[DMac]

1946 Data

Cotton Hotel
Robt. H. Moffatt, Pres. & Mgr.
The Home of Hospitality
175 rooms each w/Tub & Shower, Running Ice Water
Rates: $2.20 single, $3.30 Double, $3.85 Twin Beds
Strictly Modern
Fireproof

802-10 Fannin @ Rusk
1008-20 Rusk @ Fannin

Also in that same block were:

Western Union TelCo @ 1015 Rusk
Grivas Coffee Shop restr. @ 10818
The Silver Grill restr. @ 1019 &
Martha Washington Candles co. @ 1021

[Subdude]

[ricco67]

Thanks for bringing the article to my attention, I have no idea how I missed it.

I remember working at 1111 Rusk when Texaco was there, and at night, we saw ALL sorts of interesting things in the windows. Most of which I can't really tell in this forum, but perhaps if we manage to get a friendly HAIF dinner somewhere, I might share.

[Trophy Property]

Threads like this one are the reason I keep coming back and back to this great site.

Mr. Kalas, thank you so much for your updates. I had not read any of this post until today and I was amazed at the time and effort you have exhausted to keep us "strangers" updated on your project.

I too have fond recollections of your hotel, or at least the bar located in the basement of your hotel. We all called it the 804 Underground (whethere or not this was the real name, I am not sure). We used to enter through the side entrance into a upper bar that I assume was Charlie's. There was a bouncer named Spider. He was nice as could be and I was always amazed that he would remember me each time I entered the place. He even tried to get me a "date" one night with a lady seated at the bar. I declined, but found the experience to be a lot of fun. The downstairs area was really dark and had a lounge feel to it, but also had a dance floor and played loud clubby type music. I am not sure when I first hit this place but it had to be in the late 90's. We would go about once a year for 4 or so years. I have not been back since probably 2002 (maybe earlier - my memory for dates is not so strong).

At any rate, I appluad your efforts with this hotel. I think you are correct in your analysis that downtown needs more a middle of the line hotel. I stayed at the Courtyard downtown when the Stones were in town and I was able to get a room for $120. It was a very plain room (as Courtyard's tend to be), but served its purpose (letting me and wife drink at concert and not drive home). I am not sure there we any other options for us that my wife would have felt safe in. Hopefully your transition will fill the gap for lower priced, safe, and clean hotel rooms.

The article in the chronicle was very flattering If you ask me. I think the quote from the gentleman who stated you needed to spend $100,000 per room to update was way off. The fact that Bob Eury and other downtown groups are behind you says a lot. I also commend you on the chiller move and installation. Those projects are never easy and extremely costly. I think that move shows just how serious with your committment to update this hotel.

Please keep us updated with any additional changes that occur. I know there are quite a few of us on this board who are extremely interested in your endeavor. GREATEST of luck to your and Uncles and the futre of the Montagu / Cotton Hotel.

This post has been edited by Trophy Property: Monday, July 10, 2006 at 3:30 PM

[WyattEarp]

Thanks for the many kind words. I very much enjoy participating in this forum and have all of you to thank for helping me network with the right folks downtown who have supported our efforts to save this neat old building.

It goes without saying that my family was delighted with the very fair and mainly favorable and supportive article that was published in the Houston Chronicle this past Sunday. Thanks to this article we've already seen a modest boost in our guest traffic and the increased revenues were immediately put to good use to move forward our renovation work. Three days after the article appeared, my Uncle Albert threw out the old couches and chairs in the lobby. In their place is a 3-piece matched deluxe leather chair, couch and love seat in the waiting area. They are very comfortable and attractive and are another step forward in our efforts to improve the lobby area of the hotel.

