The Jai-Alai building was designed in the Streamline Moderne style by American architect Welton Becket, and was completed in 1940. In its heyday, its restaurant "The Skyroom" was the place to be seen.  Eventually, the repute of Jai-Alai itself became tarnished by  game-rigging scandals,  syndicates and insider cheating, in the 'Manila Way'. The building was left to fall into decrepitude, and every effort to rescue it was rebuffed -- again in the 'Manila Way' --  by bureaucratic machinations. Thus it survived the war, only to be destroyed on the orders of  Mayor Atienza (himself a well known Jai Alai gambler) to make way -- so it was claimed --  for a Manila Hall of Justice, which -- again in the 'Manila Way' -- was announced as to be built elsewhere.  Eight years later,  even that hasn't been built. Thus a valuable piece of the Pearl of the Orient's heritage is pissed against the wall.  For more details, see Philippine Heritage Watch.