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Adaptive reuse and boutique hotels: a case study of the Superior Oil Company Building’s conversion to the Standard Downtown LA Hotel

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Adaptive reuse and boutique hotels: a case study of the Superior Oil Company Building’s conversion to the Standard Downtown LA Hotel

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Adaptive Reuse and Boutique Hotels: A Case Study of the
Superior Oil Company Building’s Conversion to the Standard
Downtown LA Hotel

By
Julia A. P. Ressler

A Thesis Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF HERITAGE CONSERVATION

December 2020

Copyright 2020 Julia A. P. Ressler
ii
Acknowledgements

Thank you to my committee chair Ken Breisch and committee readers Peyton
Hall and Meredith Drake Reitan for their time, guidance and patience throughout this
process. I also had the pleasure of learning from them in USC’s Master of Heritage
Conservation program. Their lectures and discussions were thought-provoking and
delightful, and I looked forward to every one. A special thank you to our program
director Trudi Sandmeier (who makes miracles happen), for her remarkable insight of
the Heritage Conservation field and her constant support of us MHC students. I would
also like to thank my USC colleagues and other professors who made my learning
experience at USC as special and interesting as it was.

This thesis could not have been written without extensive discussions with
professionals in the Architecture, Heritage Conservation and Real Estate Development
fields who were generous with their time. Thank you to Robert Chattel, Teresa Grimes,
Kenneth Kutcher, Karin Liljegren, Jennifer Minasian, and Mark Neumann.

Thank you to my family and friends who have supported me through my graduate
school journey, and especially to my parents for their unwavering encouragement of all
my adventures.

iii

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements........................................................................................................ii
List of Figures................................................................................................................iv
Abstract...........................................................................................................................v
Introduction.....................................................................................................................1
Chapter One: Adaptive Reuse for Boutique Hotel Development...............................4
Adaptive Reuse and Hotels ...................................................................................4
The Boutique Hotel Segment...............................................................................10
The Value of a Historic Building...........................................................................20
Chapter Two: Adaptive Reuse in Downtown Los Angeles.......................................24
The Adaptive Reuse Movement ..........................................................................25
Financial Incentives .............................................................................................34
Rehabilitation.......................................................................................................39
Chapter Three: Case Study – Converting the Superior Oil Company
Building to the Standard Downtown LA Hotel................................................44
Downtown’s Cultural Environment in the Late 1990s ..........................................44
Developer Selection.............................................................................................46
History of the Superior Oil Company Building .....................................................49
Historic Significance of the Superior Oil Company Building ................................50
The Rehabilitation................................................................................................60
The Project’s Success .........................................................................................79
Chapter Four: The Future of Adaptive Reuse Hotels in
Downtown Los Angeles ....................................................................................82
Lessons for Adaptive Reuse Hotel Projects ........................................................82
Boutique Hotels Build on the Standard’s Legacy.................................................84
The Future Hotel Inventory..................................................................................95
Conclusion....................................................................................................................99
Bibliography................................................................................................................101
Appendix A: The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation ...........115
Appendix B: The Current Hotel Inventory in Downtown Los Angeles..................117

iv

List of Figures

Figure 1.1 Larimer Square Historic District.......................................................................6
Figure 1.2 St. Louis Union Station Grand Hall..................................................................8
Figure 1.3 Lobby of the Hi-Lo Hotel................................................................................17
Figure 1.4 Lobby of Hotel Kabuki ...................................................................................18
Figure 1.5 Lobby and Rudolph’s Bar at the Freehand Hotel ..........................................20
Figure 1.6 Lounge, bar and dining area at the NoMad Hotel .........................................22
Figure 2.1: A 2003 map of Downtown Los Angeles .......................................................24
Figure 2.2: A 1973 aerial photograph of downtown........................................................28
Figure 2.3: The 1928 Fine Arts Building.........................................................................31
Figure 3.1: The 1955 Superior Oil Company Building....................................................53
Figure 3.2: Exterior façade materials of the Superior Oil Company Building .................56
Figure 3.3: Corporate high-rise architecture in 1955 Downtown Los Angeles ...............57
Figure 3.4: East elevation of the Standard Downtown LA hotel .....................................63
Figure 3.5: Primary entrance of the Standard Downtown LA hotel ................................66
Figure 3.6: The original 1955 Superior Oil Company Building lobby..............................67
Figure 3.7: A three-dimensional frieze of chronological oil production scenes...............68
Figure 3.8: The Standard Downtown LA hotel lobby......................................................70
Figure 3.9: 24/7 Restaurant at the Standard Downtown LA hotel ..................................71
Figure 3.10: Aerial view of the Standard Downtown LA rooftop.....................................73
Figure 3.11: The adapted mechanical tower ..................................................................74
Figure 3.12: The Standard Downtown LA rooftop pool ..................................................75
Figure 3.13: A guestroom floorplan at the Standard Downtown LA hotel.......................77
Figure 3.14: A typical guestroom at the Standard Downtown LA hotel ..........................79
Figure 4.1: The United Artists Theatre Building..............................................................87
Figure 4.2: The Theatre at the Ace Hotel .......................................................................89
Figure 4.3: Broken Shaker at the Freehand hotel rooftop ..............................................91
Figure 4.4: The 1922 Bank of Italy Building....................................................................93

v

Abstract

This thesis studies the conversion of historic buildings in Downtown Los Angeles
through a case study approach. Rehabilitating a historic building is a complex process.
Adaptive reuse properties offer three advantages over new construction: character,
location and financial value. Examining the repurposing of the 1955 Superior Oil
Company Building to the Standard Downtown LA Hotel will put those three advantages
into context and demonstrate what makes an adaptive reuse hotel project successful.
The intent of this thesis is to explore the origins of the adaptive reuse hotel trend in
Downtown Los Angeles and determine what conditions make a historic building suitable
for hotel conversion. It will examine the origins of adaptive reuse, the emergence of the
boutique hotel type, the outcome of the case study, lessons to inform subsequent
adaptive reuse hotel development and the pioneering rehabilitation’s ramifications on
downtown’s hotel landscape.

1

Introduction

Historic buildings offer a special physical experience when their historic or
cultural significance manifests in the structure. It is especially rewarding to visit a
building that has both retained its historic character and been adapted to modern
building standards to fulfill a new use. The juxtaposition of old and new creates
an interesting aesthetic environment. Multiple layers of history create a thought-
provoking experience. Not obvious to the eye is how much work goes into
recycling a building. Adaptive reuse projects are celebrated for their ability to
save buildings from demolition but they are extremely complex. This thesis set
out to uncover why hotel developers choose to rehabilitate historic buildings
rather than undertake new construction. Discussion with developers, architects,
and historic consultants revealed three main advantages that make the effort
worthwhile.
First, historic buildings come with character. They portray a unique history
of a certain place and time. As architectural landmarks, they’re likely adorned
with exquisite craftsmanship that has become rare. Interesting physical
surroundings heighten a hotel guest’s stay by providing a unique and memorable
experience. For hotel developers, a building with character is valuable as a
productive and marketable asset. Thanks to inherent character, a hotel is able to
differentiate itself from competitors in a saturated market.
Second, the old adage ‘location, location, location’ rings true with hotel
development. Historic buildings are often found in lively urban locations. These
are the older areas of a city that over time have developed a distinct character
and an abundance of amenities like restaurants, museums, entertainment or
other tourist attractions. An older area of the city may have developed before the
automobile and is pedestrian-friendly, providing easy access for out-of-towners
without private transportation. Developers are unlikely to find inexpensive and
empty plots of land in these urban pockets so they choose existing structures
suitable for their projects.

2

The third advantage of adaptive reuse is the financial feasibility of a
project if a building is purchased at a low price and will appreciate over time. A
project’s financial structuring and profitability is the deciding factor for its
execution. The budget will also determine the nature of the rehabilitation and
what construction tasks it can afford. Character and good location are two
positive indicators of the potential of a high return on investment. For adaptive
reuse projects, financial incentives are available to offset rehabilitation
development costs.
In researching adaptive reuse hotel projects in Los Angeles, one emerged
as a model project: the 1999-2002 conversion of the 1955 Superior Oil Company
Building to the Standard Downtown LA hotel. There are lessons to be learned
from the seamlessness of the project and the compatible new design that
captures the building’s historic features. Studying the developmental history of
the building and its urban context identifies another accomplishment of the
adaptive reuse project. The rehabilitation took place during a pivotal moment in
Downtown Los Angeles’s urban development. The city center was largely
deteriorated and many historic buildings sat vacant. In 1999, legislative policy
was introduced to address the built environment’s conditions by facilitating
adaptive reuse development. The underutilized building stock and low land
values made the environment ripe for adaptive reuse projects to flourish and
reinvigorate downtown.
1
While remarkable conservation examples, adaptive
reuse projects prior to the city’s 1999 Adaptive Reuse Ordinance (ARO) were too
sporadic to have a lasting effect on improving the city center’s condition.
2
The
conversion of the historic Superior Oil Company Building occurred during a broad
effort of simultaneous revitalization investments and adaptive reuse
developments that generated enough power to initiate downtown’s revival.
The growth of adaptive reuse in Los Angeles coincided with a new hotel
type that was disrupting the hospitality industry. The boutique hotel segment
began to develop as an official hotel category in the 1980s and by the early

1
Myrna Oliver, “Counting on Spring Street to Bounce Back,” Los Angeles Times, February 23,
1990.
2
Elaine Woo, “Bradbury Is Called Key to Urban Core,” Los Angeles Times, September 30, 1991.

3

2000s was a defined market offering. The segment emerged at a time when the
hotel market lacked variety and instead provided a refreshing new type of
accommodation based around design and unique experiences. Now in high-
demand, the boutique hotel type has grown into one of the largest and most
varied hotel segments. Its experimental nature continues to have ramifications for
the wider hospitality industry.
Today seven of the thirty hotels in the city center are adaptive reuse
projects converted from an alternate primary use and they are all boutique hotel
properties.
3
There is a complementary nature between adaptive reuse and
boutique hotels. The character of a historic building lends itself to shaping a
hotel’s unique environment. The hotel type has provided another avenue for
heritage conservation as it is a suitable conversion for a vacant or underutilized
historic building.
This thesis will examine the relationship between adaptive reuse and
boutique hotels through a case study approach of the Superior Oil Company
Building’s conversion to the Downtown Standard LA hotel. It will focus specifically
on Downtown Los Angeles to understand how the urban context generated the
adaptive reuse movement in the late 1990s and early 2000s and what value
adaptive reuse projects have in the urban environment. By detailing the origins of
the boutique hotel type and its development through to the present day, the
thesis will illustrate the framework of the boutique hotel and how it is an
appropriate use for historic buildings. As the first adaptive reuse boutique hotel in
Downtown Los Angeles, the Downtown Standard LA set a foundation for
subsequent development. What is the pioneering project’s legacy and how has it
informed later projects? Most importantly, the case study will shed light on what
makes these conversions successful in the interest of promoting adaptive reuse
over new construction for hotel development.

3
Appendix B.

4

Chapter One: Adaptive Reuse for Boutique Hotel
Development

Adaptive Reuse and Hotels

Historic buildings are physical links to our history and reminders of the
past, but they also elicit an emotional response in humans. When visiting an old
place people comment on their surroundings, noticing the architecture or intricate
detailing at the interior. Buildings heighten their experience of a place. It is
saddening to hear that a significant building has been demolished whether it was
appreciated for its beauty or familiarity.
Adaptive reuse is the recycling of an older building for a new use.
Throughout history buildings have been inhabited, abandoned and re-inhabited.
It’s easiest to reuse a home for a home and a shop for a shop, but in many cases
the use changes. ‘Adaptive Reuse’ became a definitive term, coined by leading
urbanist and preservation architect Giorgio Cavaglieri, when official policies for
conserving heritage developed in the 1970s.
4
Changes to our cities and streets
are inevitable. Heritage Conservation is about managing that inevitable change
to the built environment, whether it’s window materials, a building’s form or city
streetscapes. Adaptive reuse is one of the most valuable tools for the field of
heritage conservation because of its flexible approach to conserving a structure.
Other conservation approaches such as preservation and restoration are less
flexible because they require the building remain frozen in a specific time and
state. Adaptive reuse allows us to conserve what already exists and adjust the
structure to meet modern requirements, or fulfill those of a new use, without
sacrificing architectural or historic integrity. The practice’s technical procedure is
Rehabilitation, defined by the National Park Service as “the act or process of
making possible a compatible use for a property through repair, alterations, and

4
Douglas Martin, “Giorgio Cavaglieri, Urban Preservationist, Dies at 95,” New York Times, May
18, 2007. ProQuest.

5

additions while preserving those portions or features which convey its historical,
cultural, or architectural values.”
5

By the late 1970s, the necessary policy framework and instructional
guidelines were substantial enough to promote adaptive reuse projects. The
1976 Tax Reform Act created the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives
program for the rehabilitation of historic properties for income–producing
purposes. It also removed tax deductions for demolition projects. In the same
activist spirit, the Public Buildings Cooperative Act was passed to require
consideration of adaptive reuse before new federal buildings were built.
Simultaneously the National Park Service, the federal steward of historic
preservation, issued the Preservation Project Standards and Guidelines for
Rehabilitating Old Buildings to ensure the historic material of buildings was
adequately addressed and protected.
6

As a preservation tool adaptive reuse was first utilized in the conversion of
abandoned spaces into commercial complexes. Two iconic examples are the
1967 Denver Larimer Square and 1968 San Francisco Ghirardelli Square
projects. Larimer Street was a deteriorated commercial strip that had been
Denver’s main street since Colorado was declared a US territory in 1861. During
the mid-20th century urban renewal movement, the deteriorated commercial strip
was at risk of demolition. Active locals banded together to refurbish the various
architectural gems and organized new office and retail tenants for the buildings.
Larimer Square was named Denver’s first historic district in 1971 and today is the
most popular and central commercial destination in the city.
7
(Figure 1.1)
In 1893 the Ghirardelli family purchased a factory site in San Francisco to
start a chocolate business. As the business prospered they relocated in 1960 to
accommodate the company’s growth. The abandoned industrial structures were
demolition targets until the entire property was purchased in 1962 with

5
National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. “Rehabilitation.” Technical Preservation
Services. https://www.nps.gov/tps/standards/four-treatments/treatment-rehabilitation.htm.
6
National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, “A History of The Secretary of the
Interior’s Standards,” Technical Preservation Services, https://www.nps.gov/tps/standards/history-
of-standards.htm.
7
“History,” Larimer Square, https://www.larimersquare.com/50/history.html.

6

preservation as a goal. The complex was repurposed as an outdoor recreational
shopping mall and the original facades of the brick structures were retained.
8

Like Larimer Square, today Ghirardelli Square is one of the most popular tourist
destinations in San Francisco. Both projects were highly praised for the
revitalization of a depressed area and the salvaging of original architecture.

Figure 1.1: A 1996 photograph of the Larimer Square Historic District shows a diverse collection
of late Victorian era commercial architecture. The buildings were rehabilitated for a variety of new
uses. Photo courtesy of Denver Public Library/Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation,
History Colorado Slide Collection; Larimer Square
(https://digital.denverlibrary.org/digital/collection/p16079coll2/id/524/rec/10).

The motivation to revive a neglected space at risk of demolition also
prompted the extension of adaptive reuse to convert individual buildings into
hotels. One of the earliest examples is the Villard Houses, a complex of six
private townhouses in New York City designed by master architects McKim,
Mead & White in 1882. Various residential and office tenants inhabited the Neo-

8
Barbaralee Diamonstein, Buildings Reborn: New Uses, Old Places (New York: Harper & Row,
1978), 208.

7

Italian Renaissance palazzo. However, by the 1960s the remaining office tenants
could no longer afford the rising rent of the prime Midtown East location on
Madison Avenue and had to vacate the building. In 1974, the fifty-one story
Helmsley Palace Hotel was erected on the vacant lot behind the palazzo and
connected to the rear eastern elevation of the original building. The tower was
criticized for its incompatibility with the architecture, but the project allowed for
the western exterior facades and historic interiors to be retained.
9

At its 1894 construction, St. Louis Union Station was the largest railroad
depot in the world. The Richardsonian Romanesque station is best known for its
stunning ornamental grand hall with a sixty-five foot barrel vaulted ceiling. It is
one of the most beloved buildings in St. Louis for its key role in the city’s
development and as a place of special memories for many locals. The decline of
railroad travel in the mid-twentieth century dilapidated the station. At the time of
its 1968 nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, a search was
already underway for a new use.
10
Almost twenty years later, the station
reopened in 1985 as a mixed-use complex with a convention center, a shopping
mall and a 539-room Omni International hotel.
11
The $135 million restoration
project was recognized for its faithful preservation of the original plan and the
historic exterior and interiors. Today the train station’s impressive grand entry hall
is the lobby for the St. Louis Union Station Hotel, a boutique property of global
chain Hilton. (Figure 1.2)

9
Barbaralee Diamonstein, Buildings Reborn: New Uses, Old Places (New York: Harper & Row,
1978), 160.
10
“National Register of Historic Places-Registration Form: St. Louis Union Station," Prepared by
M. Patricia Holmes, January 28, 1970.
11
“Story,” St. Louis Union Station, https://www.stlouisunionstation.com/story.

8

Figure 1.2: The St. Louis Union Station Grand Hall converted to a hotel lobby. Photo
courtesy of St. Louis Union Station (https://www.stlouisunionstation.com/story).

The Waterfront Place complex in Seattle is an ensemble of three 1901
Italian Renaissance revival office and retail buildings: the Globe Building, the
Beebe Building and Hotel Cecil. In 1982 the entire complex was converted into
the fifty-four room luxury Alexis Hotel in downtown Seattle. The buildings had
previously endured several configurations, including an especially damaging
conversion to a garage in the 1920s. There was an attempt to repurpose the
neglected complex for housing in the 1970s but the application was rejected in
favor of the hotel project. The hotel rehabilitation cleaned and restored the
exterior brick and terracotta facades to their original design and revived the
structural detailing of the interiors.
12
The rehabilitation project won several
awards including the prestigious Excellence in Design award by the American

12
Monica Geran, “Past Indicative: Seattle’s Alexis Hotel, Rehabilitated by The Bumgardner
Architects, Retains Its Historical Heritage,” Interior Design, January 1984, Gale Academic
OneFile.

9

Institute of Architects in 1982 and the National Gold Award from Institute of
Business Designers in 1983.
13

These projects represent some of the earliest examples of adaptive reuse
and how hotels presented a solution for reviving neglected buildings. Growth in
the hospitality and tourism industries increased opportunities for hotel adaptive
reuse projects. The tourism boom in the postwar era is attributed to the growth of
leisure and business travel. Prosperity resulted in more free time and disposable
income for families to take vacations to far away destinations. The rise of air and
rail travel through the 1960s and 70s gave vacationers access to more places
than traveling by car. The onset of globalization in the late twentieth century
spurred an increase in business travel as international commerce grew. An
increasing quantity and diversity of travelers encouraged more hotel
development, resulting in different types of hotels that would fulfill different
market gaps.
14
The emergence of the boutique hotel model in the United States
provided another channel for adaptive reuse hotel development.
15
An older
building’s unique architectural style contributes a special character to spaces that
new construction cannot. The concept of creating a memorable and unique
atmosphere was key for the early development of this hotel type. While a
rehabilitated building provides inherent character, boutique hotel development
often includes new construction as well. Today the hotel segment has morphed
considerably since its conception and has expanded to include a range of hotel
profiles. The foundational value of character remains a top priority and can be
attained through the adaptive reuse development practice. This longstanding
relationship has had a positive impact on the Heritage Conservation field through
contributing to the rehabilitation of historic buildings and conservation of the built
environment.

13
Barbaralee Diamonstein, Remaking America: New Uses, Old Places,188.
14
Erkan Sezgin and Medet Yolal, “Golden Age of Mass Tourism: Its History and Development,” in
Visions for Global Tourism Industry - Creating and Sustaining Competitive Strategies (InTech,
2012).
15
“Adaptive Re-Use Emerges as Hotel Sector’s Hedge Against Risk,” Connect California:
Commercial Real Estate News, January 12, 2018.

10

The Boutique Hotel Segment

Developmental History
The boutique hotel concept was not clearly defined until it was established
as a specific and profitable hotel segment. Small, intimate hotels with unique
characteristics and beautiful designs were so ubiquitous in Europe that they did
not previously require specific categorization. Similar small hotels have also
existed in the United States but have been overshadowed by a few hotel types
that dominate the US market. When the boutique hotel concept emerged in the
1980s, the US hotel market consisted of large chains such as Marriott or Hilton
that offered identical properties in different locations; smaller, luxury
accommodations that were unaffordable to most travelers and limited to major
cities or resort destinations; and budget hotels and motels catering to the low-
maintenance or roving traveler. Small independent hotels existed but often had a
dowdy reputation.
16
The boutique hotel sought to fill a gap in the US market by
providing a unique and high-quality experience at a more affordable price than
luxury accommodations. Steve Rubell, a founding partner of one of the earliest
boutique hotels, coined the term ‘boutique hotel’ in 1984. He used the retail
comparison of a department store and a boutique shop to express how these
smaller hotels provided a niche offering rather than a predictable, ‘one-size-fits-
all’, generic hotel.
17

The boutique hotel type emerged as a response to the standardization of
the hospitality industry. Most hotel accommodations were designed for
predictability so guestrooms were generic duplications of one another. Boutique
hotels provided guests with a novel and interesting experience rather than a
conventional hotel stay. Demographic developments in the late twentieth century
also created the market demand for a new hotel product. More leisure time,
disposable income and rising education levels resulted in society’s increased

16
Deanna Ting, “Complete Oral History of Boutique Hotels,” Skift, March 20, 2017,
https://www.skift.com/history-of-boutique-hotels.
17
Ibid.

