Each week we鈥檒l uncover some听unusual and (hopefully) interesting facts about听the city. This week we take on the second incarnation of the Hotel Vancouver.
1. It had to big and听产别补耻迟颈蹿耻濒听
Hotel Vancouver, 1917. Photo: 麻豆传媒映画Archives Item: CVA 677-21
With the first Hotel 麻豆传媒映画being referred to as a听鈥渕onument of external ugliness鈥� by local paper, The Ledge, The CPR made sure the second Hotel 麻豆传媒映画would stand as one of the city's finest buildings. Built in the听Italian Renaissance style and designed by Francis S. Swales, the Hotel 麻豆传媒映画opened as听one of the British Empire鈥檚 grandest hotels.
2. It was the most expensive building in the city
Hotel 麻豆传媒映画and City Hall. Photo: 麻豆传媒映画Archives Item: CVA 371-884.
The Hotel 麻豆传媒映画had 700 rooms, turrets, a roof top garden, gargoyles and an absolutely lavish interior, which included marble sinks and gold-plated hardware. Other luxurious design elements included听eight-foot tall terra cotta moose and buffalo head sculptures. It's estimated that constructions costs surpassed $3,000,000.
2. The hotel听attracted celebrity听figures听from around the world听
Dal Richards with Roy Rogers at the Panorama Roof, 1940. Photo/麻豆传媒映画Archives.
A favourite place for a night out. Famous hotel guests include听Winston Churchill,听Babe Ruth, and听Anna Pavlova. The hotel's听Panorama Roof was adored by locals and celebrities听alike.
4. The third Hotel 麻豆传媒映画was built by the CPR's main competition
Hotel 麻豆传媒映画II and III. Photo: Leonard Frank. VPL Number: 8909.
Canadian Northern negotiated a deal with the City to fill in part of False Creek in order to build a new railyard and train station. Canadian Northern agreed to construct a new hotel on the corner of Burrard and Georgia as part of the deal, but construction was delayed throughout 1928 - 1937 due to听the war and great depression.听The new hotel's steel frame stood over the city, unfinished for years.
5. The听hotel was used as a barracks
Photo: 麻豆传媒映画Public Library item: VPL 42396.
In its last years, the second Hotel 麻豆传媒映画served as army barracks.听The building was boarded up and placed under guard at the end of World War II, a time when returning veterans were having difficulty finding housing. In January 1946 thirty-five veterans took over the vacant hotel and claimed it as veterans housing. They organized themselves and soon were housing upwards of 1,000 veterans.
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