Residential Hotels

History and Development

Although many equate residential hotels, or SROs, as being associated with the poor and downtrodden, this characterization was not necessarily the case before the start of the 20th century. These types of hotels provided downtown housing to a variety of classes and incomes. With its central urban location as the main attraction, both the wealthy and the poor combined to make unique neighborhoods that provided services and entertainment to these particular residents. Residential hotels’ lack of kitchens and private baths created business for bars, restaurants, and steam baths (to get hot water) in surrounding neighborhoods. In the early 20th century, an SRO tenant could go to a saloon after work and get a huge spread of meats, bread, cheese, and vegetables for the price of a single beer.

According to Paul Groth, a historian of residential hotels, there were four primary residential hotel types, divided by social status. Palace hotels, the top of the line, were distinguished by high-style architecture and opulent decor. These palace hotels had private baths, large lobbies, several lounges, bars, and fine dining restaurants. The next tier, the mid-priced hotels, served a diverse mix of young professionals and executives, along with some young families. Many early SROs provided services for upscale clientele. For example, the historic Cadillac Hotel in San Francisco's Uptown Tenderloin Historic District had space for a furrier (who took care of guests’ furs while they stayed at the hotel). Mid-priced hotels provided many of the same services as the palace hotels but with less fanfare. Many of the rooms included one large room with a kitchenette and a Murphy bed, or, possibly a suite with two small rooms. The rooming house represented the next level of residential hotel type. These hotels included individual rooms with locking doors, a bed or cot, a small cabinet or wardrobe, and a sink, along with a group shower and hall bathroom arrangement. The primary clientele of the rooming houses were the low-wage professional set. The cheapest type of residential hotel was the boarding house characterized by its thin partition walls, chicken wire ceiling, and poor ventilation. Boarding house clientele were day laborers, transients, and hobos. It was generally considered the last step before one became homeless.

Many famous writers, artists, and musicians have lived in SROs. Among them are the movie director Frank Capra, the mystery writer Miriam DeFord, and guitarist Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. New York City's legendary Chelsea Hotel has been home to many cultural luminaries including Dylan Thomas, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, and Patti Smith.

Decline of Residential Hotels and SROs

The decline of the residential hotel began before World War II, as cities adopted codes requiring cooking facilities within a residence, an amenity not usually found in traditional residential hotel environments. This decline was expedited after the war, which saw a renewed cultural emphasis on the value of traditional family life, which included marriage and children. The percentage of unmarried adult men fell sharply in the 1950s, further reducing demand for SRO housing. Many families and individuals began to seek comfort and privacy in the burgeoning American suburbs just outside the city, rather than staging their lives around the neighborhoods surrounding a hotel environment. Also, the development of the basic apartment-type unit and the advancement of public transportation soon made the residential hotel concept seem outdated. In its wake, the lower end type of hotels survived, creating what some urban historians referred to as a “skid row” environment.

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