11

interest in art, culture, history and travel.
18
As travelers sought out more
stimulating experiential offerings, the ‘cultural tourism’ concept translated to the
hospitality industry.
19
The choice of accommodation became an equal part of a
visit to a new place rather than just facilitating the necessary lodging to visit
attractions. Travelers sought out accommodations that were destinations in
themselves to enhance a trip and increase exposure to the local culture.
20

Studies conducted in the early 2000s, about twenty years after the first
boutique hotels had opened, sought to identify the causes of growth of the
boutique hotel segment by interviewing hotel guests. Their methodology asked
guests to define what attracted them to this nascent hotel type. The different
studies had similar findings that guests primarily chose boutique hotel
accommodations for their individuality and high level of service.
21

A boutique hotel relies on its environment to differentiate itself from the
hotel market. A unique identity is a marketable asset and provides a memorable
guest experience. Boutique hotel guests were drawn to the hotel properties for
their distinctiveness as they selected accommodations that stood out from the
ordinary hotel market.
22
Boutique hotels are intentionally designed to be different
and to appeal to certain groups. Their design is driven by the assumption of what
the target clientele wants from the accommodation rather than the industry
standard of what hotel accommodations look like.
23
Boutique hotels are also
associated with high-levels of customer service and personalized attention to
guests. The earliest boutique hotels were independently run establishments with

18
Mandy Aggett, “What Has Influenced Growth in the UK’s Boutique Hotel Sector?,” International
Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management 19, no. 2 (January 1, 2007): 170.
19
The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) defines ‘cultural tourism’ as “A type
of tourism activity in which the visitor’s essential motivation is to learn, discover, experience and
consume the tangible and intangible cultural attractions/products in a tourism destination. These
attractions/products relate to a set of distinctive material, intellectual, spiritual and emotional
features of a society that encompasses arts and architecture, historical and cultural heritage,
culinary heritage, literature, music, creative industries and the living cultures with their lifestyles,
value systems, beliefs and traditions”. “Tourism and Culture,” The World Tourism Organization
(UNWTO), 2012, https://doi.org/10.18111/9789284414796.
20
Alison J. Mcintosh and Anna Siggs, “An Exploration of the Experiential Nature of Boutique
Accommodation,” Journal of Travel Research 44, no. 1 (August 1, 2005): 75.
21
Aggett, 170; McIntosh and Siggs, 77.
22
Aggett, 173; McIntosh and Siggs, 77.
23
Donald McNeill, “The Hotel and the City,” Progress in Human Geography 32, no. 3 (June 1,
2008): 387.

12

a casual atmosphere and friendly staff. As smaller hotels with fewer guestrooms
they have a more informal setting and management approach so the guest’s visit
is an intimate experience. This is in contrast to the transactional nature of
traditional hotel models that are very scripted experiences with procedural
standards dictating interactions and amenities. Unique character and high levels
of service are typical characteristics of more expensive hotel accommodations.
The boutique hotel is an affordable luxury. The hotel type offers upscale
accommodations, plentiful amenities and personalized service at a price point
that is affordable to more travelers.
24
Locality adds another dimension to a
boutique hotel’s unique identity by establishing a sense of place. A hotel’s design
and amenities may incorporate local culture to emphasize its geographic location
and contribution to the surrounding area. An emphasis on local culture not only
heightens a traveler’s stay but widens the customer base: a beloved hotel that is
ingrained in the surrounding community will also attract locals looking to
experience its familiar atmosphere and specific amenities such as the hotel bar,
restaurant or other common shared spaces.
25
Locality also factors into the
personalized service guests expect from boutique hotels. Hotel staff serve as
information sources to provide knowledge about the area and help the guest
immerse themselves in the local culture. Visitors seeking an authentic experience
of a new place rely on the hotel’s recommendations and access to visit local
venues or engage in nearby activities.
26
The success of a boutique hotel is driven
by its ability to provide an experience rather than providing a lodging ‘service’ or
hotel product ‘good’.
27
The experience is a packaging of individuality,
personalized service, affordability and local culture.
Two hotels are recognized as the catalysts of defining the boutique trend
in the United States: The Clarion Bedford Hotel in San Francisco and the
Morgans Hotel in New York. In 1981 Bill Kimpton opened the Clarion Bedford
Hotel in San Francisco. It was the first property of the now global Kimpton Hotel

24
Ting, “Complete Oral History of Boutique Hotels.”
25
McNeill, 387.
26
McIntosh and Siggs, 79.
27
Joseph B. Pine and James H. Gilmore, “Welcome to the Experience Economy,” Harvard
Business Review, July 1, 1998; Mcintosh and Siggs,77.

13

& Restaurant Group. Bill Kimpton’s inspiration originated from his travels in
Europe where he stayed at small, family-run hotels and developed relationships
with the proprietor and staff over a glass of wine in the common area. Bill
Kimpton wanted to recreate the intimate, warm atmosphere generated by
friendly, approachable staff; understated design that was rooted in local culture
rather than flashy trends; and the residential, homely quality.
28
The 144-room
Clarion Bedford Hotel was a rehabilitation of a nondescript 1929 hotel building,
located near major shopping area and tourist destination, Union Square.
29
Guests
were invited to a complimentary social hour in the lobby each evening to taste
Napa Valley wines. San Francisco locals frequented the hotel for the popular
four-star restaurant and bar.
30
The hotel took off in its first year of business,
encouraging Kimpton to open his second and third hotels soon after.
31
He was a
pioneer hotelier in the practice of choosing to renovate old buildings with
architectural charm. Older buildings in poor condition did not meet the brand
standards that large chains or operators required of potential properties.
Kimpton’s first technical adaptive reuse project came in 1991 when he converted
the San Francisco Embarcadero YMCA into the Harbor Court Hotel. Under his
leadership, the Kimpton hotel collection grew to thirty-five hotels and twenty-nine
restaurants in twenty years.
32

In the same vein of filling a gap in the hotel market, nightclub owners Ian
Schraeger and Steve Rubell opened the Morgans Hotel in New York City in
1984. In contrast to Bill Kimpton’s casual and residential approach, the Morgans
Hotel replicated the buzzing energy and stylish allure of a nightclub.
33
They
preserved the exterior facade of the 1927 Hotel Duane on Madison Avenue in the

28
Ting, “Complete Oral History of Boutique Hotels.”
29
“‘Emotional’ Kimpton Loses First Property,” San Francisco Business Times, February 29, 2004.
30
Brian Clark, “It’s a Small and Charming World in San Francisco Boutique Hotels,” Chicago
Tribune, November 9, 1986.
31
Robert Klara, “Boutique Chic,” Adweek, September 28, 2011, https://www.adweek.com/brand-
marketing/boutique-chic-135090/.
32
Myrna Oliver, “Bill Kimpton; Built Chain of Distinctive Small Hotels,” Los Angeles Times, April 3,
2001.
33
Ting, “Complete Oral History of Boutique Hotels.”

14

bustling Midtown East neighborhood.
34
The interiors had an art-centric, modern,
provocative design. The hotel bar contributed a thriving night scene to the hotel.
In the same manner of Schraeger and Rubell’s iconic Studio 54 nightclub, the
Morgans Hotel provided access to an exclusive, aspirational lifestyle for its
visitors.
35
As the Morgans Hotel in New York City was inspired by a nightclub, it
provided guests with the idolized ‘New York’ experience: a fast-paced, buzzing
atmosphere in a fashionable setting conveying the latest style and art trends.
Just as Kimpton’s first project grew into a global chain, the Morgans Hotel was
the first of Ian Schraeger’s many contributions to the boutique hotel movement
that would evolve into three different worldwide hotel brands.
These two hotels exhibited different approaches to filling a market gap, yet
they resulted in a similar outcome by providing a special guest experience
through creating a unique atmosphere. Their initial success resulted in the
replication of boutique hotel properties across the United States and the eventual
development of multiple global boutique hotel brands. By the early 2000s, the
boutique hotel type was validated as a legitimate segment of the hospitality
industry rather than just a fad. Through its development, this hotel market has
encompassed a wide range of property types. Today's boutique hotels are
organized in three different categories based on their ownership
structuring: Boutique refers to independent hotels or small chains of independent
hotels.
36
Lifestyle brands are the franchised brands launched by pre-existing
corporations in order to capitalize on the boutique hotel market growth. The
properties are smaller sized and have more upscale designs than the parent
company’s original hotel profile. They are less individualized than independent
hotels in order to provide guests with consistency.
37
For example, Hyatt launched
lifestyle brand Andaz in 2007. Each hotel is named for the brand and place:
‘Andaz West Hollywood’ or ‘Andaz Savannah’. Other popular lifestyle brands

34
Dan Howarth, “First Boutique Hotel Morgans to Become Micro Condos,” Dezeen, June 28,
2017, https://www.dezeen.com/2017/06/28/morgans-first-boutique-hotel-to-become-luxury-
condos-new-york/.
35
Ting, “Complete Oral History of Boutique Hotels.”
36
Stephanie Ricca, “Report Defines Boutique, Lifestyle, Soft Brand,” Hotel News Now, March 26,
2015, https://www.hotelnewsnow.com/articles/25561/Report-defines-boutique-lifestyle-soft-brand.
37
Ibid.

15

include Aloft by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide or Hotel Indigo by
InterContinental Hotel Group. Soft-brand hotels are independent hotels affiliated
with major chains in order to take advantage of distribution, marketing, and
loyalty systems.
38
Hyatt launched the Unbound Collection in 2016 with a global
portfolio reaching from the Carmel Valley Ranch in California to the adaptive
reuse Great Scotland Yard Hotel, an 1820 London landmark. Marriott’s
Autograph Collection is the largest soft-brand portfolio to date with 180 hotels.
Through this categorization and a pattern of large-scale acquisitions,
brands and chains now dominate the boutique hotel segment. The originality
associated with early independent boutique hotels has diminished. Most of these
hotels now face the challenge of maintaining an individual personality and
offering a unique experience to guests despite the oversight and control of a
parent company.
39

Characteristics
The boutique hotel philosophy manifested in tangible characteristics
relating to design and amenities. However the hotel segment has grown
considerably in the past forty years and the market is oversaturated with various
types of hotels distributed across the three categories of boutique, lifestyle and
soft-brand. Today boutique hotels vary in their execution of the original
characteristics of the hotel segment.

Design
Design is essential for establishing a unique hotel identity. During the early
development phase of boutique hotels, it was a tool to differentiate themselves
from the plain design themes that were duplicated across chain locations. The
design-forward or art-centric reputation developed when the new hotel type
catered to and was popular with creative groups. Boutique hotels are designed
with the target clientele’s interests in mind rather than replicating an existing

38
Ibid.
39
Cristina Balekjian and Lara Sarheim, “Boutique Hotels Segment” (HVS Global Hospitality
Services, September 2011), 4.

16

model. Original designs are supposed to appeal to guests as something fresh
and exciting. Design presents an opportunity to heighten sophistication and
create thought-provoking and interesting spaces. Interiors and furnishings are
deliberately selected for individual hotel properties and even individual guest
rooms. Most boutique hotels are decorated in either the latest interior design
fashions or a completely individual and unique theme.
40
The recently popular and
proliferating ‘modern industrial’ interior design style is illustrated by the Hi-Lo
Hotel in downtown Portland Oregon. The hotel is an adaptive reuse development
of the 1910 Railway Exchange Building. It was listed on the National Register in
1979 for its significance as one of Portland’s first large commercial buildings and
reinforced concrete structures.
41
Opened in 2017, the hotel’s in-vogue interior
design celebrates the bones of the building and balances the industrial aesthetic
with modern furnishings and accents. The original concrete columns, brick walls
and the new concrete structural additions are deliberately left exposed as show
pieces.
42
The hotel’s particular approach softens and contrasts the austerity of
the raw concrete with plush textiles, pastel colors and warm lighting. (Figure 1.3)
The other common interior design approach is to emphasize a unique aspect of
the property. A theme based on locality will highlight local artists or tastes to align
the hotel with the local culture or surrounding area.
43
Another adaptive reuse
development, Hotel Kabuki in San Francisco’s Japantown was built as the
neighborhood’s community center in 1968. It was only used as such for a few
years before becoming a hotel and subsequently has changed ownership many
times. While the building is not a historic resource, it has meaning for the
surrounding community. Boutique hotel brand Joie de Vivre acquired the
structure in 2007.
44
The hotel interiors were designed to reflect the spirit of the

40
Deanna Ting, “How Boutique Hotels Changed the Way We Design Hotels,” Skift, April 3, 2017,
https://skift.com/2017/04/03/how-boutique-hotels-changed-the-way-we-design-hotels/.
41
“National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form: Oregon Pioneer Building,”
prepared by John M. Tess, March 13, 1979.
42
Sammy Preston, “Hi-Lo Hotel Lobby in Portland, Oregon by Jessica Helgerson,” Yellowtrace,
March 8, 2018, https://www.yellowtrace.com.au/hi-lo-hotel-portland-jessica-helgerson/.
43
Greg Oates, “How Kimpton Hotels Built Its Brand on the Local Experience,” Skift, October 28,
2013, https://skift.com/2013/10/28/how-kimpton-hotels-built-its-brand-on-the-local-experience/.
44
“Joie de Vivre to Open Hotel Kabuki,” HotelExecutive, October 14, 2008,
https://www.hotelexecutive.com/newswire/8583/joie-de-vivre-to-open-hotel-kabuki.

17

neighborhood in a minimalist style with traditional Japanese accents such as
wooden beams, shoji panels, and shibori cloth (a dye technique). (Figure 1.4)
The wall art is a combination of traditional Japanese prints and contemporary
pieces by local Japanese artists.

Figure 1.3: The modern industrial design theme in the lobby of the Hi-Lo Hotel. Photo courtesy of
Jessica Helgerson Interior Design (http://www.jhinteriordesign.com/hilo).

Size
The size limit of a boutique hotel is debated in the hospitality industry. The
general principle is that the property has to be small enough to maintain an
intimate atmosphere. Leading hoteliers and industry experts generally agree that
is compromised when a hotel has more than two hundred guest rooms.
45

Shared Common Spaces
Besides a place to sleep, boutique hotels offer various social spaces for
entertainment. Typically the lobby area is designed as a social gathering spot.

45
Ting, “Complete Oral History of Boutique Hotels.”; Balekjian and Sarheim, 3.

18

Figure 1.4: The lobby decoration at Hotel Kabuki is inspired by Japanese shoji panels. Photo
courtesy of Northstar Travel Media LLC (https://www.travelagewest.com/Hotels/San-
Francisco/Hotel-Kabuki-p6423637).

Rather than a traditional lobby solely used for administrative processes like
checking-in, the guest should interpret the lobby as an extension of their
purchased accommodations during their stay.
46
As a gathering spot, the lobby
may simultaneously serve different purposes. First, it may be designed as a
comfortable space for lounging or working. The “living room” association
encourages guests to use the lobby as a sitting area and traveling professionals
are invited to host small business meetings there. Second, a bar is typically
installed in a boutique hotel’s lobby to activate the space as a more entertaining
social gathering place. (Figure 1.5) If the lobby does not include a bar, hotel will
certainly have one elsewhere.
47
As thresholds of public and private space, the
common areas of these hotels are designed for locals as well as hotel guests.
48

Amenities such as the lobby bar or restaurant became substantial revenue
streams if they are able to attract a wider clientele that includes city dwellers.

46
Becky Krystal, “Hotel Lobbies Boast New Amenities to Entice Guests to Hang Out,” SFGate,
February 25, 2014.
47
Ting, “Complete Oral History of Boutique Hotels,”; Balekjian and Sarhim, 4-5.
48
McNeill, 386.

19

Restaurant
A restaurant is an imperative feature of a boutique hotel for its contribution to the
hotel’s identity and reputation.
49
Traditionally a hotel restaurant was embedded
into the hotel as an exclusive amenity for guests. With the boutique concept, the
restaurant is actually designed to feel like a separate entity from the hotel. It is a
destination in itself and will likely have a separate entrance to accentuate that.
These restaurants are dependent on local customers as well as hotel guests for
profitability – over 80% of the clientele at Kimpton hotel restaurants are locals.
50

In order to be considered a ‘destination’, a restaurant may categorize itself as
fine dining or try to establish a hip reputation. One approach to achieving such
status is to hire a well-known chef. Bill Kimpton co-opened Masa’s restaurant at
the 1983 Hotel Vintage Court in San Francisco with celebrity chef Masataka
Kobayashi. Kobayashi had trained in French cuisine in Switzerland and Paris and
had a long career at leading fine-dining establishments, such as Le Plaisir in New
York City and Auberge du Soleil in Napa. Masa’s at the Hotel Vintage Court was
one of the top restaurants in San Francisco for over a decade and had a 21-day
wait for reservations in its heyday.
51
Another common approach to establishing
status is through the menu. Similar to the aforementioned interior design tactic of
associating with local culture, a boutique hotel restaurant may lean on a
regionally inspired menu to emphasize its locality. The Willows Inn on Lummi
Island in Washington serves a substantial seafood menu highlighting Pacific
Northwest cuisine with ingredients from local fisheries and farms. The emphasis
on locality adds to the hotel guest’s experience of a new place and strengthens
the appeal for local clientele.

49
Ting, “Complete Oral History of Boutique Hotels.”
50
Oates, “How Kimpton Hotels Built Its Brand on the Local Experience.”
51
“San Francisco: Death of a Master Chef,” Time, November 26, 1984,
http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,926985,00.html.

20

Figure 1.5: The lobby of the Freehand Hotel in Los Angeles with Rudolph’s bar against the back
wall. This typical boutique hotel lobby contains both a bar and comfortable spaces for lounging
and/or working. Photo courtesy of Freehand Hotels (https://freehandhotels.com/los-
angeles/rudolphs-bar-tea/).

The Value of a Historic Building

In support of adaptive reuse for hotel development, the boutique hotel goal
to provide a unique guest experience illustrates how much more valuable a
historic building can be than new construction. The character of a building serves
many purposes for the boutique hotel agenda as its architecture and history
creates an interesting environment and likely novel experience for a hotel guest.
Architectural features are the physical manifestations of character. These older
buildings are icons of a past time. Their story is reflected in various components
such as craftsmanship, fenestration, form, size, and materials. A building can be
extremely powerful for creating a unique setting when historic architectural
features are appropriately conserved. A boutique hotel finds value in historic

21

spaces with intact architectural features because it is a launch pad to build a
unique hotel identity.
The history of a building presents an intriguing story and gives meaning to
a place. It immediately establishes a unique foundation for the boutique hotel to
build upon. Two tangible benefits of a building’s history are how it can inspire a
genuine design scheme and strengthen a connection with the local community.
Translating the individuality of a building’s history into a special design scheme
creates a refreshing and interesting environment for hotel guests. The 1922 Bank
of Italy building in Downtown Los Angeles was converted to the NoMad Hotel in
2018. Through a combination of original and imitation architectural
ornamentation, the interior design theme builds on the property’s historic
association with Italy and evokes an Italian palazzo. The only interior
architectural detailing original to the building are the coffered ceiling and
Corinthian columns located in the bar lounge area and crown modling and
wainscoting in the circulation areas.
52
Yet excessive ornamentation permeates
throughout the entire hotel. The added detailing creates an eclectic palazzo
through a combination of Baroque, Renaissance and Venetian Gothic styles:
pointed archways, elaborate floriate moldings and dark carved wood. The space
is furnished with items associated with opulent Italian renaissance interiors like
antiques and luxurious velvet and silk materials. (Figure 1.6) The architectural
and interior design choices strongly exaggerate a theme that is based on the
building’s history.
A boutique hotel can cement its connection the local community by
celebrating a building’s history and its impact on the surrounding area. That
connection becomes a solid foundation for boutique hotels to offer their guests
localized and memorable experiences. Opened in 2017, The Detroit Foundation
Hotel in Detroit Michigan repurposed the 1929 headquarters of Detroit’s Fire
Department. The hotel programming builds on its history as the home of a

52
“Bank of Italy, Part 1 - Evaluation of Significance,” Historic Preservation Certification
Application (National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior, January 14, 2016),
9.

22

Figure 1.6: The two-story lounge, bar and dining area at the NoMad hotel. The only original
historic fabric is the blue-coffered ceiling and Corinthian capitals. The moldings and archways
were hotel additions. The space is furnished in an Italian renaissance style. Photo by Author.

beloved city institution that had long served the people of Detroit. The hotel went
beyond decorating interiors with historic city photographs and works of local
artists by taking advantage of countless opportunities to celebrate and support
local Detroit artisans and small businesses through design, guest amenities and
the food and beverage program: most of the hotel’s furniture is custom built by
woodworker, Anton Maka; architectural details such as hand-crafted door
handles were created by metalworking studio Smith Shop; the ‘gift shop’ is two
shelves in the lobby stocked with products from small businesses such as
fragrance companies DetroitWick and Sfumato; the restaurant and bar drink
program features local breweries; guest rooms are decorated with custom
wallpaper from Detroit Wallpaper Company and the mini-bars only contain

23

Detroit-based food and drink companies such as chocolatier Bon Bon Bon,
McClure’s Pickle Chips or local distillery Our/Vodka; the hotel provides bike
rentals for guests through Detroit Bikes; the fitness center programming is run by
local gym Detroit Body Garage.
53
At every occasion the hotel guest is reminded
of where they are and how supportive the hotel is of local businesses.
The simultaneous timing of official policy adoption for adaptive reuse
development and the arrival of the boutique hotel type facilitated a mutually
beneficial relationship for historic buildings and boutique hotels. Informed by
architecture and history, a historic building’s character immediately establishes a
unique foundation for a boutique hotel to build upon. In return, the hotel offers a
new life for a building that may be at risk of demolition. Although the boutique
hotel segment consists of adaptive reuse and new construction projects, the
emergence of the hotel segment in the 1980s and its subsequent growth has
offered an additional avenue for the Heritage Conservation field to save more
important places through adaptive reuse projects.

53
“Working with the Local Community,” Detroit Foundation Hotel,
https://detroitfoundationhotel.com/collaborators/; Robin Runyan, “Inside the Foundation Hotel in
Downtown Detroit,” Curbed Detroit, May 15, 2017,
https://detroit.curbed.com/2017/5/15/15631774/foundation-hotel-detroit-photos; Shianne Nocerini,
“Inside The Historic Detroit Fire Department Headquarters That Found New Life As A Hotel,”
Daily Detroit, May 16, 2017, http://www.dailydetroit.com/2017/05/16/take-tour-new-foundation-
hotel/; Berit Baugher, “Detroit’s Newest Boutique Hotel Celebrates The City’s Top Makers And
Innovators,” Forbes, May 27, 2017, https://www.forbes.com/sites/fathom/2017/05/27/detroit-
foundation-hotel-preview/.
24
Chapter Two: Adaptive Reuse in Downtown Los Angeles

This chapter will examine the late twentieth century rise of adaptive reuse
in Downtown Los Angeles and how the development projects are governed by
California state policies and incentives. The downtown area as defined by the
city’s planning department is bounded by Cesar E.Chavez Avenue on the north,
Interstate 10/Santa Monica Freeway on the south, Alameda Street on the east,
and State Route 110/Harbor Freeway on the west. The city recognizes nine
diverse districts within the area: Bunker Hill, Central City East, Civic Center,
Convention Center, Fashion District, Financial District, Historic Core, Little Tokyo,
and South Park.
54
(Figure 2.1) Downtown Los Angeles has a rich collection of
123 Historic Cultural Monuments, some listed on the National Register, that
includes the case study project: the 1955 Superior Oil Company Building.
55

Figure 2.1: A 2003 city planning map depicts the boundaries of Downtown Los Angeles and its
various neighborhoods. Map courtesy of the City of Los Angeles Planning Department/Central
City Community Plan; Figure 1 Downtown Neighborhoods and Districts
(https://planning.lacity.org/odocument/2ddbdde0-a8fb-46e3-a151-
f52fd09cc084/Central_City_Community_Plan.pdf).

