The History of The Pendennis Building
We often get asked why we are called The Pendennis Weddings and Events.
The answer is simple; there is really nothing else we can call it…
The Pendennis Building is so unique and gorgeous and we love that it is in Edmonton. The building feels like something you’d find in Montreal, Europe, or New York, and yet, it is here in the heart of the city we love. The building used to be famous for hosting incredible parties and being the most luxurious hotel in Alberta. We want to revitalize the building.
By naming our business The Pendennis Weddings and Events, our hope is that the building will come back to life, ringing with the sounds of tinkling glass, music, and laughter.
As an event space on the third and fourth floor we think that the building will once again be an Edmonton gem filled with incredible stories for generations. We want people to come back for their grandchild’s wedding, and tell stories of how they got married here too.
Here is the history of the location and the building, completed with the information on the renovation. I’ve gathered this data from a couple of sources, linked below.
The Timeline
1898 (and earlier) – It all started as the Old California Rooming House. The main floor used to be a bar and dining room, and in the upstairs were boarding rooms
1904 – 1920 – This was the famous Pendennis Hotel Era when the building was renamed
1907 – Purchased by Mr. Nathan Bell (who had been the hotel manager since 1904) who renovated it into a luxury hotel
1912 – Rebuilt with a brick façade. This luxury renovation doubled the size of the hotel and was known as the best luxury hotel in Alberta, famous for it’s food and parties
1920’s – Converted to apartments after prohibition laws came into effect
1930’s – Renamed Stanley Block
1960’s – Renamed Lodge Hotel until it fell into disrepair in the 2000s.
2006 – Ukrainian Canadian Archives and Museum purchased the Lodge Hotel and discovered the original wood-frame Pendennis Hotel was intact behind the 1910 brick façade
2001 – Designated as a Municipal Historic Resource by the City of Edmonton
2018 – The building was purchased by Lorraine Bodnarek and Ed Cyrankiewicz and given back it’s original name The Pendennis Building.
2022 – Stunning renovation completed by Lorraine and Ed.
2023 – The Pendennis Weddings and Events was formed and opened up as an event space on the third and fourth floors of the renovated historic building
Sources:
Pendennis Building - The owners of the Pendennis Building
Pendennis Hotel - My favourite read on the history, with very cool photos
Journal of Commerce - Cool stories about the historic items discovered during the renovation
