The historic Kahler sign, located on top of Rochester, Minnesota’s Kahler Grand Hotel, is a fixture of the Rochester skyline. Over the next few months, the iconic sign will be restored and relit, returning it to its original grandeur.
First constructed around 1971 with letters towering over 10 feet tall, the time-worn sign had reached the end of its life. The old neon letters and metal mesh were rusted beyond repair and the electrical components were so degraded that the slightest amount of moisture would cause the lights to malfunction.
Recognizing the sign’s historical significance to the city of Rochester, the Kahler Hospitality Group made the decision that restoring it, despite an estimated cost of half a million dollars, was the best path forward. This undertaking marks the first renovation to the Kahler sign since the 1980s.
Standing 11 stories above ground and partially hanging over the side of the Kahler Grand Hotel, gaining access to address the sign was no small feat. The restored sign will preserve an important component of the downtown Rochester skyline, aiming to honor its illustrious past while incorporating modern, energy-efficient and color-changing LEDs.
The Kahler Hospitality Group recently completed an ambitious renovation of the 600-room hotel with multiple conference spaces. The four-year project was one of the most extensive renovations completed of the historic hotel since it was first constructed in 1921 – over a century ago.
The restoration of the sign is expected to be completed in October 2023. At the same time, the Kahler Hospitality Group plans to unveil a Kahler History Museum in the hotel’s lobby, featuring one of the original letters from the 1970s sign.
