The 96-year-old St. Louis Hotel is getting a major facelift so it can be redeveloped for a variety of possible uses.
The designated historic site at 403 8 Ave S.E. was where former premier Ralph Klein launched his political career and where former race track announcer George Stevenson held his fantasy horse races.
But after 100 years of use and dozens of ad-lib renovations, the building has seen better days and needs to be stripped to its basic shell in order to be properly preserved.
"When we clean it out and see what we are dealing with from a clean slate, we can do a much better job of preserving this building for generations into the future," said Chris Ollenberger, with Calgary Municipal Land Corporation.
Ollenberger envisions a variety of possible uses from offices to restaurants.
"There's been a number of people that have come forward and said: ‘We have an interest in this building,'" he said.
"We've had some advertising agencies talk to us, so there's a number of creative market people that could really use a space like this."
Crews are currently ripping up floor boards to expose the outdated plumbing and electrical works.
The basement tavern, which once sold their famous chicken and chips, has also been stripped as the blackened greasy floor has almost disintegrated.
There's hope the St. Louis will live another day with redevelopment expected to be completed by next December.
