GRIFFIN September 2026

September 2026 • CWEA GRIFFIN • 19 In the present-day photo, trees obscure the Chase Hotel but the edge of the new Albion West End tower is seen at right. In the historic photo, taken in 1930, the view of the Park Plaza and Chase Hotels are clear as is the statue of Frank Blair in Forest Park (still standing in the present-day photo). Blair was a U.S. senator and civil war general who fought for the Union. The statue was erected in 1885. The Chase Hotel opened in 1922 and was built by developer Chase Ullman. The Park Plaza Hotel, owned by Sam Koplar, opened next door in 1929. The Koplar family eventually got control of both buildings and merged them into the Chase Park Plaza. Meanwhile, the parking lot at the southeast corner of Lindell and King- shighway remained vacant or served as a parking lot until 2025, when construction began on the Albion West End (see article p. 1). Koplar’s great-grandson, also Sam Koplar, is one of the partners in the Albion proj- ect, which is scheduled for completion in 2027. Corner of History Lindell and Kingshighway