Threatened: Century Plaza Hotel
Embodiment of 1960s Los Angeles
The Century Plaza Hotel opened in 1966 as the centerpiece of Century City, a 'city within a city' that heralded a bold, new approach to urban design. The 19-story hotel forms an elegant, sweeping crescent at the corner of Avenue of the Stars and Constellation Boulevard -- so named because of Century City's full embrace of the Space Age.
The hotel was designed by renowned architect Minoru Yamasaki (1912-1986), who would later design New York's World Trade Center twin towers (1974-2001) and the twin Century Plaza Towers (1975). The son of Japanese immigrants, the Seattle-born Yamasaki was one of approximately a dozen architects ever featured on the cover of Time magazine, in 1963.
Since it opened, the Century Plaza has served as a premiere hotel for celebrities, politicians, and world dignitaries. Its instant success also fueled the development of Century City and forged its reputation as a truly modern, world-class destination.
Its frequent use by national leaders -- particularly Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan -- garnered it the nickname 'The West Coast White House' and made it a focal point for political activism. In August 1969, President Nixon held a gala dinner at the hotel welcoming the Apollo 11 astronauts back from the first manned moon landing.
With one of the largest ballrooms on the West Coast, the Century Plaza has hosted countless events, from star-studded charity balls to the 1967 Pillsbury Bake-Off.
In June 2008, soon after completion of a $36 million rehab, the Century Plaza was purchased by Next Century Associates. Michael Rosenfeld of Next Century hailed the hotel as "a jewel in my hometown." Six months later, he announced plans to demolish the mid-century modern landmark and replace it with two 570-foot towers.
The Los Angeles Conservancy is leading the charge to save the Century Plaza from what they call a "senseless destruction." In April 2009, the National Trust for Historic Preservation named the Century Plaza Hotel to its 2009 list of 'America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.'
More than 1,200 people from 29 states and nine countries have pledged their support for the hotel's preservation. The world is watching to see how Los Angeles will choose to treat one of its most important landmarks.
For more information, visit Los Angeles Conservancy.
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