Signs were coming down at the Courtyard by Marriott at Old Town Wednesday, but why?

The signs at the Courtyard by Marriott at Old Town were being dismantled on Wednesday, which naturally begged a question: What’s going on?

The truth is the hotel is undergoing renovations, but general manager Daniel Shilling couldn’t resist having just a bit of fun with a reporter who asked about about the signs.

“We’re closing the hotel tomorrow,” Shilling said rather casually.

He then explained he was joking.

The hotel is replacing the main sign and two on the sides of the building to “make it look nice and pretty,” Shilling said.

Later this year, the hotel’s lobby, atrium and guest rooms will be renovated.

There will be new bathrooms in most rooms along with new bedding.

There will be new furniture in public spaces, and possibly a new waterfall in the atrium.

The hotel opened in 2006 at Second and Mosley in the former Printers Inc. warehouse just east of Old Chicago.

Shilling said he’s not sure the entire cost of the renovations.

The interior remodeling will start in November and be complete sometime in the second quarter of 2023.

Shilling said there also are “exciting design plans” to honor the hotel’s Wichita and Old Town roots.

The new signs should be installed this week.

“We’ll have it all lit up.”