99 S Raymond Ave, Pasadena, CA 91105
Parking is located across the street from the Castle Green in the School House Garage at 33 E Green St, Pasadena, CA 91105.
Parking is $12.
5 minute walk from the parking garage to the venue.
Castle Green
The Castle Green was built in 1898 as an addition to the Hotel Green. It was the 2nd in 3 buildings built for the wealthy who loved vacationing in sunny California in this one-of-a-kind, lavish 19th century resort. No expense was spared, with the decorative wood detailing being shipped from Port Orford, Oregon, and the faux marbleized paneling throughout, painted by artisans on grey slate, so that it would be cold to the touch. The walls are steel, with 4 courses of brick and concrete, and the hotel was advertised as the “first absolutely fire-proof” building in Southern California. This new building that Colonel Green built, [for $400,000] was the creative work of Architect Frederick I. Roehrig, who drew upon Moorish, Spanish, and Victorian themes, incorporating these into architectural elements of fanciful domes, arches, pillars, and balconies. The interior spaces, all available to use, are furnished with original Victorian antiques and velvet drapes which evoke an earlier time, the Golden Age of America. You would need very little (if any) decoration, since the surroundings will immediately convey a sense of luxury and hospitality.
A Bridge, extending from the original hotel across the street carried the large trunks that guests brought with them, on a trolley, over Raymond Avenue to their rooms in the Castle Green. The Castle Green was the site of brilliant parties in the ballroom [reconfigured in 1902], afternoon teas on the veranda, and croquet games in the adjacent grounds [now Central Park]. The guests included, Presidents Grover Cleveland, and Theodore Roosevelt, as well as the wealthiest of East-coasters, and theatrical troops. John D Rockefeller was remembered fondly for his silver dime tips to the hotel staff.
In 1924, the Castle fell on hard times. The rooms were sold as co-ops. This was due to a lack of customers, since, with the advent of cars East-coasters changed their travel styles and the Castle Green was no longer a vacation magnet. This, partnered with the Great Depression, resulted in its downfall. The apartments became the home for many widows, seamstresses, and others who were struggling at the time. Although throughout the 50’s and 60’s the Castle was sold many times, and even condemned for a time, there were those who still admired the grand architectural “bones” and, ultimately, the hotel was divided into fifty-two individually owned units. Through the restoration efforts of the owners, over time the Castle has evolved into a fully restored, luxurious condominium complex, listed as a Nationally Registered Historic Monument, a State Historical Monument, and a Designated Pasadena Treasure.
Today, the Castle Green, one of the oldest standing historic landmarks in Los Angeles County, has many of the original features from its construction including the wrought iron 24-hour man-operated elevator on the West Coast, gorgeous plaster, moldings, hand carved fireplace mantles, grills, and wood moldings, and original lighting.