Tonight, I purchased another 11 new microwave ovens to finish out the premium rooms on the 11th floor that still lacked them. This weekend I'll be purchasing another 10 mini-refrigerators which will also be headed to the rooms on the 11th floor. At present, the 11th floor is at what I call "Stage Two Renovation" and these latest purchases means that every room on that floor will now have a brand new microwave and refrigerator. With this finished, I can now turn my attention to trying to repairing minor room defects and to making further improvements to the bathroom areas. My idea here is to continuously improve the 11th floor (our best one at present), so that it can serve as the model for future renovations in the rest of the hotel.

In the meantime, the remaining rooms in the hotel have been undergoing "Stage One Renovation" which involves patching, priming and repainting all the walls and trim and replacing all the flooring with ceramic tile throughout each room. It has taken a bit longer than I anticipated last February, but we have now finished Stage One work on the 6th, 7th, 9th, 11th & 12th floors. We have also begun doing rooms on the 4th and 5th floors and will continue to work on these through the rest of this Summer. This Fall we should be able to complete the 8th and 10th floors and then it will be time to move to Stage Two renovation work on those floors.

I should also mention that the article in the Chronicle has generated many phone calls and visits from downtown office workers in nearby buildings and from people who either stayed in, or worked at the hotel many years ago. I was especially tickled this evening to receive an email from the lady whose father, Mr. Morin Montagu Scott, was the previous owner of the hotel from 1952 - 1974. She and her husband plan to visit with me soon and I'm hopeful that she may be able to provide more history and possibly some more historical photos of the building from the mid-20th century - which would be fun to add to the "history" page on our website.

Here's another news flash: As the article mentioned, a Subway Sandwich shop may soon take over the space formerly occupied by the Hard Hat Deli. It's not a done deal yet, but if Subway and my family can agree on the terms of the lease then we will remove all of the old restaurant equipment and furniture - gutting the space down to the walls and floors. Subway will then come in and completely remodel that area to their standards. If they lease from us, it'll probably go for 15 years - which is a nice long-term commitment. They will add new restrooms to this area of the building and we will most likely close off the doorways connecting Subway to our lobby. This will allow them to better control access to their restaurant space and it will give us an opportunity to renovate the largest wall in our lobby and reclaim space for the display of historic photos, maps, and artifacts from the hotel's past.

Naturally, this means some of the outdoor signage would change on the corner at Rusk and Fannin, which can only help improve the appearance of the building at the ground level. I also think that having Subway as a tenant on the corner will aid our efforts to keep the sidewalks clear of vagrants since Subway will have a vested interest in helping us keep the area safe and free of scary-looking characters.

Since you mentioned the old underground lounge I must hasten to add that I was contacted by a producer of theatre productions this week who wanted to see if we had a space that might serve as a venue for a downtown theatre group to perform for upwards to 100 customers at a time. We have to see what he has in mind, but the underground area is probably big enough to support a entertainment venture of this type. I think it could be a classy thing as the guy specializes in one-act plays and such. That would be quite different from some of the more seedier ventures that have operated out of the basement level in the past, to say the least!

Lastly, the Kalas family members are still discussing re-doing the sign on the hotel to rename it back to "Hotel Cotton." Right now the family is debating the best way to do this in a classy, yet economical manner. We're batting a lot of ideas around and still trying to find something that fits within our budget. Everyone still agrees that a name change must happen. But changing a sign is a big deal and it's an expensive proposition and we want do the best we can with the resources we have. I would very much like to see the name change happen by the end of the summer, but can't guarantee the timing yet.

That's all for now. Hope everyone enjoys the update. It's always nice to be able to share my enthusiasm for our project with others who get a kick out of seeing historic old buildings being brought back from the brink. :-)

-George Kalas

Trophy Property, on Monday, July 10th, 2006 @ 3:28pm, said:

Threads like this one are the reason I keep coming back and back to this great site.

Mr. Kalas, thank you so much for your updates. I had not read any of this post until today and I was amazed at the time and effort you have exhausted to keep us "strangers" updated on your project.

