The Hotel Europe, a historic six-story flatiron-style building, stands proudly at the intersection of Powell, Alexander, and Water Streets in Vancouver’s Gastown district. Constructed between 1908 and 1909, it was commissioned by Italian hotelier Angelo Calori. This architectural gem holds a unique place in Canadian history as the country’s first reinforced concrete structure and Western Canada’s earliest fireproof hotel. Discover more at vancouver-future.
A Glimpse into the Hotel’s Past
The Hotel Europe is undeniably one of Vancouver’s most recognizable and cherished architectural landmarks, often hailed as the city’s finest example of a flatiron building. Its sharp angle, formed by the converging streets, gives it an elegant, curved facade reminiscent of a ship’s bow. The vision for this distinctive building came from Italian hotelier Angelo Calori, who arrived in Victoria in 1882 and settled in Vancouver four years later. The structure, visible in a 1909 postcard (the year of its completion), was an addition to an earlier hotel located to the east. This new wing was substantially larger than the original, which dated back to 1889. Calori had owned the original property since at least 1902.
The design was the brainchild of architects Parr and Fee, prolific figures in Vancouver’s architectural scene. Interestingly, the building lacks their typical design elements, instead showing a clear influence from Daniel Burnham’s renowned Flatiron Building in New York, completed in 1902. This is particularly evident in the distinctive window treatment on the facade’s pointed corner. Construction was entrusted to the Ferro-Concrete Construction Company of Cincinnati, notable for erecting the first reinforced concrete high-rise in 1902. The Hotel Europe stands as one of Vancouver’s earliest concrete buildings, and quite possibly the oldest still standing.
Early plans for the Hotel Europe were even grander, envisioning a building two stories taller with more bay windows. However, the architects eventually opted for a more restrained and elegant solution, proving more practical for maintenance and operation. In its final form, the hotel significantly surpassed its initial size concept. A 1905 newspaper report even mentioned that Calori, the Hotel Europe’s owner, had acquired five lots forming the triangular section between Powell and Alexander Streets, each boasting a 125-foot frontage. The report also stated that Mr. Calori planned to erect a large four-story tourist hotel with elevators and modern amenities. Shortly after moving to Vancouver, Angelo Calori began developing residential areas in the East End. It’s also known that in 1910, he owned the Princess Theatre on East Hastings Street. Today, this historic hotel, along with its older annex, serves a vital social function, providing 84 units of affordable housing.
Hotel Europe in Pop Culture
The Hotel Europe has made several appearances in notable films and music videos. One of its earliest cinematic cameos was in the thriller The Changeling, where the building stood in for the Seattle Historical Society. Although it portrayed a different organization on screen, the hotel’s actual sign was still visible on its right facade. Parts of the film were also shot on the building’s roof. Beyond that, the hotel can be spotted in the 1994 drama Legends of the Fall and in the music video for “Likey” by the popular South Korean girl group Twice.
The Hotel Europe also features in the classic film The NeverEnding Story (1984) and its sequel, The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter (1990). Furthermore, its facade can be seen in the 2007 comedy Are We Done Yet? as Ice Cube’s character carries a cardboard cutout of Magic Johnson. Another brief appearance of the hotel is in the 2019 television thriller The Past Never Dies.
The Hotel’s Life Beyond the 20th Century
As we’ve explored, the six-story flatiron building at the crossroads of Water, Alexander, and Powell Streets is the venerable Hotel Europe, also known as the Angelo Calori Building. It was strategically positioned near the old steamship docks south of Columbia Street, with buses transporting passengers directly to the building. Opened in 1909, the Hotel Europe was the city’s first reinforced concrete structure, and its original Italian floor tiles and stained-glass windows are still intact today.
While the Hotel Europe enjoyed considerable popularity in its early days, the opening of the new, more luxurious Hotel Vancouver in 1916 shifted the city’s social hub southwest, away from Gastown. The Hotel Europe soon lost its allure and became known as a place of ill repute. In the 1920s and 30s, a beer parlour operated on the main floor’s upper section (now a poster shop), with a beer barrel storage in the basement. This subterranean space is still accessible via steps from the sidewalk at the intersection. The basement once extended under the sidewalk on both sides of the building, forming what were known as “areaways.” These were common features for commercial buildings in Gastown, used for loading and unloading goods through sidewalk hatches. Glass bricks on the sidewalks near the Hotel Europe on Alexander and Powell Streets allowed light into these underground rooms. However, many years ago, these areaways were filled in and bricked up. The remaining basement space is currently used for storage. In 1983, the building’s upper floors were converted into subsidized housing.
Mysterious Guests of the Old Hotel
Interestingly, the Hotel Europe is believed to be home to at least one, and possibly two, ghosts. The first paranormal incident occurred in the 1980s when a contractor was working alone in the basement near a bricked-up areaway door. He stepped out briefly to retrieve tools, only to return and find all his equipment scattered across the floor. He then heard strange scratching noises coming from behind the brick wall and felt a wave of negative energy. Frightened, he quickly gathered his tools and fled the basement, vowing never to work there again. To this day, these strange scratching sounds are occasionally heard from the other side of that bricked-up wall in the basement. While it could be rats or mice, it’s worth remembering that the areaways were filled in many years ago.
The second ghost, possibly the same as the first, is described as a man in a black coat and a flat cap. He’s said to appear in the poster shop on the main floor. One evening in the early 2000s, just after closing, the shop owner saw his reflection in her concave security mirror near the top of the building. She was surprised, certain no one was left in the shop when she locked up. The owner approached for a closer look, but the man had already vanished, silently and instantly. Startled and unnerved by the encounter, she hastily locked up and left. The situation reportedly recurred. Whoever this man is, he’s likely just confused that his favourite spot is now a poster shop!
Overall, the Hotel Europe is not just a crucial part of Vancouver’s history but also a place that continues to hold intriguing secrets. Its rich legacy, from its reinforced concrete frame to its ghostly legends, makes this building not only an architectural landmark but also a fascinating object of curiosity for history buffs and paranormal enthusiasts alike. And despite the changes it has witnessed over the past century, the hotel still retains its unique atmosphere today, an atmosphere that perhaps we haven’t fully uncovered yet.