12/17/2021
ANCIENT RASCO HOTEL
LOCATED AT 281 RUE ST-PAUL EST, THIS HOTEL, THE MOST FASHIONABLE OF ITS TIME, WAS BUILT IN 1834-1836 BY THE MASON V. GIBEAU, IN THE NEOCLASSICAL STYLE, IN FRONT OF THE ROYAL THEATER WHICH WAS HOUSED IN A WING OF THE CURRENT BONSECOURS MARKET.
THE HOTEL IS NAMED AFTER THE OWNER FRANCISCO RASCO, AN ITALIAN BUSINESSMAN. IN FACT, MR. RASCO BUILT HIS OWN PRESTIGIOUS HOTEL, AFTER HAVING RUN HIS HOTEL ESTABLISHMENT IN RENTED BUILDINGS FOR TEN YEARS.
IN 1834 RASCO HIRED ENTREPRENEUR MASONS VITAL GIBAULT AND THOMAS MCGRATH TO BUILD HIS HOTEL, AND IN APRIL 1836, THE GROUND FLOOR, INCLUDING RESTAURANTS AND DECORATED IN THE FACADE OF DRESSED STONE ARCADES, WAS COMPLETED. ON JUNE 1, 1834, THE UPPER FLOORS WERE INAUGURATED.
THE HOTEL STILL ATTRACTED GENTLEMEN AND FAMILIES BETWEEN 1849 AND 1854, BUT THE BYTOWN HOTEL, DURING THE 1870S AND 1880S, RECEIVED ITINERANT TRADERS, ARTISANS AND DAY LABORERS.
WITHOUT OCCUPANTS DURING THE 1970S, THE BUILDING WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE IN 1977. IN 1980, THE CITY OF MONTREAL LEASED IT FOR 63 YEARS. THE FOLLOWING YEAR, THE NEW TENANT COMPLETELY RESTORED THE BUILDING, RECYCLING THE GROUND FLOOR INTO SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS AND THE UPPER FLOORS INTO OFFICES, STARTING IN 1982.
FINALLY, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE 19TH CENTURY, WHEN THE RASCO HOTEL WAS THE PRIDE OF MONTREALERS FOR ITS INCOMPARABLE ELEGANCE IN NORTH AMERICA, THIS CHIC HOTEL CONTAINED CONCERT HALLS AND BALLROOMS, AS WELL AS A RESTAURANT FREQUENTED BY THE WORLD "CLASS" AND BY ARTISTS. CHARLES DICKENS STAYED THERE IN 1842 WHEN HE STAGED HIS WORKS AT THE THEATER ROYAL.
TODAY THE NEW RASCO HOTEL IS REOPENING ITS DOORS WITH NEW MODERN DESIGNS, RENOVATED APARTMENT-HOTEL ROOMS, AND EQUIPPED WITH ALL THE AMENITIES THAT WILL SURPASS YOUR EXPECTATIONS
