Here We Go Again: The Century Plaza Hotel in Trouble

(Flickr pic by GurhanKara.)

Built in 1966, the Century Plaza Hotel — located on land formerly inhabited by 20th Century Fox, which earlier had to sell off most of its lot to resolve a financial crisis — might not live to see its 50th birthday.

As the L.A. Times reports, new owner Michael Rosenfeld would like to demolish the hotel and replace it with two high rises. Mayor Villaraigosa supports the plan, but some Westside residents, not so much.

The Century Plaza Hotel pretty much replaced the Ambassador Hotel as one of the prime go-to venue for events, banquets, etc.

The paper writes:

The 726-room Century Plaza has played host to U.S. presidents, rock stars and business moguls, and served as the location for countless galas and social functions since it was completed in 1966 as the centerpiece of an office, retail and residential development carved out of the former back lot of the 20th Century Fox film studio.

For many years the Century Plaza’s doormen wore red Beefeater costumes. The hotel’s ballrooms welcomed high-profile events, including an opening charity gala in 1966 emceed by Bob Hope, who with singer Andy Williams entertained the likes of Ronald and Nancy Reagan and Walt and Lillian Disney.

President Nixon hosted a state dinner there in 1969 for the Apollo 11 astronauts after their successful journey to the moon. In 1995, Hollywood studio head and notorious embezzler David Begelman committed suicide in a room at the hotel.

The architect was Minoru Yamasaki, who also designed New York’s World Trade Center towers.

The proposal by Los Angeles developer Michael Rosenfeld, who bought the property for $366.5 million in May, calls for razing the 19-story arc-shaped hotel on Avenue of the Stars and erecting two 50-story towers in its place. At 600 feet, they would be the tallest buildings in Century City and among the tallest in the region, with 293 condominiums, 100,000 square feet of office space, 106,000 square feet of retail space and a 240-room luxury hotel.

Is it too soon to start a “Save the Century Plaza Hotel” campaign?

C’mon Shake Your Body, Antonio, Do The Conga

My favorite Internet item of the day: Losanjealous’ multi-part series, Photos of Mayor Villaraigosa Jamming On Congas With Sheila E. At LA Live.

Primetime — Sorta — For Villaraigosa At the Democratic Convention

A lot has been made of the fact that Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa won’t have a major presence at this week’s Democratic Convention. (I suppose his whole separation and dalliance with ex-Telemundo reporter Mirthala Salinas wasn’t the kind of image they wanted to portray in primetime — particularly post-John Edwards.)

Still, da mayor got some primo primetime face time on Tuesday night thanks to his strategic seat — behind President Clinton, who seemed to be having a good time watching Hillary go attack McCain. (“No way, no how, no McCain.” Brilliant.)

Get to Know Los Angeles’ Old Time Mayors

You know Antonio Villaraigosa, remember Jim Hahn… sorta remember Richard Riordan, and Tom Bradley — that’s right, he was mayor for decades. There’s Sam Yorty and Frank Shaw… and after that, things get hazy.

I meant, but never got around to linking to this excellent piece by Robert Greene in the Los Angeles Times last month. Greene notes that formerly obscure ex-mayor Cristobal Aguilar re-entered our conciousness after Villaraigosa began running for mayor (countless news reports reminded us that Villaraigosa would be the first Latino mayor since Aguilar, in 1872).

Writes Greene:

But do you know any other Los Angeles mayors? Many L.A. residents would be able to name more mayors of New York (Bloomberg, Giuliani, Koch, Dinkins, Lindsay, LaGuardia — and no big deal if you forgot Abe Beame) or Chicago (Daley, Washington, uh, Daley) than of their own city.

Maybe that’s because Bradley was mayor for a generation and made us forget the relative short-termers who came before. In 1993, when Bradley opted against a sixth term, Los Angeles voters adopted term limits. But a good argument could be made that they weren’t needed, because before Bradley, voters tossed out one mayor after another. Who was the last pre-Bradley mayor to leave office voluntarily, without being defeated for reelection, recalled or otherwise trying to regain office?

It took Greene a while, but he digs up several contenders — and the final answer.

Revealed: The Long-Lost Fourth Jonas Brother!

Teenage heartthrobs Kevin Jonas, Joe Jonas, Antonio Jonasraigosa and Nick Jonas participate in Earth Day festivities thrown by Disney. (Photo via Disney press release.)

Ex-Mayor Gal Pal’s Fiance Wants Everyone to Know: Mirthala’s Back To Her Senses

The site’s front page — “I am Marrying my Best Friend!” shortened from the original line, “I am Marrying my Best Friend now That She has Stopped Banging the Mayor!”

There’s no better web find today than Curbed LA’s discovery of the cheesy online wedding site for Mirthala Salinas and b.f. Yanni Raz.

