Newsreel: El Cortez Hotel Glass Elevator - 1956

In this newsreel from 1956, the great newsreader Ed Herlihy describes the futuristic glass elevator recently installed in the El Cortez Hotel in San Diego, California. Believe it or not, this will be the future ... of soon-to-be developed tract buildings everywhere.
See more at:
www.weirdovideo...

[@mute8s]

My Grandfather had this elevator on his service route back in the 50's & 60's when he was working for Elser Elevator (which later became Montgomery Elevator). He said the hydraulic oil tank was the size of a small swimming pool. This elevator generated a lot of heat as pumping heat from the 4 pumps & friction heat at the seal/piston interface. He suggested they run a pipe through the tank that circulated swimming pool water through it. This cooled the hydraulic oil & heated the pool for free!

[@qeelevators2960]

Dang! Wish there was photos of the motor room!

[@GaryKelleyGrownupRadioSanDiego]

I grew up in San Diego and remember the glass elevator like it was yesterday. The first couple times I rode it I layed down on the floor of the elevator far too afraid to peek out. Oh I can remember vividly being about 4 or 5 years old standing with my back at the glass scared to death. I have an odd and rare last name. I remember meeting another man with the same first and last name as mine at that elevator before it was torn down. These memories take me back nearly 50 years. Thank you.

[@stealthstahl]

Something most people don't realize is that there is a piston that goes 15 floors into the ground for this lift. A hydraulic elevator this tall probably wouldn't be built today. There are too many issues that come into play (see mute8s's post below). The reason it was done was because the lift was added to the building, & the structure couldn't support the weight of a traction lift without major structural upgrades. With a hydro almost all the weight is put directly to the ground.

[@beatriceblue8242]

As teens we used to climb the fire escapes to the top, where we'd all either hang out or go in to the penthouse. The center of the floor inside had dropped through several stories, but goodness what a view!! I remember one part pretty high up that you had to literally go out onto the side of the building & climb to get to the next fire escape. I was terrified, so a friend put me on his back and took me up & around, which of course terrified me even more. But I did it myself the next time!

[@phrobozz]

In Episode 10 of Harry O (an awesome '70s private eye show on the Warner Archives channel/app), you can see the elevator just after the opening credits. The hotel is on the corner of Seventh and Ash, in San Diego if you want to check it out in Google Maps.

[@HeritageElevators]

Who on earth are so ill-minded that they even think of removing an elevator like this???

[@exoticcar5482]

Wow I can see 1950s GAL fixtures in that glass elevator

[@RegenerativeHomes]

@ATITANIC1992 His name is MARK GROSVENOR, a San Diego hotelier, San Diego REMEMBER his name. Not only was the "Starlight Express" removed, so was the famous rooftop sign with neon stars that would twinkle on and off and the first motorized moving sidewalk which connected to the El Cortez motel across the street. This is a man with absolutely no concern about the city's heritage. He turned around and sold it to the Japanese who had ambitions to tear the entire complex down to build new towers.

[@ElevatingBoston]

@dieselducy The manufacturer was Elevator Electric Inc. Otis and Westinghouse both declined this ridiculous project, so the developer went to a local company and they agreed to take on the ridiculous project. =) Source: "Up, Down, Across" sponsored by United Technologies/Otis.

[@commodes]

The newseum in dc has an Elevator that rises 100 ft. 4 pumps.

[@fatalcoolfatalcool]

We skateboarded in the pool back in 85-86. I remember going inside and seeing sooo many pigeons dead and alive. They had flown in through all the open windows. The place was a disaster zone.

[@QuarioQuario54321]

A 15-story hydraulic elevator? 🤯

[@pinbret]

you can still stay in the Annex the cross street I think it's a Best Western now but the elevator the sky room and the sign we're all removed and the place was turned into condos