The Pfister Hotel
Designed by architect Henry C. Koch in Romanesque Revival style, it had features uncommon in its time like fireproofing, electricity, and thermostat controls.[1][2] The hotel was purchased in 1962 by hospitality magnate Ben Marcus, who renovated the hotel and added a 13-story addition behind the building without compromising the original building itself, and continues to be owned by the Marcus Corporation.The hotel has held the AAA Four Diamond award for 37 years, since the inception of the ranking in 1977.The 1986 National Register nomination states:The Pfister is the last nineteenth century grand hotel remaining in downtown Milwaukee.Changes to the exterior include the removal of the massive stone portico on the Jefferson Street facade and the closing of an entrance at the southeast corner.