He was also one of the first architects in Nevada to specialize in steel frame construction, which he employed on the El Cortez.Īt six stories high with a full basement, the 60-room Art Deco style hotel became Reno’s tallest building upon its opening in March of 1931, just in time for passage of the new divorce law. George already had designed a number of important Nevada buildings, including the Governor’s Mansion in Carson City, while Monk had a number of buildings to his own credit. For his new hotel, he hired father and son architects George and Lehman A.
In anticipation of their success, local real estate investor Abe Zetoony commissioned the construction of the El Cortez Hotel to cater to the expected influx of temporary residents.Ī native of Syria, Zetoony had arrived in Reno shortly after World War I, and for many years ran the Silk & Linen shop on East Second Street. Late in 1930, Nevada’s legislators pondered boosting the state’s lucrative divorce trade even further by shortening the residency requirement from three months to six short weeks.
