Hotel Rennert, Baltimore, MD. “The palace of the south”, known for it’s fine dining. Fell on hard times in the 30’s, before being torn down and replaced with a parking garage. (1885-1941)
Many considered the food there to be the best in the state, and some even the best in the country. They were known to serve Oysters, and Terrapin soup.
It also survived the Great Baltimore Fire of 1904, the flames reportedly coming within a block from the hotel.
The hotel sadly began to decline rapidly in the 1920’s, with the Great Depression and Prohibition really affecting business. Once Prohibition was repealed, it seemed as if it was going to make a comeback, but sadly the building itself began to fail, the dining room ceiling collapsing in 1934 during a fraternity dance.
The hotel closed down five years later in 1939, the building itself came down in 1941. The parking garage was built nine years later, and it was later demolished itself in 1996. Today, it’s just a parking lot.
BleedTheFreak_23 says
It was truly beautiful.
Many considered the food there to be the best in the state, and some even the best in the country. They were known to serve Oysters, and Terrapin soup.
It also survived the Great Baltimore Fire of 1904, the flames reportedly coming within a block from the hotel.
The hotel during better days.
The hotel sadly began to decline rapidly in the 1920’s, with the Great Depression and Prohibition really affecting business. Once Prohibition was repealed, it seemed as if it was going to make a comeback, but sadly the building itself began to fail, the dining room ceiling collapsing in 1934 during a fraternity dance.
The hotel closed down five years later in 1939, the building itself came down in 1941. The parking garage was built nine years later, and it was later demolished itself in 1996. Today, it’s just a parking lot.
This is the area today.
bundleofschtick says
Here’s a lunch menu from 1927.
Edit: And a dinner menu from 1939.
nickgt1969 says
If every parking garage was replaced by what was demolished to build it just think what interesting buildings we’d have again – sigh
ssl-3 says
I love me a good tilt-shift.
Hiccaries says
Parking Garages are the bane of this subreddit.