For 80 years, the Bannock Hotel stood on this site as the city’s social and business centerpiece, bringing a touch of elegance to the rugged West. Presidents and other notables stayed there, and the Camille Room and Ballroom hosted elections, dinners, conventions, and high school, college and society dances. In 1919, a seven-story Renaissance Revival tower designed by Frank Paradice was added to the original structure, with a red brick façade and terra cotta ornamentation. The hotel’s importance was enhanced by the prominence of Senator James Brady and his family, who owned it for many years. Its status declined in the late 70s as new motels developed along the freeways, and prohibitive cost to upgrade it to meet fire codes led to its demolition in 1983.