After welcoming tourists and travelers for decades, the Hollywood Premiere Motel could be the first of its kind to be designated as a Los Angeles historic landmark.
Easily recognized by its iconic neon-colored sign, the motel has offered visitors a cheap place to stay near popular tourist attractions, including the Walk of Fame and the Griffith Observatory, since the 1960s.
Cultural Heritage Commission
Cultural Heritage Commission
Source: Cultural Heritage Commission
The Los Angeles City Council will vote Wednesday on whether or not to give the landmark status.
“This place is a survivor – still standing after decades of change in Hollywood,” Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez said in a Tuesday statement.
According to a recommendation report from the Cultural Heritage Commission, the motel, designed by Joyce Miller, is a “highly intact and rare example” of a 1960s motel that accompanied automobile tourism.
Cultural Heritage Commission
Cultural Heritage Commission
Source: Cultural Heritage Commission
As car ownership became more widespread after World War II, the property offered a place for tourists to stay during road trips, the commission said, with easy connections to freeways and attractions.
Tourists in the 21st century are not as impressed with the motel, which has earned a 1.7 rating on Trip Advisor.
Soto-Martínez acknowledged the rating but said the council doesn’t judge “landmarks by thread count.”
Cultural Heritage Commission
Cultural Heritage Commission
Source: Cultural Heritage Commission
The Hollywood Premiere represents the evolution of motel designs to the chain model, according to the report, exemplified by its two-story height and parking. The report found that the property has only received minor altercations and retains its significance as a 1960s motel.
The hotel and its Googie-style sign has been featured in TV and music videos, with appearances in “Twin Peaks,” “Fargo” and Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling” music video.