Newsreel: El Cortez Hotel Glass Elevator - 1956

[CaptainElevator42189]

Now that's a HIGHdraulic!

[stealthstahl]

Something most people don't realize is that there is a piston that goes 15 floors into the ground for this lift. A hydraulic elevator this tall probably wouldn't be built today. There are too many issues that come into play (see mute8s's post below). The reason it was done was because the lift was added to the building, & the structure couldn't support the weight of a traction lift without major structural upgrades. With a hydro almost all the weight is put directly to the ground.

[RabidKoala]

@stealthstahl As I understood it the piston was telescoping, so they didn't have to drill 15 floors underground. It had never been done before. Many years ago I spoke to an older man who had worked on the project, he said they had terrible problems with the elevator shuddering at first.

I think it is too bad that the El Cortez could not have been restored as a hotel for all to enjoy, rather than as condos for just a few.

[mute8s]

My Grandfather had this elevator on his service route back in the 50's & 60's when he was working for Elser Elevator (which later became Montgomery Elevator). He said the hydraulic oil tank was the size of a small swimming pool. This elevator generated a lot of heat as pumping heat from the 4 pumps & friction heat at the seal/piston interface. He suggested they run a pipe through the tank that circulated swimming pool water through it. This cooled the hydraulic oil & heated the pool for free!

[Thekelleyco]

I grew up in San Diego and remember the glass elevator like it was yesterday. The first couple times I rode it I layed down on the floor of the elevator far too afraid to peek out. Oh I can remember vividly being about 4 or 5 years old standing with my back at the glass scared to death. I have an odd and rare last name. I remember meeting another man with the same first and last name as mine at that elevator before it was torn down. These memories take me back nearly 50 years. Thank you.

[fatalcoolfatalcool]

We skateboarded in the pool back in 85-86. I remember going inside and seeing sooo many pigeons dead and alive. They had flown in through all the open windows. The place was a disaster zone.

[ATITANIC1992]

Who on earth are so ill-minded that they even think of removing an elevator like this???

[RegenerativeHomes]

@ATITANIC1992 His name is MARK GROSVENOR, a San Diego hotelier, San Diego REMEMBER his name. Not only was the "Starlight Express" removed, so was the famous rooftop sign with neon stars that would twinkle on and off and the first motorized moving sidewalk which connected to the El Cortez motel across the street. This is a man with absolutely no concern about the city's heritage. He turned around and sold it to the Japanese who had ambitions to tear the entire complex down to build new towers.

[Kimo90210]

@RegenerativeHomes If I remember right he isn't even from the United States, They should have kept the original lighting but, I guess it could be worse we could be looking at one of those new towers that have no character at all

[thyssenelevator95]

Looks like it could have been a Dover Elevator, since Dover pioneered the modern hydraulic elevator.

[dieselducy]

i think it WAS dover, look at those fixtures.

[ElevatingBoston]

@dieselducy The manufacturer was Elevator Electric Inc. Otis and Westinghouse both declined this ridiculous project, so the developer went to a local company and they agreed to take on the ridiculous project. =)

Source: "Up, Down, Across" sponsored by United Technologies/Otis.

[BeatriceBlue]

As teens we used to climb the fire escapes to the top, where we'd all either hang out or go in to the penthouse. The center of the floor inside had dropped through several stories, but goodness what a view!! I remember one part pretty high up that you had to literally go out onto the side of the building & climb to get to the next fire escape. I was terrified, so a friend put me on his back and took me up & around, which of course terrified me even more. But I did it myself the next time!

[dieselducy]

When was this elevator removed?

[Koseiko2008]

Those so-called "restoration" idiots in San Diego just had to have this the first glass observation lift (and the world's highest plunger lift on Earth removed! SHAME ON THEM! This should have been registered as a national historical landmark! It wound up only in operation for 3 decades. (Yes I had a couple of opportunities to ride it).