The Town House

The Town House is a large historic property on Wilshire Boulevard beside Lafayette Park in the Westlake area of Los Angeles. Although its name and much of its public identity are associated with the hotel business, the building is no longer a conventional hotel. It was converted into low-income housing in the early 2000s and remains an adaptive-reuse residential property. The building was developed by oil magnate Edward Doheny as one of Southern California's most ambitious apartment-hotels for affluent residents. Designed by architect Norman W. Alpaugh, it was completed at a reported cost of $3 million and opened on September 11, 1929. Its late Beaux-Arts design uses a brick and terra-cotta exterior with classical detailing. The apartment-hotel concept combined private residential units with hospitality services, including restaurants, room service, maid service, recreational facilities and other amenities intended to attract wealthy long-term occupants. The property experienced financial difficulties soon after opening. The Wilshire-Commonwealth Corporation, which operated the building, underwent financial restructuring, and creditors accepted stock in settlement of debts. Further financial pressure emerged during the 1930s, including a substantial debt to Metropolitan Life Insurance. In 1937, Metropolitan Life sold the property to the Kirkeby Hotel Company, and the building was converted to operate exclusively as a hotel. Under Kirkeby ownership, the Town House developed a reputation for glamour and entertainment. The Zebra Room, designed by Wayne McAllister, became one of the city's best-known hotel bars, while the property continued to offer unusually extensive residential and leisure amenities. Conrad Hilton acquired the property in 1942 by combining a cash payment with the assumption of existing debt. The hotel later became associated with high-profile social events, including Elizabeth Taylor's 1950 wedding celebration to Conrad Hilton Jr. Sheraton Hotels acquired it in 1954 and initially operated it as the Sheraton-Town House. In 1958, the name changed to Sheraton-West Hotel. The Kyo-Ya group purchased the property in 1972, while Sheraton retained management. The hotel name returned to Sheraton-Town House in 1978. From the 1960s through the 1980s, the surrounding Lafayette Park and Westlake area experienced increasing social and economic difficulties. The 1992 Los Angeles Riots further affected the neighborhood, and the hotel closed in February 1993. Rather than being demolished, the property was acquired by developer Rob MacLeod and rehabilitated by Killefer Flammang Architects. The 255-room hotel was converted into 142 low-income housing units under a 55-year affordability covenant and reopened in December 2001. The Town House's historic role was formally recognized when it became a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1994 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. In 2017, the northern portion of the broader 1.8-acre site, which had contained abandoned tennis courts and a parking area, was redeveloped as Next on Sixth, a separate 398-unit apartment complex. The original Town House building is currently associated with affordable housing rather than hotel operations, making it an example of historic preservation through residential adaptive reuse.

The Town House was conceived in the late 1920s as an upscale apartment-hotel on Wilshire Boulevard beside Lafayette Park in Los Angeles. Oil magnate Edward Doheny developed the project, which was designed by Norman W. Alpaugh in a late Beaux-Arts style. The building opened on September 11, 1929, after an investment reported at approximately $3 million. Its brick and terra-cotta facade, classical ornament and extensive amenities reflected the ambitions of luxury residential hospitality in pre-Depression Southern California. Rather than functioning solely as a conventional hotel, the original property offered affluent residents private apartments combined with hotel services. Its facilities included restaurants, room service, maid service, a roof solarium, a putting green, tennis courts and, later, an outdoor swimming pool. Prominent occupants included Byron H. Canfield, chairman of the Scripps-Canfield newspapers. The property encountered financial difficulties shortly after opening. The Wilshire-Commonwealth Corporation faced reorganization, and creditors accepted company stock in payment of debts. Financial problems continued during the mid-1930s, when the corporation sought protection in federal court and owed Metropolitan Life Insurance a reported $720,000 in late 1934. Metropolitan Life announced the sale of the property to the Kirkeby Hotel Company in July 1937 for approximately $1 million. Kirkeby converted the building from an apartment-hotel into an exclusively hotel-operated property. Its Zebra Room, designed by Wayne McAllister, became an important part of the hotel's entertainment identity. Conrad Hilton purchased the Town House in 1942 from Arnold Kirkeby, paying $150,000 in cash and assuming $830,000 in debt. During the Hilton era, the property continued to serve as a prominent Los Angeles hotel. Elizabeth Taylor's first wedding celebration, following her marriage to Conrad Hilton Jr. in 1950, took place at the hotel. Sheraton Hotels acquired the building in 1954. It initially used the Sheraton-Town House name, changed it to Sheraton-West Hotel in 1958, and later restored the Sheraton-Town House name in 1978. The Kyo-Ya group bought the property in 1972, although Sheraton retained management. Four tennis courts were added at the rear in 1976. The neighborhood around Lafayette Park became less desirable and more dangerous from the 1960s through the 1980s. The 1992 Los Angeles Riots contributed to the property's decline, and the hotel closed in February 1993. The building was nearly demolished, but developer Rob MacLeod acquired it and commissioned Killefer Flammang Architects to undertake a preservation-oriented conversion. The former 255-room hotel reopened in December 2001 with 142 low-income housing units governed by a 55-year covenant. The Town House was designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1994 and entered the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. In 2017, the northern part of the 1.8-acre site was redeveloped as Next on Sixth, a separate 398-unit apartment project incorporating the former tennis-court and parking areas. The original building is currently owned by the Central Valley Coalition for Affordable Housing and operates as affordable housing rather than as a hotel.

