the Grand on a sale, but has never claimed to have ANY ownership interest, nor to be a purchaser. It IS a little hard to observe this half-Kwakiutl First Nations woman, who managed to overcome being born on a reservation in Canada, to achieve an education and entry into the business world, having to endure the sniping of this low-life from his anonyity, and who is most likely one of the hundreds of recipients of financial and business assistance from Kaaydah. The agenda of this weasel is apparent. A " being " (not a man)with no shame. I invite one and all to shun any further interchange with SkyHigh. I will.
1 year, 9 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
SkyHigh Anonymous
Posted on DallasMetropolis.com by an architect:
"Sorry, had hoped by the end of January some news could be released, unfortunately, complex things take time. I can say things are continuing to move forward and can clear up two things, the owners of the building have not forgot they own it .... thought that comment was sorta funny, although I will have to say they can be difficult to negotiate with, and lastly that Kaaydah is in no way involved. I Know very little of her other than by general reputation and wont comment on that other to say she is in no way a part of the project.
Hopefully soon full announcements can be made. Also let me say thanks to a couple people on here who have helped me with some stuff and provided an offer of access to information they have on the project, ya know who you are and I will be back in touch!"
This helps at least clear up the Kaaydah involvement part, which is good news.
1 year, 9 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
TBW71 Anonymous
Has there been any new developments on this project? I worked on a deal with these guys a few years back, but the transaction fell apart in the ninth hour...The owners were EXTREMELY difficult, but hopefully we will see this project come to life within the NEAR future.
1 year, 8 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
jesus_christine Anonymous
i use to work their as a security officer and seen alot of stuff go on behind close doors and i can understand why it went down between the drunk hotel manager and people that didnt care bout the place.I hope the next owners get it right cause at the time this hotel changed my life while it was open but all good things come to an end but that the bussiness side of it good luck oh and beware of the 7th floor its haunted trust me you heard alot at nite cause at the time it was bein redone and havin 2 patrol it at nite hated it
11 months, 2 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
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