54
City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning, Central City Community Plan, (Los Angeles:
January 2003).
55
“Historic Landmarks - Central City,” Los Angeles City Planning,
https://planning.lacity.org/preservation-design/historic-landmarks/detail?cpa=central-city.
25
The policies and guidelines that inform adaptive reuse hotel projects are
discussed to provide context for the thesis case study: the conversion of the
Superior Oil Company Building to the Downtown Standard Hotel. The adaptive
reuse of a historic landmark requires construction work that is sensitive to
existing historic material. There are particular patterns and challenges that
characterize hotel development and how an existing historic structure could be
converted to a hotel.

The Adaptive Reuse Movement

Adaptive reuse development became more prevalent in the 1980s and
flourished in the 1990s when the city of Los Angeles joined a national trend
toward revitalizing old downtowns by recycling a large stock of largely vacant and
deteriorating commercial neighborhoods. There are multiple factors that
contributed to downtown’s decline in the second half of the twentieth century.
The onset of suburbanization in the postwar period prompted the migration of
residents from most city centers across the United States. Businesses followed
their customers and relocated to suburban facilities like shopping malls. The loss
of middle and upper-income households in a city center reduced the downtown’s
income and contributed to its deterioration. The trend was especially prominent in
Los Angeles due to Southern California’s embrace of car culture and the
boundless natural environment that offered idyllic settings in which people could
live. Major freeway construction in the early 1950s exacerbated the migration by
improving accessibility between the city center and outlying areas with superior
living conditions.
56
The migration of the consumer market from Downtown Los
Angeles to increasingly developed districts such as Hollywood or Mid-Wilshire
relocated enough industry and investment to weaken downtown’s economy and

56
Architectural Resources Group, SurveyLA: Los Angeles Historic Resources Survey, Historic
Resources Survey Report: Central City Community Plan Area, (Los Angeles: City of Los Angeles
Department of City Planning, September 2016), 24.

26
the city center languished.
57
As many residents and businesses left Downtown
Los Angeles, the office-dominated city center was practically deserted outside of
standard weekday working hours due to its longstanding primary function as a
government and business hub.
58

Urban developments within Downtown Los Angeles exacerbated poor city
conditions in certain pockets, particularly the Historic Core neighborhood with its
abundance of underutilized and decaying historic commercial structures mostly
dating to the 1910s and 1920s. Corporate headquarters and offices began to
shift westward from the Broadway corridor and Spring Street Financial District to
the Figueroa and Flower corridors during a pre-war building boom in the 1920s.
59

The repercussions of commercial and office development on the western edge of
Downtown were intensified in the 1960s when financial institutions such as banks
and investment firms followed suit and traded the Spring Street Financial District
for a more central location nearby major Los Angeles businesses.
60
The loss of
office tenants and pedestrian activity deteriorated Spring Street. Incremental
vacancy above the ground floor permeated through the historic commercial
structures. Questionable characters and homeless populations from downtown’s
adjacent Skid Row neighborhood populated the derelict street.
61

The redevelopment of Bunker Hill from the late 1960s through the 1980s
also contributed to downtown’s abandonment. The first project of the Community
Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles (CRA/LA) was emblematic of
the nationwide Urban Renewal program. The CRA/LA was founded in 1948 in
order to administer redevelopment projects that would eliminate urban blight and
improve city conditions. The Bunker Hill project razed 133 acres of a

57
Richard W. Longstreth, “Westward Ho for Business,” in City Center to Regional Mall:
Architecture, the Automobile, and Retailing in Los Angeles, 1920-1950, 1st MIT Press pbk. ed.
(Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press, 1998).
58
Robert A. Jones, “Requiem for the Suburbs?,” Los Angeles Times, December 19, 1999.
59
David Gebhard and Robert Winter, An Architectural Guidebook to Los Angeles, 6th ed. (Santa
Monica: Angel City Press, 2018), 47.
60
“Figueroa Financial Corridor - Downtown’s Gateway to Future Prosperity,” Southern California
Business 40, no. 10 (October 1994).
61
Bill Boyarsky, “There is a Los Angeles on Which the Recovery’s Light Has Yet to Shine, Los
Angeles Times, January 1, 1984.
27
predominantly residential district that planners defined as a slum.
62
Modern high-
rise towers replaced the exquisite Victorian architecture and homes of the poor
and working-class residents. With over 8.6 million square feet of office space,
Bunker Hill became the new corporate center of Downtown Los Angeles.
63
The
demolition and reconstruction of Bunker Hill removed pedestrian links to the
original city center, completely disconnecting the two adjacent neighborhoods.
64

(Figure 2.2) These redevelopment initiatives that shifted urban activity away from
the heart of downtown exacerbated incremental vacancy and hastened
deterioration through the 1980s and early 1990s. The city center that had once
been a bustling metropolis was partially occupied by low-income residents and
developed a reputation with outsiders as a crime-ridden ghost town after dark.
65

The collection of Art Deco, Beaux Arts and Renaissance buildings mostly sat
vacant above the ground floor. Most of the decline was concentrated in the
Historic Core but even Bunker Hill took on a desolate atmosphere after working
hours.
66

The City of Los Angeles officially acknowledged downtown’s decline in the
city’s 1962 General Plan.
67
Subsequent official documents such as the CRA/LA
authored 1975 Central Business District Redevelopment Plan (CBD) and 1993
Downtown Strategic Plan (DSP) described targeted measures to promote public
and private investment in the city center. Shared objectives included restoring
downtown’s economic vitality; improving urban living conditions with increased
facilities and amenities for residents; improved transportation systems; increasing
employment opportunities; additional housing, especially of the low and
moderate-income type; creating a sense of safety and security; preservation of

62
Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles, Bunker Hill Redevelopment
Project Area Implementation Plan, FY 2010 – January 1, 2012, December 17, 2009, 1.
63
Ibid, 2.
64
Robert A. Jones, “Once More, With Enthusiasm,” Los Angeles Times, October 3, 1999.
65
John Dreyfuss, “Spring Street: On the Road to Respectability,” Los Angeles Times, May 14,
1982; Mark Ridley-Thomas, “Let Parks Ring With Crack of Bat, Not Drug Dealings,” Los Angeles
Times, May 3, 1991. Oliver, “Counting on Spring Street to Bounce Back.”
66
Robert A. Jones, “An L.A. Kind of Place,” Los Angeles Times, October 13, 1991.
67
Meredith Drake Reitan and Tridib Banerjee, “Kevin Lynch in Los Angeles: Reflections on
Planning, Politics, and Participation,” Journal of the American Planning Association 84, no. 3–4
(October 2, 2018): 223.
28

Figure 2.2: From a northeast view, this 1973 aerial photograph shows the relatively new Bunker
Hill skyscrapers in the foreground looming high over the old city center behind them. Photo
courtesy of USC Libraries Special Collections/California Historical Society Collection, 1860-1960;
filename CHS-33340
(http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p15799coll65/id/950/rec/112).

historic landmarks; and improved cooperation between the public and private
sector to facilitate downtown’s redevelopment.
68
The DSP 1993 plan and the
CBD’s 5-year implementation plan published in 2000 both include stronger
language around the rehabilitation of under-utilized historic landmarks. These
later plans promote the adaptive reuse in order to simultaneously conserve
downtown’s historic resources and contribute to other development priorities
such as insufficient housing. This evolution can be attributed to early
rehabilitation projects that demonstrated the economic potential of adaptive

68
Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles, Redevelopment Plan for
Central Business District Redevelopment Project, July 18, 1975; Community Redevelopment
Agency of the City of Los Angeles, Downtown Strategic Plan, Los Angeles, 1993.
29
reuse and diminished the demolition-rebuilding pattern that characterized
prevailing redevelopment projects.
69

The public and private sector’s pioneering rehabilitation work in the 1980s
was a precursor to the adaptive reuse movement’s success in the late 1990s and
2000s. The CRA/LA was a major force in downtown’s revival through facilitating
and funding redevelopment projects. Downtown’s first office-to-residential
adaptive reuse project in 1984 was a collaboration between the CRA/LA and a
private developer. Two vacant adjacent buildings were converted to market-rate
condominiums. The 1931 E.F. Hutton Building and 1923 California-Canadian
Bank were designated historically significant in 1979 as contributors to the Spring
Street Financial District.
70
In addition to providing much-needed housing, the
project was part of a broad strategy to revitalize the dilapidated Historic Core.
Unfortunately the project encountered fiscal challenges and only thirty-three of
the 121 units were sold.
71
The residential development was defined by its
financial failure but was a successful first adaptive reuse project for the
preservation and conversion of two historic landmarks.
72
The project’s fiscal
challenges may have impaired the Spring Street revitalization efforts but the
CRA/LA engaged in other noteworthy and impactful initiatives. From 1975 to
2000 the agency’s rehabilitation of existing structures and historic landmarks
provided over three million square feet of office, retail, industrial and institutional
space and over 2,300 residential units.
73
During it’s 64-year tenure, the CRA/LA
impacted a broad spectrum of redevelopment initiatives than rehabilitation such
as planning policy, improved streetscapes and pedestrian networks, park

69
Ray Hebert, “Central City Regeneration Brings New Land Use Pattern,” Los Angeles Times,
March 4, 1968.
70
“National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form: Spring Street Financial
District,” prepared by Tom Sitton, August 10, 1979.
71
Andrew Goodrich, “Heritage Conservation in Post-Redevelopment Los Angeles: Evaluating the
Impact of the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles (CRA/LA) on the
Historic Built Environment” (University of Southern California, 2013) 44-45; Elaine Woo, “Condo
Pioneers Bitter as Spring Street Rebirth Fails,” Los Angeles Times, April 1, 1991.
72
Goodrich, 50.
73
Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles, Central Business District
Redevelopment Project: Five-Year Implementation Plan, September 7, 2000, 1.
30
construction, affordable housing and major new commercial developments such
as the Los Angeles Convention Center.
74

Alongside the CRA/LA’s efforts, the investments of two pioneering real
estate developers demonstrated the economic potential of adapting underutilized
historic and cultural landmarks to present-day uses. The trailblazing project was
developer Wayne Ratkovich’s 1977 restoration of the 1928 Oviatt Building, a
remarkable Italian Romanesque and Art Deco retail and office building. The
project’s profitability and high occupancy rate deemed it a success in the real
estate development industry. It was purchased for $400,000, the improvements
cost $5,000,000 and it was sold for $13,500,000 in 1984.
75
In 1983 Ratkovitch
invested $17 million in the restoration of the 1926 Fine Arts Building. (Figure 2.3)
Built as commercial space for artist studios, the Romanesque office tower was
adapted to 106,000 square feet of modern office space.
76
Financial issues
rendered the Fine Arts Building rehabilitation less profitable than its predecessor,
but it was still an achievement for its restoration of a historic landmark and
contribution.
Developer Ira Yellin also made a significant contribution to downtown’s
revival through numerous collaborations with the CRA/LA. Yellin is most known
for his manifold attempt to reinvigorate the Broadway corridor. In 1991 he led the
immaculate restoration of the beloved 1893 Bradbury Building with its intricate
marble and wrought-iron interior. The project added 78,000 square feet of
modern office space to the Historic Core.
77
A few years later he devised the $64
million Grand Central Square Project on South Broadway between 4th and 5
th

streets. The project restored the 1918 Million Dollar Theatre, 1897 Homer
Laughlin Building and its 1905 annex, the Lyon Building. At its 1995 completion,
the office space at the upper floors of the Million Dollar Theatre and Homer
Laughlin buildings was transformed into 121 residential units; the upper floors of

74
Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles, Central Business District
Redevelopment Project Fact Sheet, n.d.
75
Ray Hebert, “Oviatt Building Revival Pays Off: Japanese Company Buys Old Structure for
$13.5 Million,” Los Angeles Times, January 29, 1984.
76
Melinda Fulmer, “Barker Pacific, Paxton Properties Partnership Buys Fine Arts Building,” Los
Angeles Times, June 30, 1998.
77
Woo, “Bradbury Is Called Key to Urban Core.”
31

Figure 2.3: The monumental Romanesque façade of the 1928 Fine Arts Building, a Los Angeles
Historic Cultural Monument. Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Public Library/Security Pacific
National Bank Collection; title Fine Arts Building
(https://tessa.lapl.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/photos/id/89233/rec/6).

the retail Lyon Building were adapted to office space; and Grand Central Market,
the ground-floor public market between the Homer Laughlin and Lyon buildings,
was revived.
78
Restoration architect Brenda Levin was responsible for all of these
previously mentioned rehabilitations. Her remarkable success in conserving and
adapting historic landmarks set a high standard for future endeavors. She has
received numerous awards in recognition of her contributions to the Heritage
Conservation field and the Los Angeles built environment such as the American

78
Goodrich, 60.
32
Institute of Architects 2010 Gold Medal Award and Project Restore’s 2017 Los
Angeles Architectural Angel Award.
79

These pioneering projects were successful in conserving historic and
cultural landmarks and they laid a foundation for the full-fledged revival of
downtown that was yet to come. The rehabilitations invalidated the prevailing
assumption that newly constructed buildings produced more profitable and
successful development projects than existing structures. The evidence that
adaptive reuse of underutilized landmarks could be a viable solution for urban
revitalization helped to eventually restore investor confidence in the downtown
real estate market. Despite the redevelopment accomplishments of the 1970s
and 1980s, downtown remained mostly vacant in the 1990s. Corporate
downsizing and a slow economic recovery from the 1990 recession deterred new
investment. The 1995 vacancy rate for downtown office space was about 25%
and property values had plunged by almost two thirds. Los Angeles was the only
downtown real estate market in the United States where landlords lost money on
rent.
80
In a 1996 interview, Yellin attributed the stalled redevelopment progress to
the strict building and safety codes that were not adaptable to older buildings.
That complexity deterred enough development to simultaneously make an impact
on downtown’s urban environment.
81
Yellin accurately predicted that flexible
development policies and their facilitation of a cohesive surge of mixed-use
development could have a stronger impact on downtown’s revitalization than the
earlier freestanding individual projects.
The City of Los Angeles finally gained sufficient momentum in revitalizing
downtown through legislation enacted in 1999. The Adaptive Reuse Ordinance
(ARO) encouraged developers to renovate older and historic buildings for
residential use by minimizing zoning requirements, streamlining the permit
process and promoting pre-existing financial incentives dating to the 1970s. Due

79
“About Levin & Associates,” Levin & Associates Architects,
http://www.levinarch.com/about/profile.html.
80
Jesus Sanchez, “High and Dry: Downtown Struggles to Recover From 1980s Building Boom
That Went Bust,” Los Angeles Times, October 15, 1995.
81
Steve Proffitt, “Ira Yellin: On Reclaiming Downtown as L.A.’s (Multi-)Cultural Center,” Los
Angeles Times, July 28, 1996.
33
to its success, the ordinance is generally recognized as the most influential policy
for downtown’s revitalization.
82
The ARO’s flexibility for adapting zoning and code
requirements to older buildings was most effective for stimulating investor
confidence and incentivizing adaptive reuse development.
83
It immediately
generated a surge in adaptive reuse projects. By 2013 at least 14,000 new and
redeveloped residential units had been constructed and over 60 historic buildings
were saved through rehabilitation.
84
The first adaptive reuse project to take
advantage of the ARO was the Old Bank District led by developer Tom Gilmore.
Today the project is credited with restoring vitality to Downtown Los Angeles
through mixed-use development. The conversion of three 1900s historic office
buildings into apartments constructed roughly 230 residential units with 102,840
square feet of ground-floor retail space.
85
By adhering to the Secretary of
Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, the project qualified for a 20% tax credit
administered by the Federal Historic Tax Incentives Program. The savings of
about $6.6 million had a significant impact on the development’s financial
feasibility.
86
The project was successful because the dual approach of residential
and commercial development increased the local population and street life;
residences were added in bulk providing an instant community so tenants felt
less isolated; and the project targeted the right market of a younger clientele
looking for a culturally exciting urban experience.
The ARO should be considered one legislative piece of a larger program.
It facilitates actual rehabilitation projects but is one policy within a broad,
collaborative effort to reinvigorate Downtown Los Angeles and protect its historic
built environment. In addition to the CRA/LA and private sector’s efforts, there
were other organizations at work. The Los Angeles Conservancy was founded in

82
Architectural Resources Group, SurveyLA: Los Angeles Historic Resources Survey, Historic
Resources Survey Report: Central City Community Plan Area, 30.
83
“Hamid Behdad on How Best to Update LA City’s Adaptive Reuse Ordinance,” The Planning
Report, February 26, 2012, https://www.planningreport.com/2012/02/26/hamid-behdad-how-best-
update-la-city-s-adaptive-reuse-ordinance.
84
National Trust Preservation Green Lab and Urban Land Institute, Learning from Los Angeles,
(Washington DC: The National Trust for Historic Preservation, 2013) 6.
85
“Old Bank District,” ULI Development Case Studies, December 2015,
https://casestudies.uli.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/C033003.pdf.
86
Ibid.
34
1978 when a group of activists rallied together and prevented the demolition of
the beloved 1926 Central Library in downtown.
87
The organization’s 1999
Broadway Initiative was instrumental for downtown’s revival. The CRA/LA’s 1986
Business Improvement Association, Miracle on Broadway, was never fully
realized but it laid the groundwork for future improvements. It was designed to
stimulate investment and development along Broadway and eliminate blight by
improving the streetscape.
88
The later LA Conservancy’s effort revitalized the
Latino retail corridor that also included a high concentration of historic buildings
and theaters. Through partnerships with the public and private sectors, the
Broadway Initiative’s investment in the area and rehabilitation of historic
resources provided new cultural programming, increased residential units and
added a diversity of commercial amenities such as restaurants and retail. It’s
success stimulated future investment in the surrounding Historic Core.
89

Adaptive reuse projects may directly preserve valuable architecture but
the impact of such development is much larger. Streetscapes are improved with
fewer vacant and decaying buildings. Pedestrian-friendly environments are
established by the influx of new residents and visitors. Connections with the past
are strengthened through buildings that represent many different histories.
Repurposing historic buildings creates new living and working places that
encourage more investment and development. The ripple effect leads to the
economic growth and rejuvenation of entire communities.

Financial Incentives

Adaptive reuse projects are complex and heavily regulated. Policies at the
federal, state and local level govern their construction and provide financial
incentives that encourage the repurposing of historic buildings. California

87
Joe Mozingo, “At 20, Los Angeles Conservancy Looks Backward and Forward,” Los Angeles
Times, October 11, 1998.
88
Vicki Torres, “Redevelopment Costs Split LA Merchants,” Los Angeles Times, July 24, 1995;
Goodrich, 116.
89
Cindy Olnick, “Broadway Initiative Marks a Decade of Fostering Historic Downtown’s
Renaissance,” Los Angeles Conservancy News 31, no. 5 (October 2009): 4.
35
adaptive reuse projects can apply for several financial incentives to offset the
total cost of rehabilitating a historic building. The programs provide savings by
providing federal income tax credits or reducing property taxes. To maximize
savings, the programs are often packaged together.

Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program
The Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program was enacted in
1977 under the 1976 National Reform Tax Act. The federal program is
administered by the National Park Service (NPS) in partnership with the Internal
Revenue Service (IRS) and is managed at the state-level by the State Historic
Preservation Office (SHPO). It rewards private investment in income-producing
properties by providing a 20% tax credit for the rehabilitation of a historic
structure and a 10% tax credit for the rehabilitation of a non-historic structure
built before 1936.
90
In order to receive the 20% credit, the project must be
approved as a certified rehabilitation of a certified historic resource. A certified
historic resource must have confirmed historic significance: it can be listed on the
National Register of Historic Places; listed as a contributing property in a National
Register historic district; or be deemed eligible for individual listing on the
National Register by the SHPO. A certified rehabilitation means the finished
project has been approved by the National Park Service. The construction work
will have adhered to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation
and the final product has to be consistent with the original historic character of
the property. The rehabilitation must be considered substantial in that the costs
of the renovation work exceed the purchase price of the building. The tax credit is
applied in the property’s first year of service by reducing the owed income tax by
20% of the qualified rehabilitation expenditures. The construction-related costs
include the rehabilitation work and fee expenses like architectural, development,
engineering, legal and surveying. The costs do not include acquisition, new

90
The program was originally enacted with a 25% tax credit. The 1986 Tax Reform Act curtailed
the credit to 20%. Technical Preservation Services, Federal Tax Incentives for Rehabilitating
Historic Buildings, 35th Anniversary, (National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior: April
16, 2013), 5; Technical Preservation Services, Historic Preservation Tax Incentives, (National
Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior: 2012) 3.
36
additions, furnishings or supplemental facilities such as parking or landscaping.
The building must remain under original ownership for at least five years after the
rehabilitation or the IRS will recapture the tax credit. The NPS and SHPO have
the right to visit the property within the 5-year period after completion and revoke
the certification if the construction work was not completed as described or if
unapproved alterations have been made.
91

A historic preservation consultant should manage and submit the Historic
Preservation Certification application on behalf of property ownership. The
application requires 3 different submissions that must be approved by the NPS.
Part 1 is the Evaluation of Significance. This section confirms that the property is
a certified historic resource. This should be submitted in the planning stages of a
project, before any work begins. Part 2, the Description of Rehabilitation Work, is
the most substantial and complicated piece of the application. It includes
descriptions of the existing building conditions and the proposed rehabilitation
work. The writing should be supported by extensive documentation and
photographic evidence. The SHPO will use this section to review the
rehabilitation project and its compliance with the Standards and provide a
recommendation to the NPS on whether the project should be granted official
certified rehabilitation status. The NPS will then provide approval or a conditional
approval with certain modifications required in order to receive certification. This
section requires collaboration between the architect and historic consultant to
describe in detail the original historic fabric of the property and its condition,
proposed construction work, any interference with historic fabric and measures
taken to mitigate that risk or make replacements. Any unavoidable damage to
historic fabric will be discussed and alternatives described as proof that a less
damaging option was undertaken. This section is usually completed in tandem
with construction work due to the unpredictable nature of adaptive reuse projects
and the many iterations of design that may results from this. Part 3, the Request
for Certification of Completed Work, is submitted to the SHPO once the entire

91
Technical Preservation Services, Historic Preservation Tax Incentives; Technical Preservation
Services, Federal Tax Incentives for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings, 35th Anniversary.
37
rehabilitation project is complete. The SHPO will again review the project’s
adherence to the Standards and provide a recommendation to the NPS. The
NPS will grant the official approval and communicate with the IRS so the tax
credit is granted during the property’s first year of service.
92

California Mills Act Program
In 1972 California state senator James Mills authored the California Mills
Act to save the historic Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego. The hotel was at risk of
acquisition and demolition because of the site’s high land value.
93
The legislation
granted local governments the authority to enter into contracts with owners of
qualified historic properties for the preservation of their property in exchange for
property tax savings. The availability of the Mills Act is determined by local
governments at the city and county levels and administered by them. To be
eligible properties must be listed on the national, state or local register. The
contract is a minimum 10-year term that is automatically renewed each year and
if the property is sold, it transfers to the new owners. Owners must retain the
historic architectural character of the property in accordance with the Secretary of
the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and California Historical Building Code.
City representatives perform periodic inspections to ensure property ownership is
correctly maintaining the property. If owners breach the contract, they are
financially penalized 12.5% of the property’s current market value. If either party
cancels the contract’s annual renewal the contract will continue for the remaining
balance of the ten-year period with reduced property tax savings each year.
Annual property tax savings are estimated between 40% and 60%. The property
adopts the lowest assessed value of three different valuation formulas and a
new, lower property tax is applied. The credit amount is inconsistent as property
values are assessed annually. Tax savings are intended to cover the property's

92
Ibid.
93
Office of Historic Resources, Mills Act Historical Property Contract Program. (Los Angeles: Los
Angeles City Planning Department, n.d.);
“Union Station In New London On Danger List,” The Hartford Courant, April 1, 1973.
38
maintenance costs.
94
Individual city and county jurisdictions may have varying
policies. For example, the City of Los Angeles caps the original property values
at $1.5 million for single-family residences and $3 million for multi-family
residential, commercial, or industrial properties. Applicant properties exceeding
such values must additionally provide a Historic Structure Report to receive an
exemption. Los Angeles has this policy in place in order to minimize the tax
revenue loss and maintain it at $2 million annually.
95
As of 2020, eighty-seven
cities and nine counties participate in this state program.
96
Historic, privately
owned residential and income-producing commercial properties are eligible,
subject to local regulations.

