These features were intended to draw in travelers and make the hotel seem ideal for conducting business.

[1] The Ruben Brothers were prominent developers who envisioned a new hotel near the site where they planned on building a theater.

They aimed to construct an entire city block that served business and entertainment needs.

The first floor of the hotel featured stores selling coffee, cigars, and newspapers, as well as a barber shop and reading room.

[1] By the 1950s, the demand for urban hotels was on the decline as they struggled to compete with smaller, cheaper motels along the highway.