Voices were raised at a recent Santa Monica Planning Commission meeting over the proposed Fairmont Miramar Hotel project, the Santa Monica Daily Press reports. The current hotel occupies about 262,000 square feet in a building with 10- and 12-story towers and has surface parking; the new plan includes a 12-story tower with hotel rooms and up to 120 condos, an 11-story tower, and 484 parking spots tucked underground. "The project includes preservation and rehabilitation of the six-story 1920's Palisades Building at the parcel's northeast corner," according to planning staff, as well as a new one acre park at Wilshire and Ocean, the preservation of a centuries-old fig tree, groundfloor retail along Wilshire, and "up to 40 new units" of affordable/workforce housing across Second Street. According to the SMDP, "The architectural renderings show a rather dramatic, Spanish influenced, terra cotta and glass facade with rooftop cupolas." While the area's neighborhood group supports the project--developed by New York-based MSD Capital (the hotel is part of the holdings of Michael Dell of the computer company)--nearby condo owners at Ocean and California don't care for it (possibly because it will hamper ocean views).
The owners of the nearby Huntley House hotel are also not fans, and have hired a PR firm to whip up animosity. The firm started a group called Santa Monicans against the Miramar Expansion, which has nicknamed the project "Miramarmageddon" (groan) and distributed materials saying it will "destroy Santa Monica."
· Hotel renovation fuels development debate [SMDP]
· Santa Monica's Fairmont Miramar Hotel Will Add Condos [Curbed LA]
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