When the George J. Keating Building opened in 1890, the distinguished office space had the first elevator in San Diego. This red brick, Romanesque revival building is now the Keating Hotel. A more famous hotel was the St. James Hotel which was the city’s first skyscraper when it was built in 1885. It redefined opulence and luxury during the late 19th century until the real estate boom went bust. The hotel was demolished in 1912 and a new one with the pictured sign was built in 1913.
