People, there are some interesting things afoot in regards to the endangered Century Plaza Hotel. The City Council had two opportunities this fall to vote on whether to begin the process of considering the hotel for historical status, a label that would ultimately complicate developer Michael Rosenfeld’s plans to tear down the 1966 Century City hotel and build a new hotel/condo project. But in both instances, the City Council delayed making a decision on the historical nomination status (they were supposed to vote on two separate occasions in October, and have most recently re-scheduled the item to early December). City Council items often get kicked down the road, but the issue of the Century Plaza Hotel is probably the biggest preservation story of the year. Additionally, Rosenfeld and his Next Century Associates development group have been meeting with reps from the Conservancy, which is looking to save the hotel. Might the delay in a vote mean a compromise—perhaps a plan that would see Rosenfeld build his project around the hotel—is being talked about? On Friday, we asked City Councilman Paul Koretz if indeed a compromise situation was currently being talked about, one in which the hotel was saved. “That’s my hope,” he said of the scenario. "We're having good conversations with the developer and the community."
And asked why the City Council vote on the hotel's possible historical status has been delayed, a press rep for Koretz responded with the slightly cryptic-sounding statement: “When there are conversations going on with the community and the Conservancy, and when those conversations seem useful, sometimes it’s better to allow the conversations to go along a little longer.”
And asked about the status of the project, a rep for the Rosenfeld emailed back: “Next Century Associates is in the process of exploring all options for the property including preservation alternatives.” And a rep for the Conservancy emailed back to note that Conservancy execs are "currently meeting with the developer to look at various alternatives." Reps for Next Century nor reps from the Conservancy would comment further on the talks currently underway.
Who knows what’ll happen in the end. Lawsuits could erupt, development plans could be canceled, and the doomsday year of 2012 may render all this discussion irrelevant. But this is where the situation seems to be right now. So this scenario, if you will.
· Century Plaza Hotel Solution: Cats and Dogs, Living Together [Curbed LA]
· Threatened Century Plaza Hotel Gets Huge Boost from Preservationists [Curbed LA]
· Getting to Know You: Threatened Century Plaza [Curbed LA]
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