Saturday Travel Feature
San Francisco Cathedral
The Cathedral Hill Hotel entertained its last guest October 31, 2009. This 44 year old San Francisco hotel opened its doors in April 1960 as the Jack Tar Hotel. It remained under that name for 22 years. The 12 story hotel on Van Ness at Geary just off Union Square included 400 rooms, a mezzanine ballroom, and a fourth floor outdoor pool and plaza that could be rented for weddings. At one time it had a rooftop skating rink. As the Jack Tar it was painted pink and turquoise and then as the Cathedral Hill Hotel painted beige. Some called the hotel's modern architecture "ugly". It was even nicknamed "The Ralston Checkerboard Square" and "the box that Disneyland came in". The hotel was San Francisco's first with air conditioning. It also boasted an indoor parking garage, a rarity in San Francisco. The Jack Tar name remained part of the Cathedral Hill Hotel in the naming of the Jack Tar Bar and Grill.
"Jack Tar was a common English term used to refer to seamen of the Merchant or Royal Navy, particularly during the period of the British Empire. Both members of the public and seafarers themselves made use of the name in identifying those who went to sea. It was not used as an offensive term and seafarers were happy to use the term to label themselves." Wikipedia.
The Cathedral Hotel will be demolished and the California Pacific Medical Center will be built. The 555 room hospital is expected to be ready for occupancy in 2015. A glass and steel design is planned.
Resource: The San Francisco Gate Newspaper
Photo: Downloaded from www.hotels.com
