Lee, Robert E., Hotel
historic place
The Robert E. Lee Hotel is a historic place located in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. This ten-story building was constructed in 1922 and opened as a 200-bed hotel. At the time of its completion, it was the tallest hotel in the city. It was also one of the first hotels in San Antonio to feature air conditioning. In 1938, prominent neon signage, spelling out 'Hotel Robt. E. Lee,' was added to its roof. The hotel offered amenities such as a coffee room, barber shop, and beauty salon. It prospered through the 1950s, but declined in the 1960s. Due to fire code violations, the city of San Antonio ordered its closure in 1976. After remaining closed for nineteen years, the building was saved from demolition with federal and state grants. It was then renovated into apartments in the mid-1990s. The Robert E. Lee Hotel was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 16, 1996. This designation acknowledges its architectural and commercial significance in San Antonio's downtown history.