Century Plaza Hotel

The Century Plaza Hotel has quite a history - but its future is uncertain.

When Presidents Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan or George Bush visited Los Angeles, they often stayed at the Century Plaza Hotel, in Century City - just a short drive from Beverly Hills. It was even nicknamed "The Western White House" during the Reagan era.

As a result, it wasn't unusual to see demonstrators filling the posh Avenue of the Stars, hoping to get the President's attention - or at least make the six o'clock news. In June of 1967, over 10,000 protesters filled the streets outside the hotel, marking President Johnson's attendance at a fund-raiser.

President Bill Clinton usually preferred to stay at the homes of his Hollywood friends, but he stayed here several times too, and he delivered the keynote address to the National Education Association at the Century Plaza, with Elton John and Rod Stewart entertaining on stage.

(President Obama worked out at the hotel's Equinox gym, but when in town, he stayed at the Beverly Hilton - the same as John F. Kennedy.)

The Century Plaza is a grand hotel, its nineteen stories forming a sweeping crescent fronting the spectacular fountains on Avenue of the Stars, and the landmark twin towers across the street.

Until a few years ago, the hotel also sat across from the ABC Entertainment Center and the Shubert Theatre. Both, however, have been torn down and replaced by the imposing glass "2000 Wilshire" project, which stands between the Avenue and the twin towers. (It now houses the prestigious Creative Artists Agency, which represents some of the biggest names in Hollywood.)

And as host of various social affairs and award dinners throughout the year, the hotel saw such celebrity guests as Meg Ryan, Sharon Stone, Tom Hanks, Magic Johnson, Burt Reynolds, Jane Seymour, Robert Stack, Dennis Franz, Tommy Lasorda, Barbara Eden, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. Other celebs who have passed through the Century Plaza's doors include Cary Grant, Bob Hope, Irene Dunne, Debbie Reynolds, Jack Benny and the Supremes.

In 1969, Nixon hosted the Apollo 11 Astronauts, at a party here celebrating Man's first landing on the moon. In the 70's, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. of the Fifth Dimension, were married and took off in a hot-air balloon from the Century Plaza Hotel parking lot ("Up, Up, and Away"). In 1980, the Victory Party in honor of newly-elected President Ronald Reagan was held in the Los Angeles Ballroom (as was his re-election party in 1984). In 1995, former Columbia Studios president David Begelman * committed suicide in a room at the Plaza.

In 1984, the hotel opened the new, 30-story tower on the hotel's south side, adding 322 additional posh guest rooms, for a total of over 1,046 rooms - making it one of the largest hotels in Southern California.  It's ideally situated between Beverly Hills and Santa Monica, just a short drive to Rodeo Drive.

In 2000, that tower was sold to new owners and renamed the St. Regis Hotel.  Despite beng a relatively new building, the St. Regis was torn down in 2006, and was being replaced with a 41-story luxury condo tower.  The condos will sell for prices ranging from $2 million to $25 million.

In 2009, the owners announced their intention to tear down the Century Plaza Hotel, and replace it with two 600-foot, multi-use towers . However, the plan ran into immediate opposition from a variety of groups - including from preservationists, who named the Century Plaza as one of "America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places".

In February of 2010, new plans were announced, preserving the Century Plaza hotel, and adding new buildings nearby.

Construction finally began on that massive project in 2017, and it is expected to be completed in 2019. The plans call for the preservation of the landmark Century Plaza Hotel, and the addition (behind the hotel) of twin 46-story towers - which should somewhat resemble, in their triangular shape, the existing Twin Towers across the street. The new towers will add a total of 300 luxury condominiums, described by the developers (Fairmont Hotels) as "the most elegant condominium homes ever built in Los Angeles".

( While you're in the area, a short walk to the northwest will take you to the Century City Shopping Center, an upscale mall with a celebrity following of its own. And just a few blocks to the south is the historic movie studio of 20th Century Fox. )

 Getting there: From Rodeo Drive, turn southwest on Santa Monica Boulevard, and go about one mile to Avenue of the stars. Turn left (south) on Avenue of the stars, and go one long block, to just past Constellation Boulevard. The hotel will be on your right (west) side, near the towering fountains. 

[ For more information about this subject, you can access the
Century Plaza's official website at: www.thecenturyplaza.com.]