Conservation Easements
An easement is a partial legal interest transferred by a property owner to a
qualified preservation nonprofit organization, like the Los Angeles Conservancy,
or government agency, such as SHPO. The property owner donates specific
rights to the organization to protect the property’s historic significance.
Easements are perpetual to provide strong protections against demolition and
alteration. They are recorded in the property’s title to bind both current and future
owners to the agreement and provide legal means of enforcement. Most
easements refer to exterior facades but their flexible nature can be crafted to
protect specific characteristics of a property such as interiors or landscaping.
97

Most easement-holding organizations request a one-time financial donation, or
“stewardship fee”, to ensure the organization will have sufficient resources to
monitor and maintain the property and legally enforce the easement if necessary.
Property owners can receive a charitable contribution deduction from federal

94
Office of Historic Resources, Mills Act Historical Property Contract Program.
95
Lambert Giessinger and Laura O’Neill, “Mills Act Workshop,” January 8, 2020.
96
“Mills Act Contacts,” The California Office of Historic Preservation,
https://ohp.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=30346.
97
“Conservation Easements: Permanent Protection For Historic Places,” Los Angeles
Conservancy, https://www.laconservancy.org/resources/guide/conservation-easements-
permanent-protection-historic-places.
39
income taxes based on the easement’s value and the stewardship fee.
98

Rehabilitation

Due to the complex nature of renovating an existing and historic building
while retaining historic character, the construction work should meet widely
accepted criteria for the treatment of historic properties. State and national
policies and guidelines include The Secretary of Interior's Standards for
Rehabilitation and the California Historic Building Code. The recommended
approaches are intended to preserve as much historic integrity as possible and
provide guidance in that regard.

The Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation
The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic
Properties were established in 1977 as the Secretary of the Interior had been
dictated to provide professional standards for the preservation of historic
resources under the 1966 National Historic Preservation Act.
99
Four sets of
guidelines were created to address four different treatments: Restoration,
Preservation, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation. As the most flexible of the four
treatments, the rehabilitation guidelines recognize a historic building sometimes
must be altered to function in its original or new use. The Standards prioritize the
preservation of historic fabric from the determined Period of Significance, the
year or time period to which the building attributes its historic significance. While
it is arguably acceptable to remove fabric from outside the Period of Significance,
such components should first be evaluated for historic significance and
documented. If deteriorated, historic features should be repaired rather than
replaced. If replacement is required, the new feature needs to match the original

98
“Preservation Easements,” National Trust for Historic Preservation,
https://forum.savingplaces.org/learn/fundamentals/preservation-law/easements.
99
Technical Preservation Services, The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of
Historic Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring & Reconstructing
Historic Buildings, Edited by Anne E. Grimmer, National Park Service US Department of the
Interior, 2017, vii.

40
as closely as possible. Any replacements or imitations of the original fabric must
be supported by documentation. No ornamentation that implies inaccuracies
about the building’s history should be added. Any new additions to the building or
alterations should not interfere with the historic fabric and should be
‘differentiated yet compatible’ to the original building. It should be obvious that
additions do not hold any historic significance and they should visually
complement the legitimate historic fabric or nature of the building. These new
changes must also be reversible without causing interference to the original
building.
100

The conversion of any historic building to a modern use should adhere to
the Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation. Construction work must
comply with these standards in order for the project to benefit from any of the
financial incentive programs. Ten basic principles regulate how alterations may
be made to an historic building and are outlined in Appendix A.

California Historic Building Code
The State of California published the California Historical Building Code in
1979 because older structures are typically not compliant with current regular
building safety codes. The California Landmarks Advisory Committee first
discussed the potential legislation in 1973 as they addressed the need for a
building code that protected public health and safety while flexibly
accommodating historic buildings without sacrificing their historic character.
Professionals from various building, design and code enforcement backgrounds
collaborated for many years on compiling these regulations. The code is
specifically designed for rehabilitation projects where the condition of historic
structures conflicts with modern health and safety code requirements. These
regulations offer alternatives to modern code requirements but maintain
fundamental safety standards. The State Historical Building Safety Board is

100
National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, “The Secretary of the Interior’s
Standards for Rehabilitation,” Technical Preservation Services,
https://www.nps.gov/tps/standards/rehabilitation.htm.
41
responsible for reviewing any conflicts that might arise during the rehabilitation
process.
101

Preserving Historic Fabric in Hotel Development
Preserving a building’s original historic fabric is a development team’s
priority for two primary reasons. First, historic fabric creates the innate character
of a building. Character is realized through architecture by both intricate, detailed
ornamentation and all-encompassing historic settings. Aesthetically, historic
character creates a unique visual experience. Because historic fabric is the
manifestation of a building’s history, at a deeper level character forges that
connection to the past. Historic fabric can create a special environment through
visuals and feeling. This is key for developers who are trying to create a unique
property. Second, the financial incentive programs require the preservation of
historic fabric. Their financial savings have the potential to cover a significant
portion of a rehabilitation project’s expenses, especially when combined. The
impact on a project’s affordability will inform the developer’s evaluation of a
property and determine if they proceed with the rehabilitation. The tax credits or
savings are especially beneficial if the building had a high acquisition price due to
a prime location or exceptional craftsmanship.
The historic fabric crucial for a rehabilitation project is generally located in
the same areas across historic building types: public and private spaces of
circulation and assembly. In regards to hotel development, the public spaces
translate to the exterior facade, the lobby and/or elevator banks, and common
areas. Private spaces that commonly boast historic fabric are typically upper
floors only accessible to building patrons.
102
These spaces include corridors and
depending on the building type, individual rooms such as pre-existing offices,
guest rooms or other types of private quarters.

101
California Building Standards Commission, 2016 California Historical Building Code: California
Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 2 (Washington DC: International Code Council, 2016).
102
Teresa Grimes (Principal Architectural Historian, GPA Consulting), in discussion with the
author by telephone, April 10, 2020; Robert Chattel (President, Chattel, Inc), in discussion with
the author by telephone, March 23, 2020.
42
The procedure for working with historic fabric is determined by the
Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation with flexibility provided by
the California Historical Building Code. The biggest challenge with preserving
historic fabric is how it balances out with the overall project budget. While it is
important to preserve as much as possible for the innate character of the building
and receive tax savings for a project’s financial feasibility, preservation
construction costs and necessary skilled labor can be expensive and significantly
surpass a project’s budget. Additionally, conflict may arise when juxtaposed with
the need to meet a minimum guest room requirement and areas of historic fabric
may be sacrificed to create square footage. That is a common concern in hotel
development because projects require a certain amount of guest rooms for
revenue.
103
As with all rehabilitation projects, it is difficult to begin the project with
a complete understanding of how the structure was built so there are often
structural or stability surprises. All conversion projects require heavy engineering
installations to update the building with modern amenities, such as electric
systems, plumbing and HVAC. Installation areas and methods that do not
interfere with the original building structure and historic material should be
selected where possible. Guest accommodations create specific challenges in
adaptive reuse hotel development. The specificities and sheer number of
installing guest rooms presents many opportunities for interference with a
building’s historic material. These required spaces have to be built without
unnecessary demolition of the original structure or removal of historic fabric. A
hotel chain may have minimum guest room requirements or pre configured sizes
and layouts difficult to fit or arrange in the existing building’s structure. This
obstacle is less common with a boutique or independent hotel project that does
not need to comply with certain brand standards or creates its appeal in atypical
or varying accommodations. Perhaps unexpectedly, renovating an older hotel
building with pre-existing guest rooms could be particularly challenging. Present
day hotel accommodations are typically larger than those of the past so older
guest rooms will most likely need to be resized. Installing individual bathrooms is

103
Grimes, discussion.
43
also a significant overhaul. In addition to allocating the necessary space, the
required plumbing and electric engineering needs to be installed and distributed
to each individual room.
104

104
Grimes, discussion; Jennifer Minasian (Architectural Historian, Historic Resources Group), in
discussion with the author by telephone, April 10, 2020.

44
Chapter Three: Case Study – Converting the Superior
Oil Company Building to the Standard Downtown LA
Hotel

This case study will examine the Superior Oil Company Building’s
conversion to the Standard Downtown LA as an ideal adaptive reuse hotel
project. It will include the building’s history and rational for its historic
significance; the developer’s intention for the project; the boutique hotel’s design
inspiration and implementation; and how the rehabilitation work respected the
existing historic fabric. The project illustrates the development advantages of
adaptive reuse hotels: character, location and financial feasibility. As a
successful repurposing of a historic office building to a hotel, the project has
important takeaways that could be applied to other adaptive reuse hotel
endeavors.

Downtown’s Cultural Environment in the Late 1990s

The conversion of the Superior Oil Company Building to the Standard
Downtown LA hotel was a pioneering endeavor. This hotel was one of the
earliest adaptive reuse projects in Downtown Los Angeles since the Adaptive
Reuse Ordinance (ARO) was enacted in 1999. As downtown’s “first major new
hotel in nearly a decade”, the project was a linchpin of downtown’s revival.
105
It
spearheaded a new type of hotel development in downtown and invigorated
cultural entertainment that would draw locals and tourists to the previously
deserted neighborhood.
At the project’s conception in 1999, there were few operating hotels in
Downtown Los Angeles. Accommodations included staid budget hotels, the
independent Stillwell Hotel or chain Holiday Inn; and generic high-rise chains that
catered to business conferences such as the Sheraton Grande and Westin
Bonaventure Hotel. Two posh and historic options existed for travelers looking for

105
Jesus Sanchez, “’50s-Era L.A. High-Rise to Become Hotel,” Los Angeles Times, January 25,
2000.
45
a more special environment. They could stay at the grand dame 1923 Biltmore
Hotel or the Wyndham Checkers (now Hilton Checkers Los Angeles), a hotel
chain’s remodel of the 1927 Mayflower Hotel. The relatively young boutique hotel
type that first emerged in the 1980s had not yet arrived in Downtown Los
Angeles. By 1999 the hotel type had gained substantial recognition in the
hospitality industry and was becoming more defined. These fashionable small
hotels were popping up in the form of independent properties and small chains in
urban centers like New York, San Francisco and even other districts in Los
Angeles. The lack of a variety of hotel types and hip accommodations in
downtown implies a simultaneous lack of cultural attractions. Without competitive
market demand, it was unnecessary for hotels to cater to leisure tourists. Market
gaps in hotels and attractions portray a dull urban environment in the late 1990s.
There were a small number of advertised events and venues. The Music Center,
a 1964 three-theater performing arts complex, offered major theater and music
performances.
106
The few operating historic movie palaces on Broadway hosted
occasional film screenings that only filled about 6% of available seats.
107

Attendees immediately headed home after such events because there was no
cohesive cultural fabric enticing visitors to spontaneously experience downtown.
Advertised nightlife venues were also limited. The short list includes 1986
exclusive Vertigo nightclub; 1990 Mayan nightclub housed in the historic 1927
Mayan Theater; Olivers Restaurant & Club, a dancing supper club; rock music
club Al’s Bar; dive bars like local watering hole Hank’s Bar; or the gritty punk
club, The Smell.
108
Additional nightlife haunts of a more inconspicuous and
multicultural nature were fragmented in different ethnic enclaves throughout the

106
Gia Gittleson, ed.,“The Guide,” Los Angeles Magazine, January 1996,114-115.
107
Chris Willman, “Kings of the Big Screen,” Los Angeles Times, June 16, 1996; Larry Gordon,
“Curtains or Happy Endings? Old Theaters Are Endangered, but Admirers Hope for a Rescue,”
Los Angeles Times, June 18, 1994.
108
Gittleson, “The Guide,” 116; Heidi Siegmund Cuda, “Survival of the Hippest; Rock Pedigree,
Skid Row Feel the Allure of Al’s Bar,” Los Angeles Times, August 7, 1997; Michael Krikorian, “A
Slice of Runyon: Owner Is Most Colorful of Characters Who Populate Hank’s Bar,” Los Angeles
Times, February 15, 1997; Randall Roberts, “A Whiff of Change; The Smell Boosted an
Underground Sound. But with the Club’s Future Uncertain, L.A.’s Music Scene Could Be Altered,”
Los Angeles Times, June 4, 2016.
46
neighborhood.
109
Advertised restaurants were very upscale establishments that
catered to the office crowd and lent themselves well to business lunches.
110

Excitement surrounded the Standard Downtown LA hotel development for its
novelty as a high-quality hip hotel with exciting cultural programming and its
potential to fulfill downtown’s urban experience void. The project captured the
momentum of downtown’s revitalization catalyzed by the 1999 ARO and
contributed to the broad effort as an investment in existing, vacant building stock
that celebrated the city’s rich architectural heritage.

Developer Selection

Real estate developers select adaptive reuse projects rather than new
construction for their character, location and financial feasibility. Historic
landmarks with intact architecture are endowed with character and are likely
strategically located in a well-developed urban area. The potential return on
investment from adapting an historic building may be greater than ground-up
construction if the building is available at a low purchase price and will generate
revenue sooner because renovation typically takes less time than new
construction. As an adaptive reuse project, The Superior Oil Company Building
fulfilled these criteria.
In 1999, Columbia Development Group was looking to invest in a hotel
property in Downtown Los Angeles and developer Marc Neumann was already
familiar with The Superior Oil Company building. He was first drawn to it for the
character of its well-preserved exterior despite its vacant status. Neumann
recognized that the pre-existing building foundation and structure with gutted
interiors presented an ideal hotel opportunity as it offered flexibility in
reconfiguring upper floors for hotel guest rooms.
111
The location of the building
was also advantageous. Its address at 550 South Flower Street sits on the

109
John Pastier, “Cities’ Lights Make a Promise That as Yet Is Largely Unfulfilled,” Los Angeles
Times, September 12, 1971.
110
Gittleson, “The Guide,” 126-128.
111
Mark Neumann (Downtown LA Standard, LLC), in discussion with the author by telephone,
June 2, 2020.
47
northwestern edge of Downtown Los Angeles between West 5th and West 6th
streets and it is minutes from the freeway and Union Station. Existing and
proposed attractions such as the 1979 Museum of Contemporary Art, the 1999
Staples Center, and the 2003 Walt Disney Concert Hall are within two miles.
Although downtown was not yet a pedestrian-friendly environment, the hotel was
well situated to benefit from increasing attractions and walkability in the vicinity
as the city center revitalized. Due to the blighted urban conditions, many historic
and ornate office buildings sat vacant and could be purchased at an affordable
price. The Superior Oil Company Building was purchased for about $5 million
and the rehabilitation construction work cost an estimated $35 million.
112
Including
the purchase price, rehabilitation and other general development costs, the total
development cost likely exceeded $45 million. Thanks to the successful
preservation of the building’s historic fabric, the project was approved for the
Federal Historic Tax Credit Program. It received 20% of the qualified
rehabilitation expenses, about $6,600,000, in the form of a federal income tax
credit in the hotel’s first year of operations. With an acquisition price less than
20% of the overall project, these financial savings were substantial enough to
cover the initial purchase investment. Developer Mark Neumann cites this as a
good rule of thumb for quickly examining the profitability of historic tax credit
projects: the building purchase price must be less than 20% of the entire
development project costs.
113
The project received additional savings by entering
into a Mills Act contract that reduced property taxes and donating a conservation
easement for a charitable contribution deduction on federal income taxes.
114

Aligned with most adaptive reuse developers, Neumann would not have pursued
the Superior Oil Company Building project without the most substantial financial
incentive, the federal historic tax credit.
115
As shown in the case study, the
rehabilitation’s success of preserving the historic integrity of the building was

112
"Historic Preservation Certification Application, Part 3 - Request for Certification of Completed
Work: Superior Oil Building," prepared by Mark A. Neumann, August 2, 2002.
113
Neumann, discussion.
114
Peyton Hall (Principal Architect, Historic Resources Group), in discussion with the author,
October 9, 2020.
115
Karin Liljegren (Founder and Principal, Omgivning), in discussion with the author by
telephone, April 24, 2020; Neumann, discussion.
48
rewarded with substantial financial savings that were significant contributions to
the financial structure of the project. Because Downtown Los Angeles has
experienced significant economic growth since 1999, the increased property
values make these historic adaptive reuse projects less affordable today. The
20% tax credit currently has a much smaller impact on a project’s budget
because of the higher initial cost in acquiring a historic building.
The 1999 ARO was implemented to specifically encourage residential
development yet the City of Los Angeles Planning Department was excited about
the prospect of the new hotel.
116
It would contribute to the herculean revitalization
task by investing in an underutilized historic structure and supplying the
neighborhood with a stylish hotel and nightlife programming. The state of
downtown was already improving; its occupancy rate was the highest it had been
in over a decade having increased from below 50% in 1993 to nearly 70% in
2000.
117
Hotel development was still considered significantly riskier than office or
residential as the former dominated the city center and the latter was much
needed. Downtown’s development gained momentum through recently
completed projects like the 1999 Staples Center, contemporary projects like the
Old Bank District and upcoming projects like the 2003 Disney Hall. These
positive indicators of downtown’s coming revival incited confidence in the hotel
project. Columbia Development Group and their financial partners were willing to
invest in such a high-risk endeavor because of the likelihood of downtown’s
resurgence and a supportive working partnership with the City Planning
Department.
118

Given the high-risk nature of the project, it was crucial the hotel caused a
sensation. With the lack of surrounding attractions, the hotel’s success hinged on
becoming a destination in itself for locals and tourists. Columbia Development
Group immediately decided to work with hotelier Andre Balazs, who had proven
success in developing four profitable boutique hotels in New York and Los
Angeles, three of which rejuvenated older buildings. Balazs was most well known

116
Neumann, discussion.
117
Jesus Sanchez, “’50s-Era L.A. High-Rise to Become Hotel.”
118
Neumann, discussion.
49
for the 1990 modernization of the Chateau Marmont, a legendary Hollywood
hotel. Under Balazs’ ownership the Chateau Marmont continued its reputation as
an exclusive celebrity magnet and gained further notoriety for outrageous pool
parties and nightlife. Immediately prior to the Superior Oil Company Building
project, Balazs had created The Standard Hotel Group in April 1999 with its
inaugural property in West Hollywood. The project renovated the Golden Crest
Retirement home that was originally built as the Thunderbird Motel in 1962.
119
In
the true nature of boutique hotels, the Hollywood Standard brought affordable
and stylish surroundings to a cultured and sophisticated younger clientele. The
hotel was an immediate success with positive reviews praising the high-quality,
comfortable interiors and a fun atmosphere at an affordable price. The hotel
offered chic mid-century modern designs and infinite entertainment amenities
such as a screening room, barbershop and rotating performance artists. Given
the high-risk investment of converting a historic building in a derelict city center to
a hotel, Balazs’ established jetsetter clientele was a reliable customer segment to
support a profitable return. The second Standard hotel property would need to
appeal to the brand’s target market of sophisticated young business travelers
and partygoers through design and amenities.

