Auditorium Hotel
Houston, Harris County, Texas
Marker Inscription
The Auditorium Hotel was built in 1926 for Houston investor Michele DeGeorge (1850-1927), who came to the United States from Italy in 1881. Designed by architect Joseph Finger (1887-1953), the building features Italian renaissance detailing in the upper stories. Its location in the center of Houston's theater district and its association with the now-razed city auditorium have contributed to its significance as a Houston landmark during the city's commercial development. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1984
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Built in 1926 for Houston investor Michele DeGeorge, an Italian immigrant who reached the United States in 1881, the Auditorium Hotel showed off Italian Renaissance detailing in its upper floors, designed by architect Joseph Finger. Standing at the heart of Houston's theater district beside the old city auditorium, it became a fixture of the growing downtown. Its rise reflects the commercial energy transforming the city in the 1920s.
Why it matters
The hotel embodies both the immigrant enterprise and the theater-district boom that helped turn Houston into a modern American commercial center.
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Related people
- · Michele DeGeorge
- · Joseph Finger
Themes & tags
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