500 Alexander Street

Alexander Street was renowned for its brothels in the early 1900s, including this building which was originally built as a rooming house in 1912. Its history is well documented here. In 1918 it was listed as the Sailors Home (rooms around 2 bucks a week) until it closed in 1954. It later housed a business belonging to Al Hubbard, an eccentric entrepreneur who was known as the “Johnny Appleseed of LSD”. Immortalized by photographer Greg Girard in the 1970s, the dilapidated structure was acquired and renovated by the Atira Development Society.