History of the Superior Oil Company Building

The office building was commissioned by the Superior Oil Company and
constructed in 1955. Although the building was a valuable and iconic asset for
the company, Superior Oil had a limited presence and tenure there. It only
occupied about 30% of the office space and leased out the majority to various
tenants.
120
By the 1960s California’s natural oil resources had dwindled
significantly and the Superior Oil Company relocated headquarters to Houston,
Texas in order to centralize management operations and focus on production in

119
Jenny Adams, “The Standard, Hollywood, A Quirky Hotel on the Sunset Strip,” Visit West
Hollywood, February 1, 2020, https://www.visitwesthollywood.com/stories/feature-standard-
hollywood-hotel/.
120
“Superior Oil’s Move Initiated,” Los Angeles Times, January 24, 1963.
50
Texas, Louisiana and the Gulf Shore.
121
In 1962 the Bank of California purchased
the building from the Superior Oil Company, epitomizing the developing
prominence of the banking industry. From the 1960s-80s, the growth of
commercial banks in the United States mirrored the economic and population
growth of the country. Local independent banks expanded their market reach by
opening more regional offices and retail branches.
122
The building remained
regional headquarters for the Bank of California until the bank merged with Union
Bank in 1992. Office tenant leases were then released and the building sat empty
until 1999 when Columbia Development Group purchased the building from
Union Bank.
123

Historic Significance of the Superior Oil Company Building

Columbia Development Group commissioned historic preservation
consulting firm Historic Resources Group (HRG) for the project. Principal Christy
McAvoy, Principal Architect Peyton Hall and Architectural Historian Jennifer
Minasian conducted the historic significance research, prepared the historic
rehabilitation tax credit application and collaborated with the project architects to
determine appropriate treatments for the historic building and materials and
ensure compliance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for
Rehabilitation.
HRG’s research determined The Superior Oil Company Building was
eligible for the National Register of Historic Places and the building was officially
designated in 2003 at the hotel project’s completion. There is an age guideline of
fifty years for listing eligibility on the National Register unless there is exceptional
significance. The National Park Service made that finding of eligibility since the
building was just shy of fifty years during the application process.
124
The

121
"Superior Oil Will Move its HQ to Houston: Kecks Ask to be Relieved of Firm's Two Top
Positions Superior to Move HQ from L.A. to Houston," Los Angeles Times, November 14, 1962.
122
“Bank to Open New Southern Offices Here,” Los Angeles Times, August 16, 1963.
123
Jesus Sanchez, “’50s-Era L.A. High-Rise to Become Hotel.”
124
"Historic Preservation Certification Application, State Historic Preservation Office Review &
Recommendation Sheet, Part 1 - Evaluation of Significance: Superior Oil Company Building,"
prepared by Cynthia Howse, November 16, 2000.
51
building’s official historic significance is attributed to its architecture as
representation of the work of ‘Master Architect’ Claud Beelman and as an
exquisite example of the Corporate Moderne style that developed for tall office
buildings in the mid-twentieth century. On the National Register Nomination form
this category is Criterion C:
“Property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of
construction or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic
values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components
lack individual distinction.”
125

The building’s ‘Period of Significance’ is 1955 because the selected criteria of
significance are associated with the original construction date. This Period of
Significance designates material from the building’s original construction historic
and excludes any construction that occurred afterwards. Therefore any
alterations or additions under the Bank of California or The Standard Hotel Group
ownership are not considered historically significant and would not require
preservation.
The Superior Oil Company Building was a pivotal project for the
established architect Claud Beelman as it expanded his mastery to include the
Corporate Moderne style. Beelman was already an experienced architect when
he moved to Los Angeles in 1921. His career began when he was sixteen and he
worked his way up from draftsman to principal at various firms in the Midwest.
126

He did not have any formal architectural education so his talent was purely
developed from hands-on work experience. Once in Los Angeles, Beelman
immediately established a partnership with fellow architect Alexander Curlett.
The partnership dissolved in the 1930s amidst the Great Depression but
Beelman would continue to work independently or collaborate with others until he
founded Beelman & Associates in 1953.
127
The 1920s-40s was a fruitful period for
Beelman. Focusing mostly on commercial projects, he built an expertise in
precise historicism, Streamline Moderne and Art Deco architectural styles and

125
“National Register of Historic Places-Registration Form: Superior Oil Company Building,”
prepared by Christy McAvoy and Jennifer Minasian, August 1, 2002, 4.
126
Credle, George V, “Claud Beelman’s Corporate Modern Style 1951-1963”, University of
Southern California Digital Library (USC.DL), November 30, 2014, 6.
127
Ibid, 58.
52
established his reputation as a talented and qualified architect. Through his work
and social circles, he forged many connections with the Los Angeles business
community that would result in high-profile commissions. Some of Beelman’s
most notable early Los Angeles works were the 1925 Elks Lodge, 1931 Sun-
Realty Building and the 1929 Eastern Columbia Building, iconic for its blue-
glazed terracotta façade. By 1955, Beelman was already a recognized leader of
office building architecture. The construction of the Superior Oil Company
Building was still a crucial milestone because Beelman’s design was fundamental
for the development of the Corporate Moderne style and it added the new style to
Beelman’s wide range of accomplishments.
The Superior Oil Company Building’s historic significance under Criterion
C includes its exquisite representation of the avant-garde Corporate Moderne
style. (Figure 3.1) Corporate Moderne was utilized for tall office buildings built
from 1945-1960 when commercial construction resumed after World War II. Los
Angeles examples of Corporate Moderne are mostly concentrated in Downtown
and on Wilshire Boulevard, commercial areas with heavy postwar
development.
128
The style descended from Streamline Moderne, Art Deco and
Modernism, combining features from all three.
129
Streamline Moderne mediates
between modernism and more classical ornamentation by its recognizable
curvilinear shapes. Corporate Moderne replaced those curved lines with sharp
angularity. The Art Deco influence is visible in the heavy massing of structures
and the precise attention to detail. Corporate Moderne utilizes discreet
ornamentation to emphasize the verticality and mass of the building. These
approaches merge with modernism’s key principle of utilizing quality materials for
surface ornamentation by elevating their natural textures, sheens and
abnormalities. Other characteristics of the style include a sense of upward
momentum in emphasizing building height and verticality; the distinction between
the ground floor and upper floors to create a podium illusion that the building is

128
“National Register of Historic Places-Registration Form: Superior Oil Company Building,”
prepared by Christy McAvoy and Jennifer Minasian, August 1, 2002, 18.
129
Ibid, 17.
53
floating; a sleek and planar surface; a multitude of large windows defining vertical
and horizontal lines; contrasting materials; and minimal decoration.
130

Figure 3.1: The Superior Oil Company Building is a textbook example of the sleek Corporate
Moderne style. Photo courtesy of USC Libraries Special Collections/Los Angeles Examiner
Photographs Collection, 1920-1961; filename EXM-P-S-LOS-ANG-CIT-BUI-502
(http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15799coll44/id/90582/rec/2).

130
Ibid, 18.
54
The Corporate Moderne style was still developing at the time of the
Superior Oil Company Building’s construction. Beelman’s creation would define
the architecture’s key attributes and set a high standard of design and execution.
The 12-story building was constructed by Beelman’s preferred method also
common in tall office buildings: a steel-frame structure with poured concrete core
and exterior sheathing.
131
The building has a flat roof capped by one of
Beelman’s most influential architectural innovations: the mechanical tower. He
first devised the concept with the 1929 Eastern Columbia Building by
consolidating the mechanical and electrical apparatus that would otherwise be
confined to the basement in a central square tower arising from the larger
building’s form.
132
The Superior Oil Company Building’s tower rises above the
square-shaped building as a smaller, centered, square volume. The exterior
facade is a perfect representation of Corporate Modern’s character-defining
features. The facade’s overall tall, heavy and planar aesthetic generates an
authoritative stance over the street. Beelman adapted Louis Sullivan’s early 20th
century pier and spandrel structural system to a sleek and modern aesthetic.
133

The concrete piers are clad in grey-veined white marble and the concrete
spandrels in stainless steel panels. The marble and steel spandrel panels across
the top of the facade are longer in order to accentuate the building’s height and
visually terminate the facade. Another signature feature of Beelman’s work is
how he increases the marble panel count from one to three at the building
corners to create a frame and emphasize the building’s weight.
134
He repeated
this design with the 1960 California Bank Building and 1961 Occidental
Petroleum Building. The vein of the marble and a vertical ribbing design on the
stainless steel panels creates a refined and discrete surface ornamentation. The
panels alternate with dark green-tinted Solex windows. (Figure 3.2) Solex glass
was a new and high-tech sustainable architecture material produced in 1952.
The solar control glass product utilizes a green tint to minimize the impact of the

131
Credle, 63.
132
“National Register of Historic Places-Registration Form: Superior Oil Company Building,”
prepared by Christy McAvoy and Jennifer Minasian, August 1, 2002, 13.
133
Ibid, 14.
134
Ibid, 6.
55
sun’s heat and moderate interior temperatures.
135
The alternating materials
create a visual contrast between light and dark and between gentle and harsh.
(Figure 3.3) The repetitive nature of the window system also reflects the interior
function of the building: repeating, identical office floors. The building mass
appears to float over a ground floor clad in glossy black granite. Although already
clear from the size and complexity of the project, the use of expensive materials
throughout the building again confirms that Superior Oil Company was willing to
spare no expense on construction. Even the inaccessible mechanical tower
looming high above twelve stories was clad in white marble. The selection and
repetition of expensive materials created a high-quality building aesthetic. This
iconic Corporate Moderne facade set the precedent for the style in Los Angeles
office architecture and simultaneously was a milestone for architect Claud
Beelman. It evolved his established reputation as a versatile and skilled architect
to include leader of the Corporate Moderne style.
The project’s federal tax credit application originally applied for historic
significance under Criterion A in addition to Criterion C. Criterion ‘A’ reads:
“Property is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to
the broad patterns of our history.”
136

HRG argued that the building represented the mid-century dominance of the
lucrative oil industry in Los Angeles. The National Park Service found the
evidence insufficient so in resubmitting Part 1 of the application, HRG
concentrated on the significance of the building’s architectural features (Criterion
C) and rescinded the Criterion A argument concerning the oil industry and
development of the Los Angeles economy. Although not officially included on the
National Register listing, this other thread of history should be acknowledged to
better understand the inherent character of the building.

135
“Solexia Glass,” Vitro Architectural Glass,
https://www.vitroglazings.com/products/performance-tinted-glass/blue-green-tinted-glass/solexia-
glass/#aesthetics.
136
“National Register of Historic Places-Registration Form: Superior Oil Company Building,”
prepared by Christy McAvoy and Jennifer Minasian, August 1, 2002, 4.
56

Figure 3.2: The contrasting effect of the gray-veined white marble, Solex glass windows
and decorative ribbed stainless steel panels. Photo by Author.

Los Angeles began its development as a great western metropolis and
high-potential investment area in the 1910s-20s. It exuded a bustling energy of
infinite growth and opportunity. Although downtown’s living conditions and
streetscapes began to deteriorate in the postwar period, the commercial office
fabric remained strong as it became the control center of the sprawling Los
Angeles metropolitan area that would direct its further expansion.
137
(Figure 3.3)

137
"Changing Character found in Downtown Los Angeles: Biggest Retail Center' Growing on
Other Lines," Los Angeles Times, February 14, 1957.
57
The concentration of government and commercial buildings had greatly
increased as companies expanded beyond smaller local or retail branches and
established regional headquarter offices in Los Angeles. Commercial
development was characterized by firms commissioning cutting-edge office
headquarter buildings in order to associate themselves with a thriving business
district. It was in this zeitgeist that the Superior Oil Company Building was
erected in 1955 demonstrating office development and the growth of commercial
industries in Downtown Los Angeles throughout the twentieth century. The
building’s construction represents the emergence of the corporate high rise
building type and the lucrative petroleum industry.

Figure 3.3: A 1955 aerial photograph of corporate high-rise architecture in Downtown Los
Angeles. Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Public Library/Kelly-Holiday Mid-Century Aerial
Collection; filename 00089086
(https://tessa.lapl.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/photos/id/4466/rec/1).

58
The innovative vertical architecture of a high-rise building involved
complicated structural and mechanical engineering. This complex new building
type required skilled and experienced architects with sufficient resources to
successfully execute large-scale, complex projects.
138
In 1955, the Superior Oil
Company building was the first all-welded structural steel office building, a major
achievement in structural engineering.
139
Corporations like the Superior Oil
Company recognized how the powerful impression of a futuristic headquarters
office building in a thriving business district could emphasize a company’s
prestige. The impact of the petroleum industry on the development of Los
Angeles and the local economy cannot be understated. The Los Angeles Oil
Field was discovered in 1892 and exploded within ten years: 830,000 barrels of
oil were produced per day by 200 separate companies operating about 1,150
producing wells.
140
Additional oil field discoveries from 1920-21 spurred a second
oil boom resulting in massive growth for the industry in Los Angeles. The wealth
and technological advancements gained from oil production facilitated land
speculation, infrastructure development and new industries like Hollywood that
would shape the Los Angeles landscape. As one of the largest independent oil
producers in this vital industry the Superior Oil Company had sufficient credibility
to erect a majestic office building that would demonstrate its power and dominant
stature in the Los Angeles economy.
The location of the Superior Oil Company headquarters was crucial for
demonstrating the company’s stature. Related to the later westward shift of
offices from Spring Street Financial District to the Figueroa and Flower Street
corridors, 550 S Flower St was a prominent location surrounded by major Los
Angeles businesses. Its vicinity to rival oil and gas companies was likely more

138
City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning, Office of Historic Resources, SurveyLA: Los
Angeles Historic Resources Survey Los Angeles Citywide Historic Context Statement:
Commercial Development: The Rise of Corporations and Corporate Types/High-Rise Corporate
Office Buildings, 1945-1975, (Los Angeles: April 2018), 1.
139
Myrna Oliver, “George E. Brandow; Structural Engineer on Many L.A. Buildings,” Los Angeles
Times, June 7, 2000.
140
City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning, Office of Historic Resources, SurveyLA: Los
Angeles Historic Resources Survey Los Angeles Citywide Historic Context Statement: Industrial
Development, 1850-1980, (Los Angeles: September 2011, rev. February 2018), 82.
59
strategic than coincidental and it would benefit the Superior Oil Company to be
associated with nearby well-established and esteemed Los Angeles institutions.
The proximity of other downtown buildings revered for their high-class
architectural styles, master architects and corporate ownership indirectly granted
prestige to the Superior Oil Company. Nearby landmarks include the 1921 Beaux
Arts Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Company Office Building by Dodd & Richards
and Parkinson & Bergstrom; 1925 Renaissance Revival Southern California Gas
Company Building by Parkinson & Parkinson; Bertram Goodhue’s 1926 Los
Angeles Public Library, a remarkable modernization of historical styles; 1928 Art
Deco and Italian Romanesque Oviatt Building by Walker & Eisen; 1930 Art Deco
Title Guarantee and Trust Company Building by Parkinson & Parkinson; and the
1930 Italian Renaissance Revival California Club by Robert D. Farquhar.
Even more telling about the location choice for the Superior Oil Company
headquarters is its immediate proximity to an established petroleum competitor’s
headquarters. The selected plot was next door to the 1929 awe-inspiring
Richfield Oil Building and directly across 6th Street from the 1949 General
Petroleum offices. The now demolished Richfield Oil Building is remembered for
its magnificent Art Deco facade of black and midnight blue terra cotta with 14-
karat gold-dust accent tiles. The 12-story structure was capped with a 130-foot
steel armature and neon sign that resembled an oil derrick. The architect was
Stiles O. Clements, of the highly respected architectural firm Morgan, Walls, &
Clements. Wurdeman and Becket, the largest postwar corporate architecture
firm, built the 1949 General Petroleum office building across the street. The 13-
story office headquarters was the first downtown height-limit building, reaching
the 150-foot height limit instituted by a 1911 city ordinance, and the largest
Southern California office building at 504,000 square feet. At completion the
building was welcomed to the Los Angeles business community in a monumental
opening ceremony attended by city leaders and business elites.
141
Half a mile
away, a 1926 architectural landmark by master architect George Kelham housed
the regional headquarters for the largest national oil company, Standard Oil.

141
“Oil Firm dedicates 13-Story Building,” Los Angeles Times, April 2, 1949.
60
Union Oil would follow the trend of General Petroleum and Superior Oil Company
by relocating their headquarters in 1958 from a splendid 1911 Beaux Arts
building to a nearby new and modern Corporate International building designed
by master architects Pereira and Luckman.
142
The physical concentration of these
petroleum industry office buildings created another arena for rival firms to
compete by relying on innovative and striking architectural designs to upstage
one another.
The character of the Superior Oil Company Building, now the Standard
Downtown LA Hotel, is rooted in this rich, multi-faceted history. The physical
architectural features that create the building’s aesthetic character represent the
history of the building as a leading example of the Corporate Moderne
architectural style, an iconic work of master architect Claud Beelman and a
postwar office architecture symbol of the economic development of Los Angeles.

The Rehabilitation

The conversion work of the Superior Oil Company Building to the
Standard Downtown LA hotel began in September 1999 and the hotel officially
opened for business in May 2002.
143
The highly acclaimed architects Julie
Eizenberg and Hank Koning of Koning Eizenberg Architecture (KEA) were
commissioned to transform the office building into a hotel. The firm had
established a national reputation for innovative modern designs. The general
contractor was Taisei Construction Corporation. The rehabilitation of the 193,005
square foot structure cost approximately $35 million.
144
The most expensive item
of the project was the mandated seismic retrofit work.
145
This rehabilitation was
considered particularly successful for the hotel design’s minimal impact on the
original building and the preservation of existing character-defining features. The

142
“Historic Places of Los Angeles,” Los Angeles Conservancy,
https://www.laconservancy.org/explore-la/historic-places.
143
"Historic Preservation Certification Application, Part 3-Request for Certification of Completed
Work: Superior Oil Building," prepared by Mark A. Neumann, August 2, 2002.
144
Ibid.
145
Neumann, discussion.
61
following discussion will describe specific sections of the building by reviewing
what historic fabric existed before construction and how the hotel project
changed the space.

Design Theme
The interior design of this hotel was influenced by a combination of The
Standard Hotel Group branding and the building’s corporate history, with a
heavier emphasis on the former. Balazs collaborated with designer Shawn
Hausman of Los Angeles-based Shawn Hausman Design firm to develop the
hotel group’s iconic branding with the inaugural West Hollywood location.
146
As
the hotel group has grown, Hausman has designed five of the seven Standard
Hotels. The overall Standard brand is sophisticated and playful. It leans heavily
on artistic inspiration, especially mid-century modern designs, and has cheeky
sexual undertones. Rather than repeating an identical theme at each hotel, the
design of each property puts an individual twist on the whimsical Standard brand
by incorporating the building’s location, history or other unique characteristics.
147

The shared attributes across Standard hotels are modern, minimalist spaces that
hint at the flashy boldness of a nightclub. The general aesthetic is a modern style
with ornamentation provided by solid colors and geometric shapes. Decorations
and furnishings are sparse to create a clean, uncluttered and spacious feeling.
Accents are minimal and necessary objects, such as lighting and furniture, are
either simple to continue the minimalist aesthetic or sculptural to provide a focus.
The Standard Hotel Group branding was very compatible with the iconic modern
qualities of KEA’s projects. KEA is praised for their smart, straightforward

146
“Down the Rabbit Hole with Area Co-Founder and Standard Collaborator, Shawn Hausman,”
The Standard Interview, December 22, 2013, https://www.standardhotels.com/culture/down-the-
rabbit-hole-with-area-co-founder-and-standard-collaborator-shawn-hausman.
147
Natasha Levy, “The Standard Completes New Hotel in London,” Dezeen, May 10, 2019,
https://www.dezeen.com/2019/05/10/the-standard-london-uk-shawn-hausman-design/.
62
designs of simple geometries.
148
Visionary Julie Eizenberg is especially praised
for her signature use of bold colors and shapes for ornamentation.
149

A theme was devised to dictate the hotel’s culture and design by
combining the provocative Standard Hotel Group’s reputation with the building’s
Corporate Moderne architectural style and corporate history: “Bachelor
Businessman”.
150
The Standard Downtown LA atmosphere was less
concentrated on a party atmosphere than Balazs’ previous hotel projects. It’s
professional environment and sophistication was generated by the building’s
history and sleek architectural style. Balazs still wanted to implement the
whimsical playfulness of the Standard brand to contrast with the intensity of the
surrounding downtown area’s office environment.
The developer and architects were aware they were bringing a new kind of
nightlife to downtown and intended for the recreational amenities to generate
additional revenue streams for the hotel. The overall aesthetic had to capture
both the provocative and professional lifestyle that would attract young elites,
business travelers and the jetsetter crowd. KEA’s work would translate the
“Bachelor Businessman” concept to the hotel design as a fusion of the playful
and vibrant Standard brand with a corporate environment. The aesthetic was
inspired by leading 1960s-70s modern interior designers Pierre Paulin and Joe
Columbo for their simple but eccentric spaces and furnishings that celebrated
vibrant solid colors and bold geometric forms.
151
The hotel’s interior and exterior
spaces were designed to be modern, hip and sophisticated.

The Exterior Façade
The Corporate Moderne character-defining features that are the
foundation of the Superior Oil Company Building’s historical significance remain
intact today on the exterior facade. (Figure 3.4) Architectural features include the

148
Christopher Hawthorne, “Architecture Review; A Good Fit for Museum’s Chief, Its Two Styles
and Its Kids,” Los Angeles Times, April 8, 2005.
149
Carolyn Ramsay, “A Market-Fresh Look; Architectural Team Faced the Challenge of Updating
a Beloved L.A. Landmark,” Los Angeles Times, January 3, 2002.
150
Matt Tyrnauer, “Pacific Standard,” Vanity Fair, June 2002, 98.
151
Ibid, 98.
63
massing and verticality of the building, the panels of gray-veined white marble
and stainless steel, the discreet ribbing ornamentation on the steel panels and
the dark granite podium. The four facades are identical above the first story. At
the time of the project, the exterior was in good condition so only the marble and
steel panels required cleaning. The work complied with the Secretary’s
Standards by using gently pressurized water to remove dirt and avoided any
abrasive methods.
152

Figure 3.4: The east elevation and primary entrance of the Standard Downtown LA Hotel
in 2020. The Corporate Moderne façade remains intact. Photo by Author.

