16. Wooten Hotel - 302 Cypress, The 16-story, 200 room hotel was constructed by wholesale grocer W.O. Wooten. The hotel's grand opening was on June 6, 1930.  In 1963, the hotel was converted to apartments and the name was changed to Abilene Towers. The City is currently working with a private developer to obtain the necessary financing to restore the building to its former grandeur. For those who might like to live in downtown Abilene, you may now book an
apartment by clicking here.

Click here for a photo of the construction site in 1929.  The unfinished attached building to the right  will be the Paramount Theatre which opened in 1930 as well.

The wholesale grocery business was so good that Wooten was able to finance the Hotel, the Paramount and a railroad, the Roscoe, Snyder and Pacific.