Gran Hotel Ciudad de Mexico came into being as the Mercantile Center in 1899; built for a merchant by the name of Jose de Teresa. At the end of the 19th century; Mexico made strides to modernize; one way of doing this was by introducing new building techniques. It was the first building built using the Chicago technique; using iron and concrete and was home to one of the first department stores in Mexico City. The interior of the hotel maintains most of the original decor created for when it was a department store. It is a decorated lavishly in the Art Nouveau style. Mexico City; Mexico.