St. Regis Hotel (Calgary)
The St. Regis Hotel, (formerly known as the Grunwald Hotel) is a hotel located in the eastern area of downtown Calgary, Alberta, the hotel was made a historic site in 2007 by the Calgary Municipal government. The hotel was built in 1912 by Col. James Walker, a prominent figure in Calgary's heritage. Originally the Hotel was touted to be a alcohol free area but became one of the first hotel's to acquire a liquor license in 1924. In 1958 and 1990, a fire spread through the St. Regis Hotel but the building recovered. [1]
The hotel was shut down in 2006 ands plans for a restoration and reopening coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the hotel have been made. The hotel has also become one of the six remaining buildings in Calgary that predate World War I hence the recent efforts to preserve it. [2]
Former Alberta premier Ralph Klein announced his entry into politics at the St. Regis Hotel bar. [3]