Conservation Study for Esplande Mansion (Watson’s Hotel)

This project has been initiated under the Fort Management Plan.

Esplanade Mansion (formerly known as Watson’s Hotel) was the first pre-fabricated cast iron structure to be constructed in the country between 1867 and 1869. Structural parts used for its construction were manufactured in England before being shipped to Mumbai for assembly. Located in the Fort Precinct of Mumbai at an important corner site of the Kala Ghoda node, the building served as a well-run hotel till the 1960s. It was consequently sub-divided and leased out to several tenants who run shops and offices from its premises. The structure itself is not maintained and extremely dilapidated.

UDRI undertook a study in 1998-99 to document the state and condition of the Esplanade Mansion, a listed Grade II-A Heritage structure, in order to inform the future conservation strategies for the building.