152
"Historic Preservation Certification Application, Part 2-Description of Rehabilitation: Superior
Oil Building," prepared by Christy McAvoy, March 13, 2002, 8-11.
64

Changing the building use from office to hotel presented an obstacle. In
order to comply with fire department safety regulations for hotels each guest
room required at least one operable window. However the original windows are
fixed panes of glass within metal frames. The issue was solved by replacing each
third bay of windows with operable awning windows that would match the specific
Solex green tint of the glass. HRG articulated which characteristics of the
windows held historic significance, such as the glass reflectivity and color, and
communicated those parameters to KEA to work with.
153
Although the Secretary
of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation require that the removal of historic
materials be avoided, this alteration was necessary in order to comply with safety
codes and its strategic implementation adheres to the guidelines. Enough
original, historic windows remain and from the street view, all windows appear
identical, thereby preserving the exterior facade.
154

The building exterior was most impacted during the hotel rehabilitation due
to the reconfiguration of entrances. The original entrance constructed under the
Superior Oil Company’s ownership is at the west elevation of the building on
Flower Street. The entrance leads to the original office building lobby that has the
highest concentration of historic material within the building. The entrance
exterior is also rich with historic fabric. The sidewalk is laid with terrazzo cut into
diamond shapes with brass framework. A stainless steel portico supported by a
structural column extends out to the sidewalk. Its ceiling is designed with
stainless steel diamond-shaped panels and translucent backlit panels.The
historic character of the entire space was preserved.
When the Bank of California purchased the building in 1964, a primary
entrance was added to the building’s south elevation on 6th street. Recessed
steps and a stainless-steel canopy accentuated the entrance. Aluminum-frame
windows were installed along the south facade’s black granite ‘podium’. During
the hotel rehabilitation the entrance and steps were removed and the steel

153
Minasian, discussion.
154
"Historic Preservation Certification Application, Part 2-Description of Rehabilitation: Superior
Oil Building," prepared by Christy McAvoy, March 13, 2002, 8-11.
65
canopy retained. The window series was completed across the entire south
facade by adding new identical windows where the entrance had been.
155
Also
under the Bank of California’s ownership, an outdoor patio was added to the east
elevation in 1967.
156
At the time of the 2002 hotel rehabilitation, the patio was in
poor condition so the hotel project improved upon the existing layout and
installed a new outdoor dining and bar area on the patio site.
Installing the hotel’s primary entrance in the building’s east elevation had
the largest impact on the building’s exterior facade although no historic fabric
was compromised. During the 1964 bank renovation, the Bank of California
reconfigured the ground floor to insert a double-height banking lobby in the
southeast corner of the building.
157
KEA recognized the value of the double-
height banking lobby and designated the space as the new hotel lobby. In order
to provide lobby access directly from the parking lot, the hotel’s primary entrance
was constructed at the east elevation. Additional space was required to host
hotel business activities so the architects constructed a separate addition to
avoid altering the ground floor interior and the exterior facade. The one-story
cube addition accommodates a service bar, cart storage, handicap lift for ADA
accessibility, storage space and a valet booth.
158
The cube was designed as a
playful miniature version of the Superior Oil Company Building. (Figure 3.5) It has
a gray stucco finish painted with rows of windows. Its construction adheres to the
Standards for Rehabilitation, the replica design is compatible yet differentiated
from the original building so as not to create a false sense of history. As a
separate structure, it can easily be removed. KEA constructed an inventive
design of an open steel trellis enhanced with landscaping to accentuate the hotel
entrance. (Figure 3.5)

155
Ibid, 9.
156
“National Register of Historic Places-Registration Form: Superior Oil Company Building,”
prepared by Christy McAvoy and Jennifer Minasian, August 1, 2002, 7.
157
Ibid, 8.
158
"Historic Preservation Certification Application, Part 2-Description of Rehabilitation: Superior
Oil Building," prepared by Christy McAvoy, March 13, 2002, 7.
66

Figure 3.5: The primary hotel entrance at the building’s east elevation with the new cube addition
and trellis. Photo by Author

The Lobby
The Superior Oil Company Building’s original lobby is located at the
western elevation on Flower Street. It is the most concentrated area of historic
material in the entire building with original materials and decorative accents that
pay tribute to the Superior Oil Company. (Figure 3.6) Echoing the angularity of
the portico’s diamond shape theme, the lobby space is a trapezoidal shape. The
west elevation opens up to the street with a glass wall and glass entrance doors.
The other walls are dark gray and white agglomerate marble. The floors are dark
gray terrazzo with gray and white aggregate. The ceiling is composed of
diamond-shaped plexiglass panels set within a thin nickel silver framework.
159

The plexiglass panels add a sensation of movement to the space because their

159
“National Register of Historic Places-Registration Form: Superior Oil Company Building,”
prepared by Christy McAvoy and Jennifer Minasian, August 1, 2002, 8.
67
forms are inverted pyramids rather than flat. The ribbed stainless steel pattern
from the building’s exterior is repeated in the lobby. The material lines a
semicircular alcove at the north wall. The design of the exterior building panels is
duplicated on the four elevator doors and duplicate panels are placed above
each elevator. The extension of the rib pattern from floor to ceiling interrupts the
dark marble wall to express verticality within the building. The interiors of the four
elevator cabs have their original alternating wood and stainless steel panels.
Although unconfirmed, it’s likely the ceilings of the cabs are original and the
floors have been replaced. The ceilings are backlit plexiglass set in a diamond
framework and the floors are an orange vinyl tread. In addition to this
concentration of opulent stone and metal materials, intact decorative accents
convey the wealth and prestige of the Superior Oil Company. The entrance doors
have stylized ‘S’ handles. A world clock lists the digital times for fifteen leading oil
and economic capitals around the world alluding to the modernity and
international reach of the company. The clock matches the ribbed stainless steel
panels of the elevators and building exterior. There is a sculptural frieze running
across the western wall and above the entrance depicting the chronological
series of oil production. It is a three-dimensional design of nickel silver against
backlit plexiglass. (Figure 3.7)
Figure 3.6: The original 1955 Superior Oil Company lobby. Photo courtesy of Shawn Hausman
Designs (https://shawnhausmandesign.com/the-standard-downtown-la).
68

Figure 3.7: The three-dimensional oil production frieze above the Superior Oil Company
Building’s main entrance. The stylized ‘S’ door handles and sculptural plexiglass ceiling panels
are also original to the historic building. Photo by Author.

When the Bank of California purchased the building in 1964, the original
lobby was designated the secondary entrance and the ground floor was
reconfigured to install a new double-height banking lobby with an open balcony
mezzanine floor. The new space reinforced the building’s legacy as a luxurious
corporate environment. One Los Angeles Times review described the new lobby
as “comfort and subdued elegance”.
160
The expansive, sleek and bright open
lobby provided customers with a comfortable waiting area and impressed upon
them the financial institution’s wealth, high standing and expertise. The lobby had
a green marble floor and the walls were adorned with two 24-foot murals and
African walnut wood paneling. Chandeliers were hung from the sculptured
ceiling.
161
The mezzanine was accessed via a glass-enclosed escalator,
supposedly the first of its kind in Los Angeles.
162
The hotel rehabilitation was not
required to preserve any of these features as they had been constructed after

160
“Elegance Keys Reopened HO for Banking,” Los Angeles Times, August 18, 1963.
161
Ibid; “Bank to Open New Southern Offices Here.”
162
“Elegance Keys Reopened HO for Banking.”
69
1955, the building’s period of significance. The modified structure of the lobby
and the green marble floor are the only architectural features that remain from
the bank’s remodeling.
The expansive double-height lobby conveniently translated to a superb
lounge and welcome area for the hotel. The combination of an expansive double-
height space, opulent materials and plush modern furniture created a cutting-
edge and prestigious atmosphere. Rosewood veneer wall paneling complements
the green marble floor. The only furniture is a 125-foot pink omnibus sofa
designed by the well-known modern furniture designer, Vladimir Kagan.
163
The
placement of the sofa’s individual pieces creates a maze of comfortable seating
options. A mirrored column, fitted glass side and coffee tables and the warm light
from cylinder lamp shades add radiance to the mass of bright pink color and
geometric form of the sofa. (Figure 3.8) The hotel’s front desk is located in a
passageway connecting the hotel lobby to the original Superior Oil Company
lobby. A major success of the hotel rehabilitation is how the architects utilized the
existing 1964 Bank of California lobby to remove the programming and design
pressure from the Superior Oil Company lobby and preserve its historic fabric. It
is only utilized for the elevator bank, keeping access to upper floors private for
hotel guests and the hotel lobby provides direct access to hotel amenities such
as the restaurant and bars.

163
Tyrnauer, “Pacific Standard,” 98.
70

Figure 3.8: The Standard Downtown LA hotel lobby. Photo courtesy of Booking.com
(https://cf.bstatic.com/images/hotel/max1024x768/177/177803540.jpg).

Common Areas
During the hotel rehabilitation, five recreational spaces were installed to
fulfill the hotel program, provide entertainment and attract the targeted
clientele. A restaurant and kitchen was installed in the northeast corner of the
ground floor adjacent to the lobby and parking lot. The Bank of California garden
patio provides outdoor seating for the hotel restaurant that can be accessed from
inside the lobby or at the east entrance exterior. Two bars, Paddle Room Lounge
and Paddle Play, were installed on the second floor, accessed by the lobby
escalator. Although never used before, the roof was transformed into a large
recreational area with multiple bar spaces and a pool.
The ‘24/7 Restaurant’ is located in the northeast corner of the ground floor
with access through the lobby or from the exterior at the parking lot. The bar
section is positioned right at the lobby entrance in order to also function as a
lobby bar. As reflected in its name, 24/7, the restaurant is open all day and night
for nonstop dining options and leisure space for guests of the hotel and
71
restaurant. The restaurant design is quintessential of The Standard Hotel Group
branding: relying on materials and color for decoration, it is modern, playful and
unexpected. The ceiling and walls are covered in white concave square panels
that have a repeated convex circle pattern. The effect of varying shapes and
angles creates movement throughout the room by playing with light and shadow
and softening the hard and stark surface of the white square panels. The space
is stylized in a retro diner aesthetic with bright yellow chairs and booths. Wall
mirrors, chrome accents, vinyl seating and sparkling yellow tile partitions add
radiance to the room. Dome pendant light fixtures hang from the ceiling. The
abundance of contrasting geometric shapes throughout the space creates a
vibrant and active atmosphere of orderly chaos. (Figure 3.9)

Figure 3.9: The interior of 24/7 Restaurant. Photo by Author.

The Firepit is a small outdoor seating area adjacent to the restaurant. It
was built on the 1967 Bank of California outdoor patio site and does not affect
the original building structure. Centered around a square fire pit, the space
72
accommodates about 20 people. KEA’s minimalist concrete design blends into
the building without interfering with the historic exterior facade.
The Paddle Room Lounge is intentionally designed as a dark, moody,
sultry space. With black painted floors and walls, minimal lighting is provided by
playful globe ceiling lights and reflections off mirrored columns. Half of the ceiling
is painted black and the other has wood paneling. The Paddle Room Play bar
has a brighter and more active ambiance. Profiting from the A-list nature of
Balazs’ hotel clientele, the space hosted SPiN in 2012: a social ping-pong club
co-founded by celebrity Susan Sarandon.
164
The bar is no longer associated with
SPiN but still functions as a game room with five red ping-pong tables. The
simple decoration emphasizes material and color and hints at a cheeky
gymnasium inspiration. Wood paneled walls brighten the black floor and ceiling.
Neon ceiling lights and a long red bar with a white stripe bring an athletic energy
to the space.
The roof of the Superior Oil Company Building became the universal
symbol of the Standard Downtown LA hotel. Conversely, in discussion of Los
Angeles rooftop spaces, this hotel is most well known as one of the earliest
rooftop scenes in Downtown Los Angeles, potentially the first of its kind.
165
The
rooftop’s hip party scene defined it as the center of the hotel’s activity. With its
multiple outdoor bars, a swimming pool and magnificent views over Los Angeles,
the leisure space on the roof was a crucial addition for the hotel’s potential
revenue. The entire area is dominated by The Standard party culture and iconic
brand design, like a long orange acrylic planter with hedges cut into animal
shapes. The layout of numerous outdoor lounge areas, a pool and pool deck
centers around architect Claud Beelman’s signature mechanical tower, discreetly
highlighting and celebrating the innovative architectural feature. (Figure 3.10)
Unfortunately, it is unlikely the majority of visitors to the roof are aware of the
architectural significance of the space.

164
Kia Makarechi, “SPiN L.A. At The Standard Downtown: Susan Sarandon & Andre Balazs
Announce New Club,” The Huffington Post, August 10, 2012.
165
Minasian, discussion.
73

Figure 3.10: An aerial view of The Standard site and roof layout. Photo courtesy of Google Maps
(https://goo.gl/maps/BvubKw4yLaGxmmeb6).

The roof has an expansive feeling with endless views over Downtown Los
Angeles to the mountains in the distance. Its overall size is exaggerated by the
distinctions between the pool and various lounge areas. Upon arrival to the roof,
one is immediately greeted with eastern views of the iconic Central Library
pyramid surrounded by glittering skyscrapers. The simplicity of the space’s
design and furnishings accentuate the rooftop views. Although the previously
unused roof was transformed into a high traffic recreation area, none of the
architectural changes are visible from the street level.
In order to activate the rooftop as a leisure space, KEA transformed
Beelman’s mechanical tower into an indoor/outdoor bar. To minimize the
interference with the historic gray-veined white marble façade, openings at the
north, south and east facades were strategically cut to align with the horizontal
74
lines of the tower’s marble panels.
166
Characteristic of KEA’s work, two
retractable glass doors were inserted at the north and east facades to open up
the indoor bar space to the outside. (Figure 3.11) The architects are celebrated
for how their projects emphasize the movement of air and light through a space
and remove the barrier between interior and exterior.
167
By the Secretary of the
Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, removal of historic material should always
be avoided. This was an acceptable exemption given the large amount of
preserved gray-veined white marble cladding the entire building structure and the
tower’s alterations are not visible from the street. The architects’ creative solution
minimized interference with historic fabric, preserved the historically significant
form and shape of the mechanical tower and fulfilled the hotel’s programming
requirement.

Figure 3.11: Bar entrances were created by cutting openings into the mechanical tower
and adding retractable glass doors. Photo by Author.

166
"Historic Preservation Certification Application, Part 2-Description of Rehabilitation: Superior
Oil Building," prepared by Christy McAvoy, March 13, 2002, 12.
167
Ramsay, “A Market-Fresh Look; Architectural Team Faced the Challenge of Updating a
Beloved L.A. Landmark.”
75
The pool was a crucial addition to the rooftop to create a unique attraction.
(Figure 3.12) The concrete construction of the 12x29 rectangular pool was a
complex undertaking that also complicated the building’s structural upgrades.
The rooftop pool was one of the most costly alterations of the project.
168
Again
removing the barrier between inside and outside, KEA strategically reconfigured
the obsolete mechanical tower at the south façade to construct an open-air,
indoor pool deck.

Figure 3.12: Modern pool loungers and custom cabana beds surround the rectangular
rooftop pool. Photo courtesy of Koning Eizenberg Architecture (https://www.kearch.com/the-
standard-dtla).

168
Neumann, discussion.
76
Private Interiors
Over its lifetime, the office building endured many interior remodels on the
upper floors due to various tenants modifying the floor plan for their specific office
needs. The only remaining historic fabric in the inhabited floor areas exists in the
circulation areas: elevator lobbies and exit stairways.
169
Originally, the office
floors likely had a mix of private offices, cubicles, reception areas, waiting rooms,
conference rooms and kitchens. The current hotel layout recreates a similar
configuration to the original building floor plan. The arrangement of a corridor
lined with guest rooms wrapping around a central core is reminiscent of the
original upper floor plans where the guest rooms would have been offices.
170

Traditional office architecture favors deep floor plates to maximize square
footage and rentable space. Although it is a more efficient use of space, the floor
area depth diminishes the amount of natural daylight reaching the center of the
building furthest from exterior walls.
171
KEA strategically designed and arranged a
variety of guest room shapes and sizes to line the floor plate perimeter and
maximize the number of guest rooms and available daylight. The layout
accommodates the existing vertical circulation core of elevators and stairs.
172

(Figure 3.13)
The circulation areas with intact historic fabric are the service core, two
enclosed exit stairways and the elevators. The janitor closets in the service core
have terrazzo floors. The stairways are adorned with original gray marble walls
and vinyl tread floors.
173
At the upper floor elevator banks, the four historic
elevator doors are intact. The nickel silver doors have a brass square inset

169
“National Register of Historic Places-Registration Form: Superior Oil Company Building,”
prepared by Christy McAvoy and Jennifer Minasian, August 1, 2002, 9; "Historic Preservation
Certification Application, Part 2-Description of Rehabilitation: Superior Oil Building," prepared by
Christy McAvoy, March 13, 2002, 18.
170
“National Register of Historic Places-Registration Form: Superior Oil Company Building,”
prepared by Christy McAvoy and Jennifer Minasian, August 1, 2002, 9.
171
Donald Powell, “Pillars of Design,” Urban Land Magazine, October 18, 2011,
https://urbanland.uli.org/development-business/pillars-of-design/; Dan Emerson, “New Towers to
Flaunt Floor Plates,” Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal, May 31, 1998,
https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/1998/06/01/focus4.html.
172
Koning Eizenberg Architecture, “Koning Eizenberg Hotels Portfolio,” November 16, 2011,
https://issuu.com/koningeizenberg/docs/hotels.
173
“National Register of Historic Places-Registration Form: Superior Oil Company Building,”
prepared by Christy McAvoy and Jennifer Minasian, August 1, 2002, 9.
77
pattern repeated lengthwise. Some floors have historic material framing the
elevator banks: the 2nd floor has a green marble wall with a nickel silver
crown molding and the 6th floor has a travertine wall. The 12th floor elevator
bank is framed in wood paneling but this is not original to the period of
significance.
174

Figure 3.13: The layout of the typical guestroom floor shows a variety of guestroom sizes
and shapes to adapt to the deep floor plate and accommodate the historic material in the vertical
circulation core. Illustration courtesy of Koning Eizenberg Architecture
(https://www.kearch.com/the-standard-dtla).

174
"Historic Preservation Certification Application, Part 2-Description of Rehabilitation: Superior
Oil Building," prepared by Christy McAvoy, March 13, 2002,19.
78
For the hotel rehabilitation, all the historic fabric in the circulation areas
was retained. Aligned with The Standard branding and architect Julie Eizenberg’s
signature use of color, the hallway design is visually plain and creates a simple
and clean effect. The minimal decor is provided by the bright red color of the
carpeting and guest room doors. There is no natural light; instead whimsical
globe lights are repeated down the corridor. The round shape contrasts with the
rectangular nature of the hallway, guest room doors and elevator doors. The
simple decoration in the upper floor corridors does not overshadow the historic
elevator banks and doors. Instead, their historic finishes are emphasized as the
sole ornamentation of the space. In order to comply with fire protection
standards, accordion “Won-Door” products were added to all elevator banks to
isolate the elevator core in a fire emergency. The door is concealed behind a wall
panel so as not to interfere with the historical stainless steel paneling of the
elevators.
175

Guestrooms
The hotel has 207 guest rooms with seven accommodation options
ranging from 300 to 710 square feet and a 915 square foot penthouse suite.
176

The guest rooms are slightly more decorative than the hallways but remain
simple and free of clutter. The decoration is a bold accent color against plain gray
carpeting and white walls with a whimsical stripe design. Signature to The
Standard hotel brand, the rooms have a provocative layout combining the
bathroom and bedroom in one space rather than a separate and private
bathroom. (Figure 3.14) The bathroom floors and walls are simple small white
square tiles. The rooms are sparsely furnished with modern gray or white
furniture. The larger rooms with seating areas have modern orange sofas,
providing additional decoration in form and color.

175
Ibid, 19.
176
“Rooms,” The Standard, Downtown LA,
https://www.standardhotels.com/la/properties/downtown-la.
79

Figure 3.14: The ‘Medium’ 300 square foot guest room with a glass partition dividing the bedroom
and bathroom. Photo courtesy of The Standard
(https://www.standardhotels.com/la/properties/downtown-la#room_232_tab).

The Project’s Success

The Superior Oil Building’s conversion to the Standard Downtown LA hotel
was praised at its completion and remains a celebrated adaptive reuse and hotel
project today. In 2003, it received a historic preservation award from the Los
Angeles Conservancy for its sensitive rehabilitation and preservation of historic
character.
177
KEA also received the 2003 AIA California Council Merit Award,
2003 Westside Urban Forum Prize, 2003 LA Business Council Architectural
Award and 2005 AIA Los Angeles Merit Award.
178
As an adaptive reuse success,
the project preserved and celebrated the original historic structure and its

177
Christopher Reynolds, “Preservation Projects Praised,” Los Angeles Times, March 30, 2003.
178
“The Standard DTLA,” Koning Eizenberg Architecture, https://www.kearch.com/the-standard-
dtla.
80
character-defining features. At the onset of the project, the building’s historic
material was found in good condition except for the gutted upper floors. The
transformation respected the existed historic fabric and emphasized its value.
Exceptional examples are the preservation of the exterior façade, the
preservation of the original Superior Oil Company lobby, the simple corridor
design that emphasized the historic finish of the elevator banks and the rooftop
activity that wraps around Beelman’s innovative mechanical tower. The building
is especially valuable as an intact and rare example of postwar office architecture
and the Corporate Moderne style. Many others in Los Angeles have been
demolished or significantly remodeled.
179

The Standard Downtown LA Hotel was an immediate success upon its
opening in May 2002. With its fashionable modern design and amenities, the
hotel successfully attracted the targeted jetsetter clientele that populated Balazs’
properties. The sophisticated business travelers and A-list party crowd enabled
the hotel’s hip reputation and established the property, and especially the
rooftop, as an exciting and exclusive destination. The rooftop parties were the
first of its kind in downtown and spurred a succession of nightlife entertainment
venues, especially rooftop locations. Reviews of the hotel at its opening and soon
after repeatedly mention a funky and playful atmosphere throughout the hotel;
the luxurious and comfortable lobby; flirtatious cheekiness of guest rooms with
open bathrooms; the incredible rooftop views of both Los Angeles and a
fashionable crowd, sometimes including celebrities; and the crowded, exclusive,
wild parties on the rooftop and by the pool.
180
As a trendy boutique hotel, it
provided a new experience in Downtown Los Angeles. Just as the boutique hotel
segment disrupted the hospitality industry, the Downtown Standard LA was a
refreshing alternative to the staid older establishments and generic chains.
The project was also successful for its massive contribution to the
revitalization of Downtown Los Angeles. The Standard Downtown LA’s popularity

179
“National Register of Historic Places-Registration Form: Superior Oil Company Building,”
prepared by Christy McAvoy and Jennifer Minasian, August 1, 2002, 11.
180
Heidi Siegmund Cuda, “A Hotel Parties on the Roof,” Los Angeles Times, August 1, 2002;
Carla Hall, “Downtown, a New Standard in Hip Hotels,” Los Angeles Times, July 7, 2002.
81
encouraged the development of other cultural attractions in the neighborhood as
the destination hotel drew a crowd of locals and tourists to the neighborhood for
other ventures to capitalize on. The project’s timing with other developments like
the residential Old Bank District provided a combined mass of downtown locals
and visitors that was significant enough to attract more investment and
development in downtown. From 2005 to 2007, twenty new drinking
establishments and music venues opened in downtown.
181
Creative young
people, willing to overlook the seediness of the physical environment for a
culturally rich urban experience, mostly populated the area. Downtown’s
atmosphere had the exhilarating quality of the beginning of a new era.
182

Downtown’s revival is greatly attributed to the impact of the 1999 ARO and how it
encouraged and facilitated the conversion of the existing underutilized building
stock to mostly residential properties. The cohesive surge of such development
projects had a stronger and more durable impact than the sporadic attempts that
pre-dated the ARO’s 1999 enactment. The evolution of downtown illustrates the
combined power of the simultaneous adaptive reuse projects and their ability to
grow downtown’s population and expand commercial and cultural programming.
Early projects like The Superior Oil Company Building’s conversion to the
Downtown Standard LA Hotel propelled the adaptive reuse movement as proof
that adapting a vacant underutilized historic landmark to a new, modern use can
be both a profitable development investment and fulfill urban planning initiatives.