I too have fond recollections of your hotel, or at least the bar located in the basement of your hotel. We all called it the 804 Underground (whethere or not this was the real name, I am not sure). We used to enter through the side entrance into a upper bar that I assume was Charlie's. There was a bouncer named Spider. He was nice as could be and I was always amazed that he would remember me each time I entered the place. He even tried to get me a "date" one night with a lady seated at the bar. I declined, but found the experience to be a lot of fun. The downstairs area was really dark and had a lounge feel to it, but also had a dance floor and played loud clubby type music. I am not sure when I first hit this place but it had to be in the late 90's. We would go about once a year for 4 or so years. I have not been back since probably 2002 (maybe earlier - my memory for dates is not so strong).

At any rate, I appluad your efforts with this hotel. I think you are correct in your analysis that downtown needs more a middle of the line hotel. I stayed at the Courtyard downtown when the Stones were in town and I was able to get a room for $120. It was a very plain room (as Courtyard's tend to be), but served its purpose (letting me and wife drink at concert and not drive home). I am not sure there we any other options for us that my wife would have felt safe in. Hopefully your transition will fill the gap for lower priced, safe, and clean hotel rooms.

The article in the chronicle was very flattering If you ask me. I think the quote from the gentleman who stated you needed to spend $100,000 per room to update was way off. The fact that Bob Eury and other downtown groups are behind you says a lot. I also commend you on the chiller move and installation. Those projects are never easy and extremely costly. I think that move shows just how serious with your committment to update this hotel.

Please keep us updated with any additional changes that occur. I know there are quite a few of us on this board who are extremely interested in your endeavor. GREATEST of luck to your and Uncles and the futre of the Montagu / Cotton Hotel.

[bachanon]

thanks g. k.

[Jeebus]

Wow. Sometimes just being a member of this forum makes me feel like I'm actually involved. George thanks for all the updates. You are truly setting an example for other downtown renovations to follow.

[ricco67]

Once again, thank you for the updates, and we are glad that the article has given you additional business. Perhaps you can get some regular business clientel out of the whole thing, and I'm sure that will help you immensely.

[Subdude]

Thanks for the update. Hope it all works out with the Subway, theater group, and name change. Plus now we know where the "Montagu" name came from.

[sevfiv]

another postcard, advertising the "cock n bull grill"

[Trophy Property]

Great Update. Please keep them coming

WyattEarp, on Saturday, July 15th, 2006 @ 12:11am, said:

Thanks for the many kind words. I very much enjoy participating in this forum and have all of you to thank for helping me network with the right folks downtown who have supported our efforts to save this neat old building.

[WyattEarp]

I'd love to get an original of this postcard. Anybody know where I can acquire one?

-George Kalas

sevfiv, on Sunday, July 16th, 2006 @ 11:59pm, said:

another postcard, advertising the "cock n bull grill"

[Don Julio]

May I join the chorus of those applauding this superlative restoration effort? So nice to see a General Manager as enthused and committed as George Kalas.

These pictures are great also. Keep 'em coming!

I recall passing by the Montagu in the 1980s many a time en route to the original James' Coney Island around the corner. Always lots of risky clientele hanging around out front.

Don Julio

[Don Julio]

Here is a thumbnail (click on it to get a full size image) of another early view of Hotel Cotton.



Taken from the essential book, "Houston's Heritage Using Antique Postcards" by Joy Lent (1983).

This post has been edited by Don Julio: Tuesday, August 22, 2006 at 2:16 PM

[WyattEarp]

I was fortunate enough to acquire an original of one of these postcards on eBay. It was mailed by a guest in February of 1914, just 11 months after the hotel opened for business and is, no doubt, the very first post card design issued by the hotel to promote business. It is my personal favorite in the small collection of Hotel Cotton and Montagu Hotel post cards that I've purchased over the past year or so.

-George Kalas

Don Julio, on Tuesday, August 22nd, 2006 @ 2:13pm, said:

Here is a thumbnail (click on it to get a full size image) of another early view of Hotel Cotton.



