▁the ▁D ac res ' s ▁out ward ▁appearance ▁remains ▁much ▁as ▁it ▁had ▁been ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 9 , ▁as ▁it ▁was ▁sp ared ▁the ▁fate ▁of ▁urban ▁renew al ▁which ▁claimed ▁many ▁historic ▁buildings ▁in ▁the ▁surrounding ▁blocks ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁and ▁' 6 0 s . ▁The ▁hotel ▁closed ▁its ▁doors ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁May ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁with ▁the ▁own ers ▁cit ing ▁the ▁state ' s ▁imp ending ▁$ 1 ▁minimum ▁w age ▁law ▁as ▁the ▁primary ▁reason . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁the ▁T aus ick ▁estate ▁sold ▁the ▁building ▁to ▁O . ▁D . ▁Ke en ▁Const ruction ▁Co . ▁who ▁dis posed ▁of ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁hotel ' s ▁furn ish ings , ▁fi xt ures , ▁sign age ▁and ▁even ▁room ▁keys ▁at ▁public ▁au ction . ▁▁ ▁For ▁the ▁next ▁few ▁dec ades ▁the ▁building ▁remained ▁vac ant ▁save ▁for ▁several ▁small ▁business es ▁on ▁the ▁ground ▁floor . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁the ▁hotel ▁was ▁nominated ▁for ▁state ▁and ▁national ▁land mark ▁status ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁history ▁project ▁by ▁Washington ▁State ▁University ▁student ▁Robert ▁Her g ert . ▁It ▁was ▁accepted ▁to ▁the ▁National ▁Register ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁only ▁the ▁second ▁building ▁in ▁the ▁County ▁to ▁be ▁registered ▁( the ▁first ▁being ▁Fort ▁Wal la ▁Wal la ). ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁the ▁building ▁was ▁purchased ▁by ▁Robert