181
Jessica Gelt, “It’s Not Just for Work: With Clubs and Bars Popping up in the Land of Office
Cubicles, There Are Lots of Places Downtown for Play,” Los Angeles Times, December 14, 2006.
182
Christopher Reynolds, “Inside the Urban Core,” Los Angeles Times, February 21, 2002.

82
Chapter Four: The Future of Adaptive Reuse Hotels in
Downtown Los Angeles

Lessons for Adaptive Reuse Hotel Projects

The successful conversion of the Superior Oil Company Building to the
Standard Downtown LA hotel provides insights that can be applied to other
adaptive reuse hotel projects:
Adaptive reuse projects should pursue financial incentives such as the
Federal Historic Tax Credit program, the Mills Act program and conservation
easements. Minimizing the overall cost of an adaptive reuse project increases its
feasibility, as many developers would not undertake rehabilitation without the
federal income tax credits or property tax savings.
183
Financial incentives should
be made widely available, heavily marketed and simplify procedures to
encourage developer participation. Incentives encourage new life in cities and
leverage private investment. They are extremely valuable for preserving the
historic built environment as encourage the preservation of the historic character
that is our heritage.
Converting a building with existing conditions conducive to a hotel floor
plan can minimize the loss of historic material. Although it was unfortunate that
the upper floors of the Superior Oil Company Building lacked any historic
material due to repeated remodels, it created an ideal circumstance for
transforming the building to a hotel. The layout and design could have been
much more restricted had the office floors remained intact with original historic
fabric dating back to the building’s 1955 construction. It is common for hotel
development projects to remove historic fabric in order to implement a minimum
number of guest rooms in pre-configured sizes and layouts.
184
Boutique hotels
provide more flexibility for installing a variety of guestrooms compared to the
traditionally branded chain hotels with predetermined models.

183
Liljegren, discussion.
184
Grimes, discussion.

83
The similarities between office and hotel building layouts presents a
suitable rehabilitation framework. They share a configuration of common areas at
the ground floor and individual rooms arranged along a corridor at the upper
floors. However, the deep open floor plates of traditional office buildings create a
complication for installing guestrooms when there is a long distance between the
core of the building and the windows. Koning Eizenberg Architecture (KEA)
strategically configured the upper floor layout to maximize the floor area and
accommodate the historic material in the vertical circulation core. Other common
obstacles in office to hotel conversions are floor layout dimensions. Existing
office spaces may not be of a size and shape that accommodates a guestroom
and bathroom. Installing individual bathrooms for each guestroom is a major and
intrusive part of a construction effort.
An adaptive reuse boutique hotel should take advantage of the building’s
history to accentuate the authentic character and create a unique environment.
This fulfills a major objective for boutique hotels, but the intent should govern all
applicable adaptive reuse projects. The Standard Downtown LA hotel is a
successful adaptive reuse project because it captures the full history of The
Superior Oil Company by acknowledging its value as an exquisite example of the
Corporate Moderne style and its representation of the growth of the corporate
environment in Los Angeles. The simple nature of the Corporate Moderne
architectural style renders these buildings extremely versatile for adaptive reuse.
The Superior Oil Company Building has character-defining features, especially at
the exterior facade, that convey the building’s historic significance. The architects
and designers exercised restraint and accentuated the elegant Corporate
Moderne characteristics in their original form, such as the massing of the building
or intact, high-quality materials, rather than over exaggerating them.
185
The
collaboration between the architects and designers and their consideration of the
building’s historic character resulted in a premium property. The compatibility of
KEA’s practical modern aesthetic, the Standard Hotel Group’s modern-inspired
brand and the intact Corporate Moderne character-defining features produced a

185
Minasian, discussion.

84
cohesive design juxtaposing the old and new qualities of the building. The design
theme for boutique hotels is typically dictated entirely by the hotel group’s vision
and branding.
186
The Standard Hotel Group has a design approach that adapts
their branding to unique characteristics of the property. The Standard Downtown
LA demonstrates this approach by combining the flair of The Standard brand
with the building’s history in a “bachelor businessman” theme. The three
influences manifest in the emphasis of angular and curvilinear lines for
decoration; the combination of the geometric forms of the mid-century furnishings
with the building’s angularity and verticality; the minimalist ornamentation of
simple, strong accent colors complimenting the Corporate Moderne use of sleek,
high-quality materials.

Boutique Hotels Build on the Standard’s Legacy

The success of the Downtown Standard LA boutique hotel encouraged the
future development of boutique hotels in Downtown Los Angeles, especially as
the city center continued to grow in population and attractions in the early 2000s.
By 2006 Southern California had a competitive and profitable hotel market. The
increased hotel demand created an increase in supply and more expensive
nightly rates. The region was the center for hotel innovation, having seized the
distinction from New York City, and hospitality investors explored opportunities in
Los Angeles, the region’s largest metropolis. The proven and well-developed
boutique hotel segment was simultaneously transforming the hospitality
industry.
187
Three years after the Downtown Standard LA’s opening, its closest
hotel competition appeared. The Gansevoort was another hugely successful
boutique hotel that opened in New York City’s hip Meatpacking District in 2004.
The hotel catered to the similar stylish clientele of The Standard Hotel Group with
high-quality modern designs, exciting nightlife and interesting cultural amenities.
After it’s initial success on the east coast, the Gansevoort’s ownership wanted to

186
Liljegren, discussion.
187
Robert McGarvey, “Hotel California, 2006: Quirky and Casual, SoCal’s Hot New Boutique
Hotels Are Trendy Revamps,” Los Angeles Times, March 26, 2006.

85
expand into a small boutique chain and open a sister hotel in Los Angeles,
Gansevoort West. Planning to open in 2007, the project would convert the 1914
Trinity Auditorium in Downtown Los Angeles to a 170-room boutique hotel. A
grand 9-story Beaux Arts structure, the Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument
was built as a Methodist Church complex with offices, hotel residences and a
2,500-seat auditorium. The Trinity Auditorium played a significant role in the
cultural development of Los Angeles and downtown, having hosted
performances such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and leading
musicians of the Jazz Age like Duke Ellington and Count Basie. The proposed
boutique hotel rehabilitation included a new addition to the existing structure to
house a restaurant, bar, fitness center, spa and rooftop lounge with a glass-
bottomed swimming pool. Gansevoort West’s guestroom nightly rates would start
at $225 whereas the Standard Downtown LA started at $99.
188
The Gansevoort
project never came to fruition for undisclosed reasons.
189
Today the Trinity
Auditorium is again under construction as a boutique hotel of the small Journal
Hotels collection. Journal Hotels provides management and operations services
to independent and small chain boutique hotels. In addition to the Trinity
Auditorium, the group will operate Hotel Clark, another long vacant downtown
Beaux Arts structure.
190
Built in 1914, the hotel was also utilized as a low-income
residential building and has undergone numerous failed revivals. The 350-room
boutique hotel will have a rooftop pool and several restaurants and bars.
191

The success of the Downtown Standard LA hotel and growth of the
boutique hotel segment is the prelude to a number of prominent adaptive reuse
boutique hotels in downtown. The abundance of underutilized historic

188
Roger Vincent, “Another L.A. Comeback; A Landmark Auditorium Will Reopen as Part of the
Conversion of a Defunct Downtown Hotel into the Gansevoort West,” Los Angeles Times,
September 19, 2005.
189
“No Gansevoort for Downtown LA,” Curbed LA, May 15, 2007,
https://la.curbed.com/2007/5/15/10593574/no-gansevoort-f.
190
Bianca Barragan, “Two Historic Downtown Buildings Set to Reopen as Boutique Hotels,”
Curbed LA, March 20, 2018, https://la.curbed.com/2018/3/20/17144854/downtown-hotels-clark-
trinity-chetrit-stephen-brandman.
191
“Historic Core Hotel Set for October Opening,” Los Angeles Downtown News, August 26,
2019, http://www.ladowntownnews.com/development/historic-core-hotel-set-for-october-
opening/article_3a9dadba-c820-11e9-b266-8b8bb4ac2ec8.html.

86
commercial buildings in the city center generated similar office-to-hotel
conversions in the early 2000s. The demand for sophisticated and experiential
boutique hotels is especially high in downtown’s increasingly cosmopolitan urban
environment. Noteworthy projects are successful rehabilitations of historic
buildings and make significant contributions to downtown’s cultural fabric. The
Ace, Freehand and Nomad hotels are all boutique hotel properties converted
from commercial office buildings. All three received recognition as excellent
preservation projects and were awarded Preservation Awards by the Los
Angeles Conservancy, one of the nation’s leaders in advocacy for Heritage
Conservation. The hotels and their amenities have evolved as downtown
destinations for dining and socializing in addition to lodging, and their continued
popularity broadens the audience for historic places.

The United Artists Theatre Building/Ace Hotel
The 1927 United Artists Theatre Building was converted to the Ace Hotel
in 2014. The boutique hotel rehabilitation transformed the office space into a 182-
guestroom hotel with a rooftop restaurant, bar and pool. The restored 1,600 seat
movie palace theater hosts a variety of events and generates a large amount of
revenue for the Ace property. The 13-story office tower and theater is listed on
the National Register as a contributor to the Broadway Theatre and Commercial
Historic District. The dramatic Spanish Gothic façade, a rare style for commercial
architecture and movie palaces in the 1920s, distinguishes the theater from
neighboring classical revival and Mediterranean architecture along the Broadway
corridor. (Figure 4.1) The exuberant Spanish Gothic ornamentation in the 3-story
high interior is reminiscent of a high gothic nave.
192
The United Artists
Corporation commissioned the building from the well-respected architecture firm,
Walker & Eisen. Celebrated theater architect, C. Howard Crane, designed the
theater’s interior. (Figure 4.2) Like the other historic movie palaces on Broadway,
the venue stood largely vacant in the postwar period until televangelist Gene

192
Gebhard and Winter, An Architectural Guidebook to Los Angeles, 51.

87

Figure 4.1: The monumental Spanish Gothic façade of the United Artists Theatre building stands
out amongst the primarily Beaux Arts collection of downtown’s commercial architecture. Photo
courtesy of Los Angeles Public Library/Security Pacific National Bank Collection; title Exterior
View of the United Artists Theater
(https://tessa.lapl.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/photos/id/90230/rec/10).

Scott and the Faith Center Church congregation purchased the building in 1986.
It underwent a $2 million in renovation and was renamed the University
Cathedral.
193
In 2011 hotel developers Greenfield Partners purchased the
building for $11 million in an operating partnership with the established boutique
Ace Hotel Group. The rehabilitation was completed by Killefer Flammang

193
Larry B. Stammer, “Gene Scott, 75; Television Preacher Famous for His Unconventional
Ministry,” Los Angeles Times, February 23, 2005. “Maverick Evangelist,” Stanford Magazine, May
2005.

88
Architects (KFA), an especially well-respected Los Angeles architecture firm that
is highly experienced in adaptive reuse projects, and GPA Consulting (GPA), an
environmental planning and historic preservation consulting firm. A Federal
Historic Tax Credit program application was initiated at the development’s onset.
However the rehabilitation work removed a significant concentration of historic
material in the upper floor corridors in order to enlarge the guestrooms to meet a
minimum size. The rehabilitation could not be certified because the removal of
historic material did not adhere to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for
Rehabilitation.
194
The loss of the federal income tax credit was not detrimental for
the project’s financing. Greenfield Partners developed the property with the
intention of selling it shortly thereafter. A year after it’s opening, The Ace Hotel
was sold to another real estate investment firm for $103 million. Ensuring the
preservation of the historic building, the new ownership established a Mills Act
contract with the City of Los Angeles to reduce property taxes. Ace Hotel Group
continues to manage and operate the hotel. The Ace Hotel boutique chain was a
pioneer of the boutique hotel type with an inaugural Seattle property in 1999. The
group founders opened that hotel with no plans to expand.
195
Ace Hotel Group
currently operates eleven global properties: eight in US cities; and one in
Toronto, London and Kyoto, Japan.
196

194
Grimes, discussion.
195
Ting, “Complete Oral History of Boutique Hotels.”
196
“Ace Hotel Locations,” Ace Hotel, https://www.acehotel.com/locations/.

89

Figure 4.2: The United Artists Theatre Building’s impeccably restored 1,600-seat theater is once
again a popular performance venue. Photo courtesy of The Theatre at Ace Hotel
(https://theatre.acehotel.com/static/uploads/images/RS29461_ACE_DTLA-01_13_2014-229-
lpr.width-1600.jpg).

The Commercial Exchange Building/Freehand Hotel
The 1924 Commercial Exchange Building was also built by architects
Walker & Eisen. The Beaux Arts commercial structure was converted to the
Freehand boutique hotel in 2017. Its historic significance is rooted in its
representation of the Beaux Arts architectural style, the work of master architects
Walker & Eisen and the economic growth of Los Angeles in the 1920s.
197
Built as
an office building with retail space on the ground floor, the building was vacant
from the 1980s until hospitality company Sydell Group, the Freehand brand
parent company, acquired it in 2014. The building was in particularly poor
condition with broken windows, graffiti and an interior in very poor condition.
Sydell Group also commissioned KFA to rehabilitate the commercial structure
and convert it to a hotel. Historic preservation consulting firm, Historic

197
"City of Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument Nomination Form for the Commercial
Exchange Building," prepared by Tara Hamacher and Roger Brevoort, September 27, 2016.

90
Consultants assisted the project. Due to the building’s prior neglect, very little
original historic fabric remained. The rehabilitation managed to preserve tile
flooring, wood masonry, a marble staircase, the marble-clad elevator lobby and
the building lobby’s ornate barrel-vaulted ceiling. Some missing or deteriorated
architectural features were reconstructed using historic photographs.
198
The
painstaking work cost about $40 million and received numerous awards for the
skilled materials restoration. The project was approved as a certified
rehabilitation and received a federal income tax credit through the Federal
Historic Tax Credit program.
199
Sydell Group’s Freehand brand is a hostel
concept hospitality program with four properties in New York, Miami, Los Angeles
and Chicago. The Freehand in Downtown Los Angeles has 167 traditional
guestrooms and 59 shared hostel accommodations. The boutique hotel also has
an award-wining rooftop restaurant and bar, the Broken Shaker, situated
alongside the rooftop pool. (Figure 4.3) Although designed in the same vein of
affordable luxury, the Freehand caters to a different clientele than the Standard
Downtown LA or Ace. It targets youth travelers by combining the social and
experiential culture of a hostel with the premium boutique hotel product. The
profitability of the Freehand hostel brand relies on low costs, high occupancy
rates and increased revenue from high food and beverage sales.
200
The nature of
shared accommodations reduces hotel operational costs such as housekeeping
and maximizes the amount of nightly reservations. Sydell Group, the Freehand
brand’s parent company, sold the small boutique chain in 2019 for $400 million to
Queensgate Investments, a European hospitality company that also acquired
European boutique hostel chain, Generator.
201
A spin-off of the boutique hotel
segment, this design-driven hostel concept represents the next global experiment

198
“Freehand Los Angeles,” Los Angeles Conservancy,
https://www.laconservancy.org/locations/freehand-los-angeles.
199
Roger Vincent, “Trendy Hotel Planned at Downtown L.A. Building; The New Venue Will Cater
to Young Travelers by Offering Hip Amenities along with Features of a Hostel,” Los Angeles
Times, July 18, 2014.
200
Craig Karmin, “Boutique Bohemian: High-End Hostels Come to America,” The Wall Street
Journal, May 26, 2015.
201
“Queensgate Investments Acquires Freehand Hotels for $400M,” Hotel Business, October 14,
2019.

91
in the hospitality industry. The Freehand in Downtown Los Angeles will continue
to operate under the Freehand brand, as will the sister US properties.
202

Figure 4.3: The trendsetting and award-winning Broken Shaker restaurant and bar sits adjacent
to the Freehand hotel’s rooftop pool. Photo Courtesy of Freehand Hotels
(https://freehandhotels.com/los-angeles/broken-shaker/).

The Bank of Italy Building/NoMad Hotel
Sydell Group launched another adaptive reuse boutique hotel project in
Downtown Los Angeles in 2014. The hospitality company purchased the 1922
Bank of Italy Building for $39 million to convert it to a NoMad boutique hotel, one
of the small brands the development company owns. Although the building had
also sat vacant before Sydell Group’s acquisition and was significantly
deteriorated, exquisite Beaux Arts character-defining features at exterior façade
were remarkably intact.
203
(Figure 4.4)The interiors had experienced enough
demolition and remodeling that little original historic material remained, especially
on the upper floors. Like the Ace Hotel project, KFA and GPA Consulting were

202
Ibid.
203
“Historic Preservation Certification Application, Part 1-Evaluation of Significance: Bank of Italy
Building," prepared by Teresa Grimes, August 21, 2015, 7.

92
hired to design the conversion of the office building to an elegant 241-room hotel
with rooftop amenities such as a pool, café and bar. The rehabilitation costs
exceeded $90 million and were offset by the Federal Historic Tax Credit
program’s federal income tax credit and the Mills Act contract’s reduction of
property taxes.
204
The hotel is particularly known for it’s decadent interiors and
palatial restaurant bar lounge area that inhabits the former grand banking hall.
This thesis referenced the NoMad’s rehabilitation in Chapter 1 as an example of
how the history of a building can inform a boutique hotel’s interior design.
Inspired by its history as an Italian financial institution, the current hotel design is
a combination of styles associated with Italy: Baroque, Renaissance and
Venetian Gothic. Most visitors are unaware of how much ornamentation is
original. At the interior ground floor, the largest original components are the
banking hall’s dramatic coffered ceiling supported by Corinthian capitals and the
elevator lobby’s coffered ceiling and etched bronze elevator doors. Another
aspect of the rehabilitation that delights NoMad visitors is the preservation of the
basement’s original banking vault door.

204
"Historic Preservation Certification Application, Part 3-Request for Certification of Completed
Work: Bank of Italy Building," prepared by Teresa Grimes, December 6, 2018, 4; Grimes,
discussion.

93

Figure 4.4: A historic photograph of the Bank of Italy Building and its ornamental Beaux Arts
façade. Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Public Library/Security Pacific National Bank Collection;
title Bank of Italy, exterior view
(https://tessa.lapl.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/photos/id/100601/rec/5).

The Value of Adaptive Reuse Boutique Hotels in Downtown
The Standard Downtown LA was the pioneer of boutique hotels in
Downtown Los Angeles and inspired future development of similar adaptive
reuse projects. The programming of the developments that followed, including
the Ace, Freehand and NoMad, was inspired by the popularity of the Standard
Downtown LA’s amenities, specifically the roof. A boutique hotel’s identity is
defined by its ability to offer more than a guestroom. The boutique hotels are

94
prominent figures in downtown’s cultural fabric. Their amenities expand the urban
environment and provide interesting venues for locals as well as visiting out-of-
towners. Whether it’s an upscale restaurant, rooftop pool, or historic theater, the
public hotel spaces make a significant contribution to the entertainment offered in
downtown and their popularity encourages more cultural development in the
area.
The breadth of adaptive reuse boutique hotels in Downtown Los Angeles
indicate there is a market demand for these projects and developers are excited
about pursuing them. Adaptive reuse is a positive alternative for underutilized,
historic buildings, even with diminished integrity. Otherwise they could continue t
vacant or face demolition for new construction. As demonstrated by the boutique
hotel projects, a team of skilled architects and historic preservation consultants
can successfully restore historic character and enhance its value when an old
building is rehabilitated for a new, modern use. It takes a visionary developer to
recognize the potential in a historic structure, especially one that has deteriorated
or been gutted significantly. As provided in detail in Appendix B, today seven of
the thirty hotels in Downtown Los Angeles are adaptive reuse projects and all of
them are boutique hotels. They have all been converted from a primary use
different than a hotel, office being the most common. Additionally, of the twelve
downtown hotels that are registered historic landmarks, or eligible for such
designation, eight are boutique hotels. There is a clear, mutually beneficial
relationship between boutique hotels and older buildings with inherent
architectural character. As a marketable asset, the building’s contribution of an
interesting physical environment and varied history informs the individuality of a
boutique hotel’s identity. Historic architecture holds immense value for a hotel
segment that is defined by unique experiences.

95
The Future Hotel Inventory

As of 2020, thirty hotel projects have been proposed in Downtown Los
Angeles. The full hotel inventory is outlined in detail in Appendix B. There is an
appetite for adaptive reuse hotel development but it could be strengthened and
further encouraged. The wide range of proposed projects includes mixed-use
development, franchise hotels, conference center hotels and boutique hotels.
Most of the projects are larger in nature and more than half are mixed-use
developments. Only four of the proposed hotels are adaptive reuses. One
unfortunate frequent occurrence with large hotel development is that older
buildings are typically too small to meet minimum hotel size requirements. About
half of the proposed hotels will have more than 200 guest rooms with two
exceeding 1,000 rooms. A third of the projects propose hotels with less than 150
guestrooms. Most of these are new construction and imply missed adaptive
reuse opportunities, as these smaller sized hotels may be flexible enough to fit
within an existing building footprint. It is disheartening to see that of the proposed
hotels over the next decade there is little investment in the existing building stock
of Downtown Los Angeles. Ideally other real estate factions, such as residential,
office and retail, will capitalize on the available building inventory.
Although the current list of proposed Downtown Los Angeles hotels is light
on adaptive reuse projects, the anticipated growth of both the boutique hotel
segment and Los Angeles hotel market might encourage more adaptive reuse
development. Nationwide, the boutique hotel type is the fastest growing segment
in the industry. Over the past decade it has outpaced the broader hotel industry
in both demand and supply and its growth has consecutively surpassed other
popular hotel types.
205
Industry experts attribute this growth to the consumer
demand for one-of-a-kind experiences.
206
Today two thirds of the Downtown Los

205
Kim Bardoul, “Boutique Quickly Becoming Fastest-Growing Segment,” Hotel News Now, May
15, 2018, https://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Articles/286360/Boutique-quickly-becoming-fastest-
growing-segment.
206
Adam Perkowsky, “Experiences Continue to Drive Independent, Boutique Growth,” Hotel
Business, November 7, 2019, https://www.hotelbusiness.com/experiences-continue-to-drive-
independent-boutique-growth/.