Taken from the essential book, "Houston's Heritage Using Antique Postcards" by Joy Lent (1983).

[editor]

I received this e-mail today.

Quote

I just went by the property and the management told me it was closed. It has been sold and the residents have been told to relocate by the end of the month. I hope the new owners save the structure. It is a beautiful building.

[ToolMan]

I heard a rumor that Hines (or some big developer) bought the entire block, which includes The Old West building. Not sure if that's true or not...

This post has been edited by ToolMan: Monday, July 9, 2007 at 12:11 PM

[ArchitecturalPRGirl]

ToolMan, on Monday, July 9th, 2007 @ 12:11pm, said:

I heard a rumor that Hines (or some big developer) bought the entire block, which includes The Old West building. Not sure if that's true or not...

Well hopefully someone does something with it. My office is down the street so I pass it several times a day and it's an eyesore, not to mention the fact that they never got rid of all the shady people that live there or whatever they do there. They are always outside. We walk on the other side of the street when going to lunch.

[musicman]

ArchitecturalPRGirl, on Monday, July 9th, 2007 @ 12:50pm, said:

Well hopefully someone does something with it. My office is down the street so I pass it several times a day and it's an eyesore, not to mention the fact that they never got rid of all the shady people that live there or whatever they do there. They are always outside. We walk on the other side of the street when going to lunch.

i know a few who've lived there for years. for the owner to sell, i'll bet there were some big bucks involved. With the way the market is, i hope that the Rebirth in the title doesn't become Burial.

[jdbaker]

musicman, on Monday, July 9th, 2007 @ 12:55pm, said:

i know a few who've lived there for years. for the owner to sell, i'll bet there were some big bucks involved. With the way the market is, i hope that the Rebirth in the title doesn't become Burial.

It had been on the market for the past several months. I believe the asking price was 6.5 million.

[The Great Hizzy!]

My kingdom for the renovation of that entire block. I'll even throw in the turkey sandwich I'm currently eating.

[RedScare]

musicman, on Monday, July 9th, 2007 @ 12:55pm, said:

i know a few who've lived there for years. for the owner to sell, i'll bet there were some big bucks involved. With the way the market is, i hope that the Rebirth in the title doesn't become Burial.

HA! I know people who have been KICKED OUT of there!

You are right, though. At $6.5 mil, it is not likely to look anything like it has. Hopefully, it is a redo instead of a teardown.

[Subdude]

My guess would be a parking garage.

[KinkaidAlum]

If whomever bought the Mound-A-Goo Hotel also owns the rest of the block...c-ya ole gal.

Hopefully it is Hines (who has been rumored to be sniffing around the Old West Bldg.) because that could possibly mean something BIG.

[Subdude]

Even if Hines has purchased it, that is far from any kind of guarantee of a quality redevelopment. Witness the "architecturally significant" parking garage that is replacing the old San Jacinto building. After Hines bought the Lamar Hotel block and demolished all the buildings it sat as a surface parking lot for 15 years.

[jdbaker]

Subdude, on Tuesday, July 10th, 2007 @ 5:48pm, said:

Even if Hines has purchased it, that is far from any kind of guarantee of a quality redevelopment. Witness the "architecturally significant" parking garage that is replacing the old San Jacinto building. After Hines bought the Lamar Hotel block and demolished all the buildings it sat as a surface parking lot for 15 years.

This is one block where I'm willing to accept virtually anything in place of what is currently there. This site is the Greyhound Bus Station of downtown proper. Be it a parking garage, CVS with parking lot, or even surface lot, I don't care. As long as it makes the smell go away I'm happy.

[sevfiv]

Spire did a nice job on the exterior Stowers (even though Spire later defected), and the Bond store in between it and the Montagu isn't so bad inside. There is no reason someone with the expertise, money, and initiative to restore couldn't turn this block into something great.
Now, Hines - I wouldn't count on them for anything (for reasons Subdude gave above)

[nativehou]

sevfiv, on Tuesday, July 10th, 2007 @ 6:27pm, said:

... the Montagu isn't so bad inside.

