Hip event spaces aren’t hard to find in Los Angeles, but The Hotel Wilshire, now operated by Kimpton Hotels, has a unique history. The hotel is located in a former medical office building and was recently LEED Silver certified after an extensive transformation. “Kimpton as a company is very vocal about its green programs, so they fit well with the adaptive-reuse nature of the property,” says General Manager Ashley Gochnauer.
“The boutique hotel is great for cocktail hours and small receptions,” she says, highlighting the boardroom, an open atrium area and bookable rooftop space with amazing city views.
Guests will notice little of the original building, which was constructed in the 1950’s and sat vacant for many years. The side of the building that faces the street was replaced with a striking new glass storefront.
OSM Investment Company led the renovation and Executive Vice President Spence Mitchum was involved throughout the duration of the project. He explains that this was the OSM’s first adaptive re-use undertaking in the hospitality realm, and that progress was helped along by the City of Los Angeles’ recent broadening of their building re-use program, which now accepts projects from all across the city on a case-by-case basis, granting certain exceptions and streamlined permitting.
“There is no question that there are benefits to adaptive reuse projects, both to the community and the environment,” Mitchum says.