• 2017

  Northern site redeveloped

  [1]The Town House (Los Angeles)en.wikipedia.org

  Next on Sixth, a separate 398-unit apartment complex, is built on the northern portion of the property.

• 2001

  Affordable-housing conversion completed

  [1]The Town House (Los Angeles)en.wikipedia.org

  The rehabilitated building reopens with 142 low-income housing units under a 55-year covenant.

• 1997

  National Register listing

  [1]The Town House (Los Angeles)en.wikipedia.org

  The Town House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

• 1994

  Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument designation

  [1]The Town House (Los Angeles)en.wikipedia.org

  The building receives local historic designation.

• 1993

  Hotel closure

  [1]The Town House (Los Angeles)en.wikipedia.org

  The hotel closes in February after prolonged neighborhood and operating difficulties.

• 1972

  Kyo-Ya acquisition

  [1]The Town House (Los Angeles)en.wikipedia.org

  Kyo-Ya acquires the property while Sheraton continues management.

• 1954

  Sheraton ownership begins

  [1]The Town House (Los Angeles)en.wikipedia.org

  Sheraton Hotels purchases the hotel and introduces the Sheraton-Town House identity.

• 1942

  Conrad Hilton acquisition

  [1]The Town House (Los Angeles)en.wikipedia.org

  Conrad Hilton acquires the property from Arnold Kirkeby.

• 1937

  Conversion to a conventional hotel

  [1]The Town House (Los Angeles)en.wikipedia.org

  After its sale to Kirkeby Hotel Company, the property begins operating exclusively as a hotel.

• 1929

  The Town House opens

  [1]The Town House (Los Angeles)en.wikipedia.org

  The luxury apartment-hotel opens on September 11 on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles.

Originally positioned as an upscale apartment-hotel combining private residences with hotel services, The Town House later became a glamorous full-service hotel and is now positioned primarily as a preserved historic affordable-housing property.

• Hospitality · 1929

  The Town House apartment-hotel

  The original offering combined private apartment-style accommodation with hotel services for affluent residents. Units were supported by restaurants, room service, maid service and extensive recreational facilities, including a roof solarium, putting green, tennis courts and swimming pool.

• Hospitality · 1937

  The Town House hotel

  From 1937 until its closure in 1993, the property operated as a conventional hotel. Its identity included the Zebra Room bar and a reputation for glamorous social and entertainment events.

• Residential housing · 2001

  The Town House affordable housing

  The preserved former hotel was converted into 142 low-income housing units. The residential reuse retained the historic building while placing it under a 55-year affordability covenant.

• 2001

  Adaptive reuse as low-income housingStrategy

  Background

  The hotel had closed in 1993 and faced possible demolition despite its architectural and historical significance.

  Action taken

  Developer Rob MacLeod and Killefer Flammang Architects converted the 255-room hotel into 142 low-income housing units under a 55-year covenant.

  Aftermath

  The building reopened in December 2001 as an affordable-housing property, preserving the historic structure while ending its hotel operation.

  Source

• 1937

  Convert the apartment-hotel into an exclusive hotelStrategy

  Background

  The property had faced financial difficulties and changed ownership after Metropolitan Life's sale to Kirkeby Hotel Company.

  Action taken

  The new owner converted the building to operate exclusively as a hotel.

  Aftermath

  The property developed a stronger conventional-hotel and entertainment identity, including the Zebra Room.

  Reported sale price. approximately $1 million (1937)

  Source

1. 1The Town House (Los Angeles)en.wikipedia.org