Vacant for more than 25 years, the two-story building on the northeast corner of Santa Monica Boulevard at Doheny Drive may finally have a new life.
Taylor Megdal of Megdal and Associates is proposing the renovation and revitalization of the building, which is at a key entry point into the City of West Hollywood from Beverly Hills.
Megdal’s proposal, which will be presented at a community meeting on Jan. 9, calls for converting the first floor into a restaurant with a take-out café and adding a small lobby which can be used by guests staying at what will be six hotel guest rooms on the second floor. There would be an outdoor dining area along Santa Monica Boulevard but no outdoor dining on the Doheny Drive side of the building.
Megdal proposes to preserve the building and is requesting that the city designate it as an historic resource. That would allow him to obtain renovation incentives under the state Mills Act. He also proposes to keep the rooftop billboard, which has been a prominent element of the building and property since its early days
A California Department of Parks and Recreation assessment of the building, which was constructed in 1924, notes that it “was constructed as a streetcar-related commercial vernacular building; however, the integrity of design, materials, and workmanship have been diminished by the alterations to the windows, doors, storefronts …. The building does not appear to retain sufficient integrity to be eligible under national or state landmark programs; however, the building appears to be individually eligible for local listing or designation through survey evaluation.”
“The building parapet exemplifies a special element of the city and possesses the distinguishing characteristics of the streetcar-related commercial historical type,” the report says. “The community’s first commercial buildings were mostly wood-framed buildings with clapboard or shiplap exteriors. In 1922, Sherman Avenue (now Santa Monica Boulevard) was widened, and many unreinforced masonry (commercial brick vernacular) buildings like 9091 Santa Monica Boulevard were constructed along the street.
“These buildings were usually unpretentious, designed by the owners or builders who were more concerned about utility than fashion. The rare remaining streetcar-related commercial buildings along historic streetcar lines such as Santa Monica Boulevard reflect the pedestrian-friendly corridors these lines
engendered.”
The report notes that 9091 Santa Monica Blvd.’s tenants have included a drug store, various retail stores and doctor’s offices.
The building, approximately 5,250 square feet in size, once had four apartments on the second floor. In addition to the six guest rooms that would replace them, Megdal proposes small outdoor terraces on the second floor and a 500 square feet area on the rooftop for use by the hotel guests. In describing it, Megdal has referenced the Hotel Covell in Silver Lake, which features five guest suites above a bar.
The community meeting will take place on Jan. 9 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the West Hollywood Library community room, 625 N. San Vicente Blvd.
I’m just glad someone is planning to do something to utilize that corner. Preserving the existing building is a great idea if they can make a go of it with the physical plant that the building offers. I’ve lived in WeHo for 22 years and that corner has been an eyesore the entire time…
Great News! I love that building. I’m glad they are doing something with it. My friend Grant owned it back in the 70’s
@RylandL I have a car, but I’ve been walking to West Hollywood restaurants, bars, banks, grocery shopping, etc. for more than 27 years. Walk-in traffic isn’t enough to sustain any restaurant in that area. Even if people could walk to it, if they are going out to a nice dinner/date etc. they may drive. I’m thrilled that any owner/developer is proposing a project here. Hey want the historical designation for the obvious property tax benefits, even if the building really isn’t something that should qualify. The building is there to hold the billboard. Period. But I’d love to see it… Read more »
Actually it was the longtime manager of the Troubadour who told me the story.I’m sure he’s still there if anyone cares to investigate. It was an intriguing story, I do remember that much. LOL…Then I believe it was CBS Outdoor who bought or leased the building just to keep their billboard on top.
There’s a story about why this building has been empty for so long but I heard it maybe 30 years ago and can’t remember the exact details. Perhaps other longtime residents will remember. I seem to recall that an owner died abruptly and the widow/family couldn’t let it go or something like that.
The last thing WeHo needs is another hotel, no matter how small. I agree parking makes this a no-go. That is why this building has been vacant for 25 yrs. As far as a historic resource, give me a break. Pretty soon, every old building will be made an historic resource. I believe this building should be torn down and made into a park with a Welcome to West Hollywood Sign on it.
@ToddBianco “It’s also on a very traffic-heavy, difficult corner. Santa Monica Blvd is wide – both the BH and WeHo sides; but with the convergence of Melrose, SMB and Doheny, it’s a cluster F%*#.” So how exactly is making it easier for guests to park at (and hence drive to) going to reduce vehicle traffic on the corridor? I have lived in a building one block west of this site (just over the boundary in BH) without a car for the last 9 years and have found it very easy to manage. There are tons of businesses, restaurants and shops… Read more »
Yes, there are parking concerns, which will probably doom any restaurant that goes in there, but kudos to the building owner for trying something. Visually the western entry to the city will be vastly improved. This contrasts greatly with a repaved gateway to Beverly Hills that will still have a fenced off median and useless land where the railroad tracks were down to BH City Hall.
Totally agree with ‘Johnjx’ as the Entry Point to WeHo. Yeah! Let it happen!
Hurray! Finally! This important corner has been an eyesore for over 20 years! The hope was that once the Melrose Triangle got approved this property would be to desirable to leave empty for too long. Very, very excited about this project. PUMP, the new Bottega Louie, Cafe d’Etoile, they all managed to get by with no parking lot and I don’t see this is a huge issue as the Melrose Triangle cleared its final legal hurdle and will be built shortly -a la tons more parking.
It would appear that the billboard will cast a permanent shadow every afternoon over the rooftop deck. It definitely will block views for guests who might wish to enjoy watching the sunset. Otherwise, I think that making this building useful again is something that is long overdue. Considering that we will have a new gateway complex on the south side of the boulevard, an equally appropriate building should complement it on the north side, eliminating the shabbiness of the western entrance to our city.
@Manny – yeah, despite the utopian vision of no one driving a car to a restaurant or no hotel guest needing a rental car, for the near and mid future, there needs to be parking provisions. We don’t know how long it will be for the Meltose Triangle project to be open or what it will cost to park there if not patronizing a business there. A primary reason no business has opened there is the paucity of parking and the difficulties with parking. To think that all the patrons will be walking or taking Lyft is wishful thinking.