St. Louis Hotel CLOSE

Calgary's Heritage St. Louis Hotel

Built in 1914, the St. Louis Hotel is a three-storey brick structure located in Calgary's East Village area on Eighth Avenue SE, at the eastern edge of downtown. Distinctive tripartite windows and Neoclassical-style influences, such as an elaborate metal cornice and brick pilasters, distinguish the façade.

The St. Louis Hotel was developed by one of early Calgary's most prominent citizens, Colonel James Walker. Prior to becoming a leading real estate businessman, Walker was one of Calgary's first residents, serving as an original officer with the North West Mounted Police at Fort Calgary. Walker later became a distinguished area rancher and owned a successful sawmill that supplied much of early Calgary's lumber. Walker served in a number of civic leadership roles, and headed Calgary's incorporation committee. In 1975, he was posthumously selected as Calgary's "Citizen of the Century."

The St. Louis Hotel was built on the site of Walker's 1884 office, which contained Calgary's first telephone exchange. Walker was prompted to build the St. Louis Hotel by the 1914 arrival to the city of the Grand Trunk Pacific (GTP) Railway at the former site of Fort Calgary, two blocks to the east. The expected development of a station and the property's proximity made the St. Louis Hotel's location ideal. While a permanent station was never realized due to the financial difficulties of the GTP, the St. Louis Hotel stands to recall the East Village's brief status as a major railway hub.

As a result of the St. Louis Hotel's close proximity to City Hall, in its later history it gained a reputation as a being popular watering hole with city hall employees, including a string of mayors. Mayors known to patronize the hotel's basement bar included Rod Sykes (1969-77), Ross Alger (1977-80), and Ralph Klein (1980-89). Ralph Klein, who frequented the bar as a journalist in the 1970s, planned his candidacy for mayor at the St. Louis Hotel and, as mayor, entertained visiting dignitaries at the blue-collar tavern. After becoming the Premier of Alberta in 1993, Klein continued to patronize the St. Louis Hotel, which contributed to his "common touch" political persona.

The St. Louis Hotel's Architectural Significance

The St. Louis Hotel survives as one of the oldest hotels in Calgary and is one of only six hotels in the city to predate the First World War. The St. Louis Hotel represents a medium-priced Calgary hotel of the early twentieth century, which is evident in its attractive but modest design. A variety of elegant, Neoclassical-inspired detailing adorns the façade of the building, such as pilasters and panels that are articulated in the brickwork. Additionally, the façade is distinguished by an elaborate metal roofline cornice, and distinctive Chicago (tripartite) windows, which are characteristic features of commercial architecture of the period. Along with its original 60 rooms, the hotel also contained a bar, café, barbershop, and cigar stand. Due to the building's short façade and mid-block location, most of the bedrooms face interior light wells, typical of mid-market hotels. Each of these light wells contains a skylight, which had the important functional role of illuminating interior first-storey areas.

The St. Louis Hotel was designed by Calgary architect John B. Richards of the firm Richards and Burroughs. Richards was responsible for many other significant—but no
longer remaining—Calgary buildings, including the Crown Building (1911); Children's Wing, Calgary General Hospital (1919); Emergency Hospital (1918); and the General Hospital Annex (1921). The St. Louis Hotel and Fire Hall No.4 (1909) are the only non-residential commissions by Richards remaining in Calgary.

The hotel was extensively remodeled in 1959 and some of these later changes now possess heritage value in their own right, including the illuminated signage suspended from the façade, the lobby's sleek terrazzo flooring, and the basement lounge.

St. Louis Hotel Rejuvenation

Calgary City Council designated the St. Louis Hotel as a Municipal Historic Resource on February 4, 2008. Plans are underway to rejuvenate this historic building. Check back often for project updates!