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THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
11/24-11/25/12
Welcome to the Hotel Moraine … such a vacant place
but that may change with proposal for organic food market, more. (above) The Hotel Moraine in Highwood looks nothing like its elegant forebear (right) which was located in Highland Park.
(left) photography by j.geil (right) courtesy of highland park historical society, circa 1922. ■ by
angelika labno
Dead leaves swirl around the desolate property at 700 Sheridan Rd. A peek through the yellowing curtains reveals the remnants of what once was a furnished hotel room: a few blankets strewn across the once-finished floor, an ancient portable space heater claiming the corner, an iron table propped open, a bottle of Raid. Proof of Hotel Moraine’s vitality in Highwood can be found in web archives or old photo albums. But after more than five years of vacancy, new plans may finally come to fruition. “We are anxious to move this property from a vacant hotel to a viable business(es),” said Highwood City Manager Scott Hartman. Recent developments with the property surround a concept plan presented to
Highwood’s City Council by current owner, Branko Tupanjac, in September 2012. Tupanjac proposed an independent living building in the hotel portion of the property, and an organic food market and café in the former banquet hall space. The plan was supported by the council. The history of the hotel dates back to 1971, when it was first operated as a Ramada Inn, and eventually, The Highwood Inn. In 1985, Highwood resident William Pigati headed a group that bought the motel and renamed it Hotel Moraine, inspire by the grandiose Hotel Moraine-on-the Lake in nearby Highland Park. The place was virtually made new in a $6 to $7 million rehab project. It was furnished to emulate the former Moraine’s splendor, with rooms featuring custom-built furniture, down pillows and French soaps, with bellmen and doormen at your service.
Yet it was not a complete reincarnation of the former luxury hotel. This affordable hotel sought to service business travelers, residents’ special occasions, visitors to Fort Sheridan and Lake Forest College graduations rather than act as a summer residence for the elite. Pigati housed three restaurants in the hotel’s east wing: The Orchid Room, a nightclub café, Italian and Swiss cuisine-inspired Ristorante Emilia, and the lobby wine bar, The Beach Club. Somewhere along the years, the splendor ceased. By 1992, the hotel underwent three name changes and appearances. The owner was now Branko Tupanjac, who acquired the property by bank auction. A string of failed attempts to rejuvenate the property includes the proposed Highwood Towers development in 2008 that never got off the ground. The last workings of the hotel are a stark contrast
from the original plan; the remaining reviews on TripAdvisor, ranging from 2002 to 2006 all offer their horror stories with an accompanying single-star rating. “When it closed, the town felt the impact on its finances,” said Hartman. There is a need for a hotel in Highwood, according to Hartman, who says it would also be a good revenue generator for the city. The property stands as one of the largest redevelopment sites in Highwood, sitting on approximately three acres. Across the street is the Philip H. Sheridan Reserve Center, making the property a prime location for a prominent structure. “Ideally we’d like to see a hotel there, but obviously the market will dictate viable uses for the property,” said Hartman, who is actively working with Tupanjac on the property’s redevelopment. ■
changing, fashions changed,” Gridley said. “People weren’t dressing up as much anymore, the men weren’t wearing suits to the office.” They retired for several months after the store closed (a Jos. A. Bank shop resides there now), but today remain as busy as ever in the endeavors they love most. Both Pony and Gridley have worked in local stores; Pony still
works in Smith’s Men’s Store a couple times a week. And in their hometown of Lake Bluff, Gridley is occasionally behind the counter at Voila. During the summer months, they’re both involved in the Farmer’s Market, Gridley as market manager and Pony as chair of the organizing committee, a nod to the role he
had in founding the market when he served as a Village trustee some 20 years ago. “It’s a lot of fun, and I just love it,” Gridley said. “The North Shore has always been loyal to us, it’s our home, and we know our customer. We adored our customers at the store.” ■
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said it was always his dream to own it. “And it came true!” she said of their 1979 purchase of the local institution from its second owner. Pony’s history with the store is also one of the reasons that their 1993 decision to close it was so difficult. “It had lovely, traditional, country clothing for men, boys and ladies, but lifestyles were