Built in 1913, originally as the Snapps Hotel, the building was a reconstruction of the original that was built in 1907 and destroyed by fire in 1912. The new structure, built of red brick, was five stories high and constructed entirely of steel and reinforced concrete. The exterior was trimmed with terra cotta and cut stone, giving full play to the free-style Spanish architecture.

Listed within a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places, the building was again gutted by fire in 1991, leaving it vacant. As plans for reutilizing it came and went, the Oaks Hotel (in its distressed condition) became symbolic of Excelsior Springs’ downtown area. In early 2005, there was no practical use for the building in sight and the City of Excelsior Springs was considering demolition.

Now, beautifully restored, the first floor features lobby and common areas that have been restored and redesigned to reflect the grandeur of its era. A community room with a service kitchen provides the residents a place for social gatherings and activities. The City of Excelsior Springs and the Mayor, collectively with many city involvement groups, have extended tremendous support towards saving this valuable historic structure. The project offers a foundation and building block to the downtown revitalization objective by promoting and retaining an existing development at a key location that will improve the quality of the downtown environment.