Trendy Hotel Checks Into Iconic Hollywood and Vine

Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street is an iconic intersection that fell into disrepair decades ago, yet has remained a pop culture symbol as the destination for Hollywood dreamers.
By: ALEXA HYLAND: Los Angeles Business Journal Online
Now, Dallas developer Gatehouse Capital is bringing back all that glory with its $350million W Hollywood Hotel & Residences project framing a Metro Red Line subway station.

Subway riders emerging from the Hollywood and Vine stop will be greeted by the sight of a 12-story building, stores, lush landscaping and huge graphics.

“If we can combine an iconic location like Hollywood and Vine, with the ability to get downtown in 10 minutes or up to Universal (Studios) in five, we are all over that,” said Marty Collins, chief executive of Gatehouse.

Extra care went into integrating the preexisting subway façade into the surrounding W Hotel and condominiums. Architecture firm HKS Inc. reconfigured the entrance and exits of the subway station but didn’t alter any of its underground features.

The incorporation of the subway entrance is one reason why the mixed-use project has captured attention. Local officials are hoping that the accessibility of the station will encourage residents and tourists to use the subway system.

“Instead of trying of trying to create a wall or distance between the subway and the brand, they are actually embracing it,” said Kerry Morrison, executive director of the Hollywood Entertainment District, a business improvement district that spans much of Hollywood Boulevard.

Nearly a decade ago, Collins and his team began scouting spots in Hollywood where they could build a W, a trendy hotel operated by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. At the time, construction of the Hollywood subway was just being completed, and people were only beginning to talk about developing projects along public transportation corridors.

“We like the vision thing,” Collins said. “We would prefer the risk of being the first mover than the liability of being a late entrance.”

Gatehouse and development partner HEI Hotels & Resort, a hospitality specialist that came on board in 2005 and provided funding, forged ahead with their plan to build a 305-room luxury hotel paired with 143 luxury condominiums – penthouses top out at $8 million.

The result: a twin-tower contemporary building that features a French brasserie, two rooftop pools as well as an outdoor movie screen.

The condominium residents can choose from five different floor plans averaging 1,608 square feet. Kitchens feature designer Kuppersbusch ovens and stoves, and Subzero wine coolers. Bathrooms are outfitted with Kohler cast-iron bathtubs and Brazilian fossilized limestone floors.

Although the development promises to offer the height of luxury, Collins said the most important amenity of the project is the subway stop.

“We think it adds a huge amenity to buyers or any hotel customer,” he said. “It anchors the project and gives it a sense of space.”

OUTSTANDING PROJECT

W Hollywood Hotel & Residences

Intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street, Hollywood

Developer: Gatehouse Capital, Dallas

Description: 305 hotel rooms, 143 condominiums, 50,000 square feet of retail space atop the Hollywood and Vine Metro Red Line station. Fall 2009 projected opening.

Key Fact: Site will feature a 3,500-square-foot outdoor lounge with a movie screen.