I went in the Montagu back in May when I was in the area. I had read about its "comeback" and wanted to see it first hand. For any seasoned traveler, it would be quite a shock. It wasn't horrible by any stretch, but it certainly wasn't like any hotel my middle-class self had ever stayed in. I was hoping for its continued improvement, but perhaps it's not in the cards.

[ArchitecturalPRGirl]

nativehou, on Tuesday, July 10th, 2007 @ 10:29pm, said:

I went in the Montagu back in May when I was in the area. I had read about its "comeback" and wanted to see it first hand. For any seasoned traveler, it would be quite a shock. It wasn't horrible by any stretch, but it certainly wasn't like any hotel my middle-class self had ever stayed in. I was hoping for its continued improvement, but perhaps it's not in the cards.

Wow, you're brave. How was the crack? lol

[fernz]

There is an article from the HBJ somewhere in this forum that talks about the development on this block. It is a Hines development, and they will tear down everything except the the white building in the corner that was converted to office condos recently (can't remember the name). It is very uncommon for a developer to go hard on a contract unless they are ready to go, although with Hines' deep pockets it might be different.

Hines' plans for that block are a 40-50 story building, all curtain wall. It's no Pennzoil, but it is definitely better that the Calpine building they did at 717 Texas. I hope they get started on it soon, although they are waiting to get a major tenant.

[sevfiv]

nativehou, on Tuesday, July 10th, 2007 @ 10:29pm, said:

I went in the Montagu back in May when I was in the area. I had read about its "comeback" and wanted to see it first hand. For any seasoned traveler, it would be quite a shock. It wasn't horrible by any stretch, but it certainly wasn't like any hotel my middle-class self had ever stayed in. I was hoping for its continued improvement, but perhaps it's not in the cards.

i meant to write that the old Bond store wasn't too bad inside, but both deserve to be rehabbed, imo

fernz, on Wednesday, July 11th, 2007 @ 8:45am, said:

There is an article from the HBJ somewhere in this forum that talks about the development on this block. It is a Hines development, and they will tear down everything except the the white building in the corner that was converted to office condos recently (can't remember the name). It is very uncommon for a developer to go hard on a contract unless they are ready to go, although with Hines' deep pockets it might be different.

Hines' plans for that block are a 40-50 story building, all curtain wall. It's no Pennzoil, but it is definitely better that the Calpine building they did at 717 Texas. I hope they get started on it soon, although they are waiting to get a major tenant.

the white building is the old Stowers furniture building.
It would be great if Hines could use the remaining structures - i know they have the $, and it might make up a little for the parking garage fiasco where they tore down the old San Jacinto/Bender hotel...

[Jax]

Maybe it will be a 50-story concrete parking garage with no skin or facade, just pure rough concrete slab and wires!

[nativehou]

ArchitecturalPRGirl, on Wednesday, July 11th, 2007 @ 8:16am, said:

Wow, you're brave. How was the crack? lol

I wouldn't have gone in by myself. I had some family with me -- and they reluctantly agreed to go in. When we walked in the woman at the desk was talking to some disheveled man, and they both stopped talking and turn to look at us like we really didn't belong there (not in a rude way, just in a surprised way).

You could tell the place was decent back in the day, though.

[sevfiv]

nativehou, on Wednesday, July 11th, 2007 @ 10:48am, said:

I wouldn't have gone in by myself. I had some family with me -- and they reluctantly agreed to go in. When we walked in the woman at the desk was talking to some disheveled man, and they both stopped talking and turn to look at us like we really didn't belong there (not in a rude way, just in a surprised way).

You could tell the place was decent back in the day, though.

it used to be a nice place (Hotel Cotton era). the rooms aren't too small, but there are no phones - that, and many other upgrades would be necessary. good bones, though...

