Casco Viejo is called the Old Quarter not only because of its 17th century origins but also because much of it is decayed. That is changing quickly. Investors with money and vision are breathing new life into its once exquisite architecture. This five-story building was a luxury apartment and department store when it opened in 1917. Nearly one hundred years later, it had deteriorated into a canvas for graffiti. After an extensive renovation by the Ace Hotel Group, it reopened on Plaza Herrera as the 50 room American Trade Hotel.
