Proposed for Demolition, Century Plaza Hotel Gains Historical Significance

"Opened in 1966 as the centerpiece of Century City, the 19-story curved hotel has been a prominent Los Angeles landmark for more than four decades," the Trust explains in background materials. "From its prime perch fronting the spectacular fountains on the Avenue of the Stars, the Century Plaza's sweeping modern design strongly evokes the exuberant optimism of the 1960s. Designed by renowned architect Minoru Yamasaki, who would later design New York's World Trade Center twin towers, the hotel incorporates Yamasaki's ornamental, textural and sculptural trademarks. Yamasaki also designed the 1975 twin Century Plaza towers, the striking triangular buildings east of the hotel."

Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation scolded the ides of destroying the hotel. "How is the demolition of a 40-year-old, fully functioning building environmentally responsible? In a state known for its environmental stewardship and strong focus on sustainable development, it boggles the imagination to think a developer could propose tearing down a newly renovated, thriving hotel - a landmark of modern architecture - and replace it with new construction."