[Subdude]

fernz, on Wednesday, July 11th, 2007 @ 8:45am, said:

There is an article from the HBJ somewhere in this forum that talks about the development on this block. It is a Hines development, and they will tear down everything except the the white building in the corner that was converted to office condos recently (can't remember the name). It is very uncommon for a developer to go hard on a contract unless they are ready to go, although with Hines' deep pockets it might be different.

Hines' plans for that block are a 40-50 story building, all curtain wall. It's no Pennzoil, but it is definitely better that the Calpine building they did at 717 Texas. I hope they get started on it soon, although they are waiting to get a major tenant.

Source? I am not aware of any article from HBJ about this, or anything on HAIF. Is this getting confused with the Shamrock block proposal up the street? I can't imagine there would be two such similar projects so close to one another at the same time. Somehow I think the rumor about Hines originated on this board. I am also skeptical because of the proposals for Disco Tower and the one by Allen Center. Could downtown really absorb so many new towers?

[sevfiv]

from Kinkaid's post in this thread:
http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...showtopic=10147

4) Hines of Houston are denying the rumors but they are still out there that the firm is planning to build something at the junction of Main, Walker, Fannin, and Rusk on what is described as the last "seedy" block on Main. No other details.

this may be the HBJ article referenced (and the topic of the above thread), but there is no talk of a project like that:
http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/sto.../12/story1.html

[Subdude]

sevfiv, on Wednesday, July 11th, 2007 @ 12:15pm, said:

from Kinkaid's post in this thread:
http://www.houstonarchitecture.info/haif/i...showtopic=10147

4) Hines of Houston are denying the rumors but they are still out there that the firm is planning to build something at the junction of Main, Walker, Fannin, and Rusk on what is described as the last "seedy" block on Main. No other details.

this may be the HBJ article referenced (and the topic of the above thread), but there is no talk of a project like that:
http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/sto.../12/story1.html

Thanks Sev.

[ToolMan]

The crack shack on the corner is closed today, but I don't know if that is a permanent thing or not.

[ArchitecturalPRGirl]

Subdude, on Wednesday, July 11th, 2007 @ 12:10pm, said:

Source? I am not aware of any article from HBJ about this, or anything on HAIF. Is this getting confused with the Shamrock block proposal up the street? I can't imagine there would be two such similar projects so close to one another at the same time. Somehow I think the rumor about Hines originated on this board. I am also skeptical because of the proposals for Disco Tower and the one by Allen Center. Could downtown really absorb so many new towers?

It wouldn't be a surprise if they did put an new office building there with the downtown office occupancy rate at such a high and given the present demand for much needed office space. I will keep my eye on the place and ears open.

[TheNiche]

Subdude, on Wednesday, July 11th, 2007 @ 12:10pm, said:

Source? I am not aware of any article from HBJ about this, or anything on HAIF. Is this getting confused with the Shamrock block proposal up the street? I can't imagine there would be two such similar projects so close to one another at the same time. Somehow I think the rumor about Hines originated on this board.

The last time I spoke to anybody with Hines, I tried to poke and prod for information on their downtown project. That person was "not allowed to say anything" at that time...but they didn't deny a project, either.

Subdude, on Wednesday, July 11th, 2007 @ 12:10pm, said:

I am also skeptical because of the proposals for Disco Tower and the one by Allen Center. Could downtown really absorb so many new towers?

No. Not all at once, anyway.

[GovernorAggie]

ToolMan, on Wednesday, July 11th, 2007 @ 1:19pm, said:

The crack shack on the corner is closed today, but I don't know if that is a permanent thing or not.

Yeah, I saw the "The New West Bldg" sign ripped off today and the Metro soul food restaurant has been closed and its sign removed. Something is a-brewin'!

