Public Gets a Look at the Historic Boyle Hotel

August 1, 2012 By

A before-renovation look at the historic Boyle Hotel

Los Angeles – With the  former Boyle Hotel’s renovation complete, project proponents Monday removed the black construction screen that hid the historic building from public view for the past year and let people get a gander, reported The Eastsider.

The Victorian-era structure at 101 N. Boyle Ave. includes a turret, arches, and a domed cupola atop the four-story brick building. The East Los Angeles Community Corp., a nonprofit develop, restored the Italianate-style building, The Eastsider reported.

The revamp, aimed at transforming the hotel into affordable housing, cost around $25 million.

ELAC, the Boyle Heights group noted for affordable housing projects, purchased the hotel, built in 1889, for $3.1 million in 2007, the Los Angeles Times reported.  The nonprofit wanted to thwart the kind of gentrification that has taken place in downtown Los Angeles.

Before the facelift, the then rundown building served as a seasonal home for mariachi musicians from Mexico, who lived in the old hotel during their peak season for parties and weddings, the Times reported.

– Photo by The City Project, Flickr Creative Commons

 

 

Filed Under: Affordable Housing, Historic, Los Angeles, News, Revitalization
Avatar of Melanie Johnson About Melanie Johnson

Melanie Johnson, a Southern California based writer, works as an editor for an online media company. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English (1997) from Cal Poly Pomona and a master’s degree in journalism (1999) from Syracuse University. Melanie has worked the bulk of her 13-year career in newspapers, including stints at the San Bernardino Sun and the Press-Enterprise in Riverside. She has covered a wide variety of beats, including city government and education. She also has worked as a freelance writer and editor.