L.A. City Council to consider historic landmark status for Century Plaza Hotel today [Updated]
The Los Angeles City Council today will consider nominating the Century Plaza Hotel in Century City for historic cultural monument status.
The hotel, considered a classic example of mid-century modern architecture, was once a hot spot of celebrities and heads of state.
New owners have plans to demolish the hotel and replace it with a $2-billion complex that includes public gardens and two 50-story towers containing condos, offices, shops and a smaller luxury hotel.
Preservationist groups, including the Los Angeles Conservancy, are fighting to preserve the building. To bolster its campaign, it has enlisted the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which put the 726-room Hyatt Regency Century Plaza hotel on its annual list of America's 11 most endangered historic places.
Having seen the demolition of other Century City landmarks in recent years -- notably the ABC Entertainment Center, home of the Shubert Theatre, and the headquarters of Welton Becket & Associates, the firm that first designed Century City -- the conservancy did not want to see another mid-century building destroyed.
Councilman Paul Koretz proposed giving the hotel cultural status, a move that would not in itself prevent the developer from demolishing it.
--Shelby Grad and Martha Groves
[Updated at 5:17 p.m.: The hearing on this matter was postponed today. Also, an earlier version of this story incorrectly said the National Trust for Historic Preservation today put the hotel on its list of America's 11 most endangered historic places.The group put it on the list earlier this year.]
Photo credit: Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times
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Ummmm, the hotel was listed on the 11 Most Endangered Places in April, not today.
Posted by: get your facts straight | October 21, 2009 at 09:31 AM
I sincerely hope the beautiful 1955 vintage Beverly Hilton can be saved as well. Hats off to the Los Angeles Conservancy.
Posted by: Jim Q. Citizen | October 21, 2009 at 12:00 PM
In 1967, 1300 club-swinging police clashed with about 10,000 Vietnam War demonstrators as President Johnson spoke at a Democratic fundraiser at the hotel.
Posted by: DRE DAWG | October 21, 2009 at 03:56 PM