Commissioners sign off on changes to new Hollywood hotel to allow public rooftop

Construction is already underway on a new hotel at Cahuenga Boulevard and De Longpre Avenue in the heart of Hollywood, but city planning commissioners on Thursday approved changes to allow a rooftop bar—with public access.

The eight-story Godfrey Hotel is going up at 1400 North Cahuenga Boulevard, south of Sunset Boulevard, and about a half-mile from Mama Shelter and Dream Hollywood, both of which have public rooftop bars, too.

“We’ve done a dozen of these in Hollywood,” said commissioner Caroline Cho. “I think it’s fine.”

Dana Sayles, a real estate consultant working with the developers, told the commission that The Grodfrey “will sit amongst other iconic hospitality brands all helping to revitalize the economy of Hollywood.”

Plans for a hotel at that location were already approved by the city in June 2016. The site and development rights were sold to a new owner, Oxford Capital Group, LLC, a couple of months later.

After purchasing the project, Oxford tweaked the plans, increasing the number of hotel rooms from 175 to 220, eliminating space for shops, shrinking the size of a ground-floor restaurant, and adding a bar and lounge to the rooftop that would be open to the public.

Those changes require a zone variance and conditional use permit. That permit says the public portion of the rooftop will have to close at midnight daily.

The planning commission’s approval was granted to the dismay of a couple of residents, who told the commission that Hollywood doesn’t need any more bars.

“Dear god, how much more alcohol are you going to cram into projects coming into Hollywood?” said resident Susan Hunter. “I know that’s hard to believe, but there are actually residents who care about this community, who are sick and tired of being bullied around by projects coming in that are more worried about guest experience than neighbor experience.”

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