How the Omni Hotel renovated history
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Silhouettes resembling train travelers are part of the Omni Severin Hotel's revamped decor. Photo: Courtesy of Omni Severin Hotel
As the Omni Severin Hotel underwent a $24 million renovation in 2024, its history as a safe space for Black travelers was not overlooked.
Why it matters: Traveling while Black presented real challenges in America. Green Books helped Black travelers navigate those obstacles — even in northern states, where segregation was less visible but still enforced.
What they're saying: "We're honored to represent those businesses who chose to make a significant commitment to inclusivity and offer a safe place to Black travelers as they stay for business or pleasure, or as a waypoint to other destinations," Steve Quackenbush, general manager for Omni Severin Hotel, told Axios.
- "That is a very important part of our history as a country, and it's nice to be cemented in that with other local places that have that history of inclusion tied to them as well, like the Slippery Noodle, which is also really close to us."
The big picture: While most of the approximately 115 Indianapolis businesses once listed in the Green Book have been demolished, Downtown Indy's art deco hotel is an opulent reminder of an oft-forgotten history.
- From the 1930s through the mid-1960s, the guides served as encyclopedias of businesses and resources nationwide that welcomed Black travelers.
Driving the news: Quackenbush said the Omni renovation blended Indy's Civil Rights history with modern amenities.
- The renovation included a reimagined hotel lobby and revamped dining options that draw inspiration from the days of train travel in a nod to the hotel's proximity to Union Station.
- "We really wanted to lean into that because history gives you a sense of place and authenticity," he said. "It's very rare to find a place that has done its due diligence and really designs things that make sense for the place that they're at."
Zoom in: Quackenbush said considering the Omni's location at "the crossroads of the country," its importance as a travel hub during a dangerous time for Black people should be remembered.
- "The fact that 50% of the U.S. population is only an eight-hour drive away makes us really central to that argument," he said. "We were the first Union Station built in the United States in the 1800s, and at its peak, we had 25,000 people coming through the station every single day on 120 trains or more."
Fun fact: Quackenbush said as crews were installing a new HVAC unit on the roof, a building scan revealed a tunnel running from the Omni directly to Union Station that has since been covered up.
- "It was going from our laundry area to Union Station underground," he said.