The Century Plaza Hotel site has just been approved by the city panning commission for an overhaul. The Developer, Next Century, originally planned to demolish the 1966 Century Plaza, which was designed by World Trade Center architect Minoru Yamasaki, and replace it with two condo - office towers. But preservationists rallied and Next Century eventually settled on a renovation of the hotel and the addition of two condo towers behind it, with no office usage. The towers will each be 46 stories and designed by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners. The top five floors of the hotel will be converted into 63 condos for a total of 353 units at the site. Next Century will also add "nearly 105,000 square feet of shops and restaurants," as well as about two acres of green space. The hotel's back pool will be moved onto the roof with a separate pool for the towers. The developers will also fill in the sunken front plaza and add two restaurants on top, closer to the street. The hotel's lobby will be turned into a breezeway.
The decision not to demolish the hotel is a major victory for Los Angeles preservationists, who have only lately begun to go to bat for buildings from the 1960s. Backlash from supporters of the hotel was swift and intense. Among those calling to save it were actress Diane Keaton and the Los Angeles Conservancy, the city's most influential preservation group.
The Century Plaza, completed in 1966, represents the can-do attitude of California in that era. The centerpiece of a commercial and residential development on the former Fox Studios back lot, the arc-shaped hotel is architecturally and culturally significant. It has hosted astronauts, presidents and movie stars along with millions of other Angelenos.
The Century Plaza is expected to get City Council approval this fall, but most likely won't break ground until 2014. Completion time will take about five to six years.
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