Mirthala, of course, made headlines last year when she started dating Antonio Villaraigosa — all while reporting on Villaraigosa’s separation from his wife as an anchor at Telemundo’s KVEA/Channel 52. (Check out Los Angeles magazine’s profile of Mirthala here.)

Well, she and the mayor broke up at the end of last year, she parted ways with Telemundo and eventually landed a new job as a morning host on Spanish talk radio 690 AM. And… she’s now engaged to marry real estate agent Raz.

Now, their site. For starters, the headline “My Woman Is Back on Track again” links to a few graphs on Mirthala’s new job at 690 AM… as well as a link to an ABC7 story about the gig. The ABC7 story’s lede? “Mirthala Salinas, the mayor’s ex-girlfriend, is back on the air and back in the news.”

OK, really? You want everyone visiting your wedding website to be reminded of Mirthala’s tawdry year in the headlines?

Now, this:

Yanni Raz Really didn’t know that his basically locking him self in “SALINAS PRISON” That’s, um, sweet?

And this:

Mirthala Salinas Understands today that the world is YANNI CHINGASSSSSSSSSSS Take that, Mayor V!

Ex-Mayor Gal Pal’s Fiance Wants Everyone to Know: Mirthala’s Back To Her Senses

The site’s front page — “I am Marrying my Best Friend!” shortened from the original line, “I am Marrying my Best Friend now That She has Stopped Banging the Mayor!”

There’s no better web find today than Curbed LA’s discovery of the cheesy online wedding site for Mirthala Salinas and b.f. Yanni Raz.

Mirthala, of course, made headlines last year when she started dating Antonio Villaraigosa — all while reporting on Villaraigosa’s separation from his wife as an anchor at Telemundo’s KVEA/Channel 52. (Check out Los Angeles magazine’s profile of Mirthala here.)

Well, she and the mayor broke up at the end of last year, she parted ways with Telemundo and eventually landed a new job as a morning host on Spanish talk radio 690 AM. And… she’s now engaged to marry real estate agent Raz.

Now, their site. For starters, the headline “My Woman Is Back on Track again” links to a few graphs on Mirthala’s new job at 690 AM… as well as a link to an ABC7 story about the gig. The ABC7 story’s lede? “Mirthala Salinas, the mayor’s ex-girlfriend, is back on the air and back in the news.”

OK, really? You want everyone visiting your wedding website to be reminded of Mirthala’s tawdry year in the headlines?

Now, this:

Yanni Raz Really didn’t know that his basically locking him self in “SALINAS PRISON” That’s, um, sweet?

And this:

Mirthala Salinas Understands today that the world is YANNI CHINGASSSSSSSSSSS Take that, Mayor V!

From Television City to Studio City: CBS Moves

CBS’ long-awaited move from Television City — its West Coast base since 1952 — to the CBS Studio Center (also known as the “Radford lot”) happens at the end of the month.

It’s been a long time coming; the network first started circulating drawings of a new CBS building in 2003; ground breaking took place (above, CBS’ Leslie Moonves, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and others) in 2005.

I write in Variety:

The new 162,000-square-foot building, which has been housing KCBS and KCAL since last April, will also lodge Eye topper Leslie Moonves’ West Coast office. It will be the home base for CBS Paramount TV Network Entertainment Group head Nancy Tellem and CBS Entertainment prexy Nina Tassler.

Much of the CBS Entertainment team will also make the move to the building, although some departments will remain at Television City. Plan is to gradually bring other staffers over in waves.

As for Television City, the historic landmark — which first opened in 1952 — isn’t in danger of disappearing. Unlike Columbia Square, which went dark after CBS sold the facility and KCBS/KCAL (plus KNX and KCBS-FM) moved out, TV City is still owned by the Eye and will remain an active facility.

In other words, contestants will still be “comin’ on down” for “The Price is Right” at TV City for the forseeable future.

By April, Fox becomes the only major broadcast net not located in the San Fernando Valley. NBC Entertainment is also moving this year, from Burbank to the Universal lot.

The Mayor Who Once Offered Great Expectations…

… is now simply urging everyone to read “Great Expectations.” The irony of this photo is unintentional, I’m sure, yet a disappointing reminder nonetheless that the mayor initially generated much excitement to the city’s top elected post; after too many missteps, those expectations are no longer so great.

(Spotted at the Central Library, and also the Eagle Rock branch.)

Creepy Photo O’ The Day

Winner: A Cirque du Soleil character known as “The Innocent” gently places his hand on Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at a Hollywood & Highland press conference.

The rather creepy AP photo was attached to this L.A. Times story about the Cirque du Soleil moving into the Kodak Theatre starting in 2010.