The last time there was news about the long-closed Sunset Pacific Motel at 4301 West Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake was last fall, when the city approved demolition of the motel. Nicknamed the "Bates Motel" because of both its proximity to Bates Street and the motel's seedy history, the city wanted the motel torn down so the nefarious behavior going on around the closed building would stop. (Famously, a few transients were charging people $1 to walk on the sidewalk past the motel.) The owners, who live out of state, appealed the decision, and this February, a judge will decide whether the city was justified in ordering it torn down, according to Deputy City Atty. William Larsen, who has been following the case. Amid all the legal back and forth, the motel is now available for sale. "We're fielding offers," says Matthew Friedman, Vice President, Investments at Marcus & Millichap, who has the listing.
According to Friedman, potential buyers are looking at either tearing down the motel and using the site for something else--condos, perhaps--or remodeling it (extensively, it would seem) and re-launching it as a motel or hotel. You'll recall one of the quirks of the place is that the rooms are all on the small side, measuring about 400 square feet, but perhaps they could be remodeled. Or perhaps this is the moment when SBE branches into the youth hostel business?
Meanwhile, the motel owners are also selling the adjoining parcels on Effie Street with the motel, so the whole area is about 36,000 square feet.
And none of the would-be buyers seem overly concerned with the legal issues surrounding the motel, according to Friedman. "[Buyers] have options," he says. "They can tear it down or they can deal with the city in getting the necessary approvals [to redevelop the building]."
Whatever happens, it's likely the neighbors are happy it's being sold. City Atty. Larsen tells us that he's still getting complaints about transients around the property from locals.
· Sunset Boulevard's Bates Motel May Be Coming Down [Curbed LA]
· City OKs Demolition of Silver Lake's Bates Motel [Curbed LA]
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