Yesterday we heard that Downtown's famous and lovely Alexandria Hotel had been sold to prolific DT developer Izek Shomof (he's also working on the Title Insurance condo project and the residential tower at Fourth and Broadway) and about his vague plans to give it an overhaul. Now the Downtown News fills in a little more: Shomof says "the Alexandria will continue to serve low-income tenants, who fill most of the hotel's residences. Improvements will come in the form of aesthetic renovations such as fresh paint, revamped air conditioning and new fixtures, including in the building's Palm Court and King Edward ballrooms." He emphasizes also that he intends to preserve the building, which was built in 1906 as a luxury hotel (it was one of LA's fanciest sites for years, until that upstart Biltmore showed up in 1923). It's unclear if groundfloor tenants Down and Out (a sports bar) or The Gorbals (Top Chef alum Ilan Hall's restaurant) will stick around; Shomof says he "hopes to bring together tenants and other Downtown residents with 'a better environment' that features more amenities — he suggests additional restaurants, a coffee shop or a convenience store as possibilities." Shomof is one of the developers rehabbing the low-income Baltimore and Kind Edward Hotels near Skid Row. Meanwhile, the long-sealed-off Alexandria Hotel annex is getting a couple dozen high-end apartments.
· Developer Shomof Buys Alexandria, Plans Renovation and New Businesses [DN]
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