[fernz]

Hines has two projects in the works, the second one is indeed the Shamrock site. They will not move forward on both at the same time. They need large tenants to pre-lease before thay start. Given recent developments at the Monatgue, I would assume they are ready to move froward on that one first. I do happen to have seen drawings for that one so I can confirm it is an all-glass facade, 40-50 story office building (thereare even talks of a garden terrace at the 30+ story level, with tress visible from the street)

I have not seen anything on the Shamrock site, there is a lot of speculation on this forum about that being the "City Centre" project - I don't know. What I do know is that Hines is working on something there.

I can't say what my source is, but I can tell you it is very reliable.

[Subdude]

fernz, on Thursday, July 12th, 2007 @ 9:35am, said:

Hines has two projects in the works, the second one is indeed the Shamrock site. They will not move forward on both at the same time. They need large tenants to pre-lease before thay start. Given recent developments at the Monatgue, I would assume they are ready to move froward on that one first. I do happen to have seen drawings for that one so I can confirm it is an all-glass facade, 40-50 story office building (thereare even talks of a garden terrace at the 30+ story level, with tress visible from the street)

I have not seen anything on the Shamrock site, there is a lot of speculation on this forum about that being the "City Centre" project - I don't know. What I do know is that Hines is working on something there.

I can't say what my source is, but I can tell you it is very reliable.

That's good then. I just hope they set a higher standard for design than their parking garage across the street.

[editor]

fernz, on Thursday, July 12th, 2007 @ 9:35am, said:

Hines has two projects in the works, the second one is indeed the Shamrock site. They will not move forward on both at the same time. They need large tenants to pre-lease before thay start. Given recent developments at the Monatgue, I would assume they are ready to move froward on that one first. I do happen to have seen drawings for that one so I can confirm it is an all-glass facade, 40-50 story office building (thereare even talks of a garden terrace at the 30+ story level, with tress visible from the street)

I have not seen anything on the Shamrock site, there is a lot of speculation on this forum about that being the "City Centre" project - I don't know. What I do know is that Hines is working on something there.

I can't say what my source is, but I can tell you it is very reliable.

Based on what's in the Houston Business Journal today, I guess we can mark you as a "very reliable" source, as well. Thanks for giving us the scoop on HAIF before it hit the papers!

[dbigtex56]

Toda I verified with the desk clerk that the Montagu was sold (he said last week), and there are "HOTEL CLOSED" and "NO VACANCY" signs posted on the front doors.

Check for more info here.

[Don Julio]

Feeling adventurous, I actually stayed at the Montague Hotel for a few days last September. That was a little scary.

As far as the "renovations" the owner boasted of, they were proceeding at a snail's pace. At the rate they were going, the renovation would've been finished in 2075. So, I stayed in one of the unrenovated rooms, and it was the most uncomfortable bed ever...even worse than the Downtown YMCA (where I've also stayed!). I don't think I actually got any sleep the whole time. And no, the "shady" characters had not vacated the premises...since the rooms weren't equipped with phones, residents had to either use the pay phone, or ask the desk clerk to use the hotel courtesy phone.
As I was checking in, some youngish guy was begging the clerk to let him use the free phone in loud, extreme language. He was obviously a drug addict and a psycho.

So...it's sad that places like this just go down the drain, but after staying there I had to conclude that the Montague's days were numbered...and I was thankful for it.

[sevfiv]

i have (finally) posted pictures on their own page, including the tour:
http://hotels.arch-ive.org/montagu

[Daniepwils]

http://www.chron.com...nt/5073679.html

[Zippy]

Bye Montagu..

Someone get some last pictures for the historical society before the implosion..

Maybe at least this will clean up that block? Or else the bums and beggars will have a nice new clean sidewalk to urinate on.

Whee!

[Daniepwils]

I think if this building is built (a big IF), it would be the stepping stone to getting that area cleaned up. Right now I will not even walk on that side of main street, it is gross!

Please get rid of that dollar store nearbye as well.