In 1956, San Diego’s El Cortez Hotel added the world’s first outside glass hydraulic elevator, designed by C.J. Paderewski who worked for Otis Elevator. The glamorous apartment-hotel, which opened in 1927, dominated the city’s skyline for years. The large “El Cortez” sign, added in 1937, illuminated the night. The elevator, taking guests to the rooftop Starlight Room Restaurant, was reportedly a bellboy’s idea. The Travolator bridge, essentially a moving walkway or flat escalator, was built in 1959 to connect the hotel with the owner’s new motel across the street. Read more about the “Starlight Express” elevator and San Diego’s history in Tazia and Gemma (see NOVELS).
