Westward Ho

The Westward Ho is a high-rise building in Phoenix, Arizona. The 16-story building, which is 208 ft (63m) to the roof, held the title of tallest building in Arizona for over 30 years until the completion of the Meridian Bank Tower in 1960. The building primarily served as a hotel from its grand opening in 1928 until its official closure on April 7, 1980. The facility also housed several offices and restaurants, including one on the 16th floor called Top of the Ho. There were also several gathering rooms in the hotel, the Turquoise Room on the 2nd floor where many wedding receptions were held, and a large convention center adjacent to the main hotel which could seat 1,600 called the Thunderbird Room where many of Phoenix's big events took place. After closing as a hotel in 1980, the building's new owners converted it into a subsidized housing complex for the elderly and mobility-impaired. It was later renovated to make apartments more accessible, housing 320 residents in 289 rooms.