96
Angeles hotels under construction are boutique hotels.
207
Adaptive reuse
properties can capitalize on this trend by offering unique, localized experiences.
To do so, a hotel program should emphasize the connection between the
building’s history and local community and incorporate a design scheme that
highlights the interesting architectural character of the building.
Downtown Los Angeles hotels make up about 10% of the entire Los
Angeles County hotel market. Since 2016 the area has seen slight occupancy
increases each year.
208
Historically, the Downtown hotel market has been driven
by corporate demand for business travelers and conferences. Yet with the
continued revitalization of the neighborhood that started in the late 1990s, hotel
demand has more recently been driven by leisure and tourism due to the
increase in events, restaurants, nightlife attractions and improved street
conditions.
209
This thesis was written during the 2020 COVID-19 crisis and
unfortunately the global pandemic has stalled the hospitality and tourism
industries. Hopefully the growth of the Downtown Los Angeles hotel market and
boutique hotel segment will continue past the pandemic and the two categories
will merge and result in the addition of more adaptive reuse hotel development in
the neighborhood.

Additions to Financial Incentive Programs
Of the current adaptive reuse boutique hotels, only three received the
Federal Historic Tax Credit and only two are currently under Mills Act contracts.
Most of the adaptive reuse hotel projects currently under construction are
applying for the Federal Historic Tax Credit program.
210
The lower participation
within existing hotels reveals that even without tax incentives, adaptive reuse
projects are feasible for developers with sufficient capital. Ideally all adaptive

207
Appendix B.
208
Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, December 2019 Lodging Performance, LA County
& Submarkets Lodging Metrics, (January 21, 2020); Jessica White and Greg Mendell, “Market
Pulse: Downtown Los Angeles,” HospitalityNet, January 25, 2018,
https://www.hospitalitynet.org/opinion/4086573.html.
209
White and Mendell, “Market Pulse: Downtown Los Angeles.”
210
Appendix B.

97
reuse projects would participate in the financial incentive programs to encourage
the protection of historic character.
As of 2020, there are recent additional financial incentives for adaptive
reuse in Los Angeles. Their adoption will hopefully result in an increased quantity
of adaptive reuse projects throughout Los Angeles. These financial incentive
programs are important heritage conservation tools. Their ability to significantly
reduce project costs encourages more adaptive reuse development, as many
rehabilitations would not be executed without them.

California State Tax Historic Credit
In 2019, California passed SB 451: the California Historic Rehabilitation Tax
Credit bill. Similar to the federal program, this state bill offers a 20% tax credit for
the rehabilitation of historic resources designated on the California Register or
National Register of historic places.
211
A 5% bonus credit is available for projects
meeting specific criteria such as affordable housing, transit-oriented development
or structures located on government surplus property, within a military base or
designated census tract.
212
The bill will go into effect January 1, 2021 and run
through the year-end of 2026. This incentive will improve the financial feasibility
of rehabilitating historic structures as it can be used in conjunction with existing
programs such as the Federal Historic Tax Credit and the Mills Act.

Adaptive Reuse Ordinance
The City of Los Angeles Planning department is currently refining the 2040
Community Plan for Downtown Los Angeles that will put forth measures to
sustain the resurgence of downtown and direct its further growth. The plan offers
various incentives to promote the preservation of historic building stock in the
area. It includes updating the 1999 Adaptive Reuse Ordinance by loosening the
eligibility criteria in order to encourage more rehabilitation projects. As of October

211
“California Historic Tax Credit - SB 451” (California Preservation Foundation),
https://californiapreservation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Case-Statement.pdf.
212
Cindy Heitzman, “Governor Newsom Signs SB 451 (Atkins) – The State Historic Tax Credit
Bill,” California Preservation Foundation, November 5, 2019, https://californiapreservation.org/sb-
451-historic-tax-credit/.

98
2020 the updates are yet to be officially confirmed but will likely include:
expanding the ordinance beyond residential development to include new
commercial projects as well; a building will not have to be a designated historic
resource or meet a certain age limit to quality but instead only must have been
occupied for over 25 years; removal of the ‘Discretionary Review’ approval track
that requires more paperwork and review processes than the ‘By-Right
Entitlement’ track.
213
By 2012, adaptive reuse projects had stalled in Downtown
Los Angeles as the ideal structures for residential projects were quickly
developed and land values had increased enough to discourage development.
214

The ordinance’s improved flexibility is intended to jumpstart an adaptive reuse
surge similar to the activity that spurred the revitalization of Downtown Los
Angeles when the ordinance was first enacted in 1999.

213
Los Angeles Conservancy, DTLA 2040 Virtual Update, October 8, 2020,
https://youtu.be/4HNazV7usqM.
214
Ryan Vaillancourt, “With Adaptive Reuse Options Limited, Developers Adapt,” Los Angeles
Downtown News, January 28, 2013, http://www.ladowntownnews.com/news/with-adaptive-reuse-
options-limited-developers-adapt/article_268d0cca-6748-11e2-a8b4-001a4bcf887a.html.

99
Conclusion

Real estate development and heritage conservation objectives are less in
conflict with one another than in the past. There is a middle ground that benefits
both. Adaptive reuse is one such avenue as it can create profitable development
opportunities while conserving historic buildings. In particular, a mutually
beneficial relationship exists between boutique hotels and historic buildings as a
building with intact and protected historic character provides a strong foundation
for a hotel’s success in offering guests a unique atmosphere and localized
experience. The conversion of the historic Superior Oil Company Building to the
boutique Standard Downtown LA hotel reveals how character, location and
financial feasibility motivate hotel developers to pursue adaptive reuse rather
than new construction projects. The popularity of the hotel and the pattern of
adaptive reuse hotel development that it ignited proves these investments can be
successful in terms of financial return and the conservation of a historic resource.
The Standard Downtown LA also fulfilled the broader urban initiative to revitalize
downtown. Its cultural programming, especially rooftop amenities, initiated a new
generation of nightlife in Downtown Los Angeles and helped enliven the
abandoned city center. Other adaptive reuse hotels should consider the lessons
from the Standard Downtown LA to maximize their positive impact. A profitable
development project can also be successful by conserving a building’s historical
value and strengthening its connection to the local community.
The Standard set the foundation for the ensuing adaptive reuse and
boutique hotel development in Downtown Los Angeles. The projects that
followed, such as the Ace Hotel, Freehand and NoMad among others, have
enriched the urban experience in the city center through the amenities that
benefit both visitors and locals. Their development has assisted in the
preservation of downtown’s built environment by investing in underutilized
historic buildings and reviving them as beloved places. Downtown’s commercial
building stock, specifically of the office type, is conducive in size and layout to
accommodate hotels. However, smaller historic buildings exist throughout the

100
city of Los Angeles that are not adaptable to larger building uses such as hotels,
offices or housing. Successful adaptive reuse projects of the smaller size could
be examined to determine ideal building usage and formats and identify the
challenges and advantages of such rehabilitations.
By focusing specifically on Downtown Los Angeles, this research revealed
the value of supportive planning policies and incentives for conducting adaptive
reuse projects. The flexibility of the City of Los Angeles’s existing programs and
future additions reveals a concern for the conservation of historic buildings and
community revitalization. The 1999 zeitgeist of Downtown Los Angeles was an
important piece of the Superior Oil Company Building conversion project. The
city’s encouragement of adaptive reuse as a revitalization tool was a key
component of the project’s success. Additional research could explore the nature
of adaptive reuse development and its impact in other Los Angeles
neighborhoods. A similar appetite for adaptive reuse must exist in other city
centers across the United States that contain rich collections of older buildings,
regardless of historic landmark status. It would be interesting to compare how
differences in heritage conservation policies across multiple cities manifest in the
built environment. This thesis simplified the complicated urban development
history of Downtown Los Angeles to provide a basic understanding of the
sentiment towards adaptive reuse at the time of the Standard hotel project. A
more thorough analysis could be conducted on the various forces that prompted
the development, deterioration and revitalization of Downtown Los Angeles
through the twentieth century.
Although the continued and adaptive reuses of buildings is an ancient
practice, the popularity of adaptive reuse has grown in recent years, especially
pertaining to hotels. Articles boasting “hotels that used to be something else” are
common across travel websites and magazines. Boutique hotels are well
positioned to take advantage of this consumer trend. As the fastest growing hotel
segment, their participation in the conservation of historic buildings through
adaptive reuse could have a large and positive impact on the field as long as the
development projects remain sensitive to the inherent value of historic buildings.

101
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Appendix A

The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation

The Standards (Department of Interior regulations, 36 CFR 67) pertain to historic
buildings of all materials, construction types, sizes, and occupancy and
encompass the exterior and the interior, related landscape features and the
building's site and environment as well as attached, adjacent, or related new
construction. The Standards are to be applied to specific rehabilitation projects in
a reasonable manner, taking into consideration economic and technical
feasibility.

1. A property shall be used for its historic purpose or be placed in a new use that
requires minimal change to the defining characteristics of the building and its site and
environment.

2. The historic character of a property shall be retained and preserved. The removal of
historic materials or alteration of features and spaces that characterize a property shall
be avoided.

3. Each property shall be recognized as a physical record of its time, place, and use.
Changes that create a false sense of historical development, such as adding conjectural
features or architectural elements from other buildings, shall not be undertaken.

4. Most properties change over time; those changes that have acquired historic
significance in their own right shall be retained and preserved.

5. Distinctive features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of
craftsmanship that characterize a property shall be preserved.

6. Deteriorated historic features shall be repaired rather than replaced. Where the
severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature
shall match the old in design, color, texture, and other visual qualities and, where
possible, materials. Replacement of missing features shall be substantiated by
documentary, physical, or pictorial evidence.

7. Chemical or physical treatments, such as sandblasting, that cause damage to historic
materials shall not be used. The surface cleaning of structures, if appropriate, shall be
undertaken using the gentlest means possible.

8. Significant archeological resources affected by a project shall be protected and
preserved. If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures shall be
undertaken.

9. New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy
historic materials that characterize the property. The new work shall be differentiated
from the old and shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale, and architectural
features to protect the historic integrity of the property and its environment.

116
10. New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be undertaken in such
a manner that if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic
property and its environment would be unimpaired.
215

215
National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, “The Secretary of the Interior’s
Standards for Rehabilitation,” Technical Preservation Services,
https://www.nps.gov/tps/standards/rehabilitation.htm.
117
Appendix B

Current Hotel Inventory in Downtown Los Angeles

HOTEL
NAME
HOTEL TYPE
ROOM
COUNT
YEAR
STRUCTURE
BUILT
PROJECT
TYPE
REHABILITATION PROJECT DETAILS
Existing Prior Function
Highest
Historic
Landmark
Status
Financial
Incentives
Firehouse Hotel Boutique (Independent) 10 1927
Adaptive
Reuse Firehouse
Tuck Hotel Boutique (Independent) 14 1906
Adaptive
Reuse Store/Office/Warehouse
Los Angeles
Athletic Club Boutique (Independent) 72 1912
Adaptive
Reuse Private Club
Los Angeles
Historic
Cultural
Monument
O Hotel Boutique (Independent) 67 1925
Hotel Indigo Los
Angeles
Downtown Boutique - Lifestyle 350 2017
New
Construction
Standard Hotel Boutique (Small Chain) 207 1955
Adaptive
Reuse
Office: Superior Oil
Building
National
Register
Federal
Historic Tax
Credit
Ace Hotel Boutique (Small Chain) 180 1927
Adaptive
Reuse
Office/Theater: United
Artists Theater
National
Register Mills Act
NoMad Hotel Boutique (Small Chain) 241 1922
Adaptive
Reuse Office: Bank of Italy
National
Register
Federal
Historic Tax
Credit; Mills
Act
Freehand Los
Angeles Boutique (Small Chain) 226 1924
Adaptive
Reuse
Office: Commercial
Exchange Building
National
Register
Federal
Historic Tax
Credit
The Hoxton Boutique (Small Chain) 174 1925
Adaptive
Reuse
Office: Los Angeles
Transit Building
Eligible for
National
Register
The Wayfarer
Downtown Los
Angeles Boutique (Small Chain) 135 1923
Hotel
Rehabilitation Hotel: Ritz Milner
Eligible for
California
Register
Luxe City Center
Hotel Boutique (Small Chain) 178 1964
New
Construction
Hotel Figueroa Boutique - Soft Brand 268 1926
Hotel
Rehabilitation Club/Hotel: YWCA
California
Register
Stillwell Hotel Budget 232 1913
Eligible for
California
Register
Kawada Hotel Budget 114 1923
Little Tokyo Hotel Budget 22 ~1920
Contributor to
National
Register Little
Tokyo Historic
District
JW Marriott Los
Angeles LA Live
Full Service Chain;
Mixed-Use Complex 878 2010
New
Construction
Residence Inn by
Marriott Los
Angeles LA LIVE
Full Service Chain;
Mixed-Use Complex 219 2014
New
Construction
Courtyard by
Marriott Los
Angeles LA LIVE
Full Service Chain;
Mixed-Use Complex 174 2014
New
Construction
Sheraton Grand
Los Angeles Full Service Chain 496 1973
New
Construction
InterContinental
Los Angeles
Downtown Full Service Chain 889 2017
New
Construction
The Westin
Bonaventure Hotel
& Suites Full Service Chain 1,358 1976
New
Construction
Omni Los Angeles
Hotel at California
Plaza
Full Service Chain;
Mixed-Use Complex 453 1983-1992
New
Construction
DoubleTree by
Hilton Hotel Los
Angeles
Downtown Full Service Chain 434 1977
New
Construction
Miyako Hotel Full Service Chain 173 1989
New
Construction
The LA Grand
Hotel
Full Service
Independent 469 1983
New
Construction
118
HOTEL
NAME
HOTEL TYPE
ROOM
COUNT
YEAR
STRUCTURE
BUILT
PROJECT
TYPE
REHABILITATION PROJECT DETAILS
Existing (continued) Prior Function
Highest
Historic
Landmark
Status
Financial
Incentives
Millennium
Biltmore Hotel Los
Angeles
Full Service Chain;
Historic Building 683 1923
California
Register
Hilton Checkers
Los
Angeles/Mayflower
Hotel
Full Service Chain;
Historic Building 193 1927
Los Angeles
Historic
Cultural
Monument
Ritz-Carlton
Full Service Chain;
Mixed-Use Complex 123 2010
New
Construction
Under Construction
Downtown LA
Proper Hotel Boutique (Small Chain) 148 1925
Adaptive
Reuse
Private Club/Hotel:
Commercial Club
Building
Los Angeles
Historic
Cultural
Monument
Applying for
Federal
Historic Tax
Credit
Trinity Hotel Boutique (Small Chain) 183 1914
Adaptive
Reuse
Mixed-Use: Trinity
Auditorium
Los Angeles
Historic
Cultural
Monument
Hotel Clark Boutique (Small Chain) 347 1914
Hotel
Rehabilitation Hotel
California
Register
CitizenM Hotel Boutique (Small Chain) 315
New
Construction
Broadway Trade
Center Boutique; Mixed-Use 150 1907
Adaptive
Reuse
Retail: Hamburger’s
Department Store
Los Angeles
Historic
Cultural
Monument;
Contributor to
National
Register
Broadway
Theater and
Commercial
Historic District
Applying for
Federal
Historic Tax
Credit
Hotel Cecil Boutique; Mixed-Use 299 1924
Hotel
Rehabilitation Hotel
Eligible for
California
Register
Applying for
Federal
Historic Tax
Credit
Cambria Hotel
Spring Street Full Service Chain 180 1928
Adaptive
Reuse Office/Parking Garage
The Grand
Full Service Chain;
Mixed-Use 309
New
Construction
Park Hyatt at
Oceanwide Plaza
Full Service Chain;
Mixed-Use Complex 183
New
Construction
Proposed
400 S. Alameda St Boutique 66 1908
Adaptive
Reuse Warehouse
Contributor to
Downtown Los
Angeles
Industrial
Historic District
Radisson RED
Hotel Boutique - Lifestyle 140
New
Construction
Hyatt Centric Boutique - Lifestyle 139
New
Construction
The Bricks Boutique - Soft Brand 200 1964
Adaptive
Reuse Office
Fig+Pico Full Service Chain 1,162
New
Construction
Cambria Hotel Full Service Chain 247
New
Construction
6AM Mixed-Use 412
New
Construction
670 Mesquit St Mixed-Use 236
New
Construction
Arts District Center Mixed-Use 113
New
Construction
Angels Landing Mixed-Use 515
New
Construction
City Market Mixed-Use 210
New
Construction
Olympic Tower Mixed-Use 373
New
Construction
Figueroa Centre Mixed-Use 220
New
Construction
1600 S. Figueroa
St Mixed-Use 250
New
Construction
119
HOTEL
NAME
HOTEL TYPE
ROOM-
COUNT
YEAR
STRUCTURE
BUILT
PROJECT
TYPE
REHABILITATION PROJECT DETAILS
Proposed (continued) Prior Function
Highest
Historic
Landmark
Status
Financial
Incentives
South Park Towers Mixed-Use 300
New
Construction
Bixel Residences Mixed-Use 126
New
Construction
1111 S. Hill St Mixed-Use 160
New
Construction
5th and Hill Mixed-Use 190
New
Construction
Morrison Hotel
Development Mixed-Use 450
New
Construction
TriCal Hotel Mixed-Use 1,024
New
Construction
1323-1331 S.
Flower St. Mixed-Use 132
New
Construction
2057 E. 7th St. 50 1915
Adaptive
Reuse Retail/Hotel
Mart South Hotel 149 1957
Adaptive
Reuse Office
Spring Street Hotel 170
New
Construction
1155 S. Olive St. 243
New
Construction
1320 S. Flower St. 43
New
Construction
1219-1221 S.
Hope St. 75
New
Construction
1099 S. Grand
Ave. 160
New
Construction
1130 S. Hope St 144
New
Construction

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2018; Nicholas Slayton, “52-Story Mixed-Use Tower Proposed for Figueroa Street,” Los Angeles
Downtown News, February 2, 2017; Roger Vincent, “53-Story Convention Center Hotel
Proposed,” Los Angeles Times, February 25, 2017; Nicholas Slayton, “A Sneak Peek at the
Broadway Trade Center,” Los Angeles Downtown News, July 2016; “Adaptive Reuse Planned for
Arts District Building,” Urbanize LA, September 26, 2016; “AEG Files Plans for 850-Room
Expansion of the J.W. Marriott at L.A. Live,” Urbanize LA, November 15, 2018; Steven Sharp,
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Types,” STR; Jessica Ritz, “Go inside Four DTLA Boutique Hotels Where Style Is the Thing,” Los
Angeles Times, February 23, 2018; “Gravity-Defying 5th and Hill Tower with Cantilevering Pools
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“Herzog & de Meuron to Complete $2 Billion Development in Los Angeles’ Arts District,”
ArchDaily, February 23, 2017; Kimi Yoshino, “Hilton’s Quarterly Profit Slips: It Cites Higher Costs
and Lost Business Related to Hotel Renovations and Trims Forecast for 2007,” Los Angeles
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(website); “Hotel Check: Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Los Angeles Downtown,” Business Traveller;
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Has Midas Touch--Unfortunately,” Los Angeles Times, November 30, 1998; Melinda Fulmer,
“Hotel Lease Tied to Price of Gold Pays Pittance,” Los Angeles Times, November 30, 1998;
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April 25, 1982; David Hochman, “Hoxton Hotels Entrepreneur Sharan Pasricha On Opening In
Los Angeles,” Forbes, October 25, 2019; Nicholas Slayton, “Inside Downtown’s New 14-Room
Hotel,” Los Angeles Downtown News, January 30, 2017; Will Speros, “Journal Hotels to Develop
First Philadelphia Property,” Hospitality Design : HD (Online), January 30, 2019; “L.A. Hotel
Becoming the W.H. Grand,” Los Angeles Downtown News, April 2, 2015; Hugo Martin, “L.A.
Hotel to Get Face Lift, Renamed: Downtown Holiday Inn. Will Be Taken over by the Luxe Hotel
Chain and Undergo a $10-Million Upgrade,” Los Angeles Times, November 4, 2009; Melinda
Fulmer, “L.A.’s Historic Biltmore Hotel Goes on Sales Block,” Los Angeles Times, August 25,
1998; “LA Fashion District Trend Report,” Business Improvement District (BID) Newsletter; Hal
Foster, “Lender Moves to Foreclose on the Bonaventure Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles,” Los
Angeles Times, September 12, 1991; “Massive Angels Landing Project Is Still Tall, Just Not as
Tall,” Los Angeles Downtown News, April 3, 2019; Kimi Yoshino, “Meeting Planners Lured by
Night Life,” Los Angeles Times, August 6, 2008; Steven Sharp, “New Details for the Arts District’s
670 Mesquit,” Urbanize LA, April 24, 2017; Jesus Sanchez, “New Millennium Dawns for Historic
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Away from Westside Rivals,” Los Angeles Times, May 29, 2001; Anna Scott, “New Otani Hotel
Sold,” Los Angeles Downtown News, August 27, 2007; Carla Rivera, “Officials Study Hotels-for-
Homeless Plan,” Los Angeles Times, January 15, 1990; Evelyn De Wolfe, “Old Hotel to Begin a
New Life,” Los Angeles Times, February 19, 1989; Steven Sharp, “Pico Union Office Building
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Asset Metadata

Creator Ressler, Julia A.P. (author)

Core Title Adaptive reuse and boutique hotels: a case study of the Superior Oil Company Building’s conversion to the Standard Downtown LA Hotel

School School of Architecture

Degree Master of Heritage Conservation

Degree Program Heritage Conservation

Publication Date 11/18/2020

Defense Date 10/30/2020

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag Ace Hotel,adaptive reuse,Adaptive Reuse Ordinance,Bank of Italy Building,boutique hotels,Commercial Exchange Building,downtown Los Angeles,Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program,Freehand Hotel,Hotels,NoMad Hotel,OAI-PMH Harvest,Rehabilitation,Standard Hotel,Superior Oil Company Building,United Artists Theatre

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Breisch, Kenneth (committee chair), Drake Reitan, Meredith (committee member), Hall, Peyton (committee member)

Creator Email jressler@usc.edu,resslerj@gmail.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-390900

Unique identifier UC11666326

Identifier etd-ResslerJul-9128.pdf (filename),usctheses-c89-390900 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-ResslerJul-9128.pdf

Dmrecord 390900

Document Type Thesis

Rights Ressler, Julia A.P.

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA