He's the next mayor
I left LA for Chicago why?
Beny Alagem, who paid $130 million for the Welton Becket-designed Beverly Hilton two years ago, wants to tear down Trader Vic’s restaurant at the intersection of Wilshire and Santa Monica boulevards, the hotel's executive conference center, the Oasis Court and the hotel’s 514-space parking garage. Andy Fixmer obtained a report on Algaem's plans and posted a story on the Los Angeles Business Journal website late Wednesday. It's all in the name of building more luxury condo towers in Beverly Hills.
On those sites Alagem would build two 13-story buildings containing 96 condominiums, a 104-unit, 15-story condo hotel and 96 hotel rooms in two 3-story structures. The hotel’s parking would be put underground and increased to 1,422 spaces, to meet Beverly Hills’ codes.
The existing hotel, recently remodeled, would remain. The Beverly Hilton's 1950s modern styling, with lanais on the rooms overlooking the pool, has its fans. The hotel was for a time the L.A. flagship of the Hilton chain and served as the Western White House for President John Kennedy. But Trader Vic's— that place would be missed by lots of people.
* Goes to the Beverly Hills Planning Commission on Tuesday.