Historic Cecil Hotel sign removed, days numbered for derelict building

Workers remove the Cecil Hotel sign on Friday, August 14, 2015

One of Calgary’s oldest buildings will soon cease to exist but it's memory will live on.

The Cecil Hotel, which opened in 1912, has sat empty since the city purchased the structure in 2008.

On Friday morning, crews removed the iconic sign from atop the vacant building at the intersection of 4 Avenue and 3 Street Southeast, the first stage of the hotel’s demolition.

The Calgary Municipal Lands Corporation has not applied for a demolition permit as the derelict structure requires significant maintenance before the first strike of the wrecking ball.

The Cecil Hotel’s walls are covered in mould and toxic chemicals have been detected throughout the interior.

“All of the lead paint, all of the asbestos, everything that’s harmful has to be dealt with,” explains Susan Veres, Calgary Municipal Lands Corporation. “Then, we’ll apply for a demolition permit.”

The hotel’s sign will receive a reprieve from the demolition as the ten letters will be restored and placed in storage. The sign will return to the East Village as a fixture on a building that will be constructed in the neighbourhood.