Introduction to the Rescinded Hotel Approval
The Los Angeles City Council has put the kibosh on an approved hotel proposal in the heart of Hollywood.
Council members voted to formally rescind the 2019 approval of a proposal from Relevant Group to build a hotel at 6221 Selma Avenue, Urbanize Los Angeles reported. If completed, it would have turned more than 20,000 square feet of existing commercial space into an eight-story, 114-room hotel with a nearly 2,000-square-foot rooftop restaurant and 22,000 square feet of ground-floor retail.
The pulled plans come after Sunset Landmark Investment filed a lawsuit against Relevant last year over the development. The developer was concerned that Relevant’s hotel would have been built atop the Tao Restaurant and its three-level parking garage, implying that the project had been split in two and was being “piecemealed” to reduce its perceived impacts under the California Environmental Quality Act. Sunset Landmark, as the owners of a neighboring property, filed the suit ostensibly out of environmental concerns.
Background of the Project
The court found that the project might have a significant impact on air quality.
Relevant worked for four years on a mitigated negative declaration that proved the development was environmentally sound. Sunset filed a motion asking the court to enter judgment in the case, arguing too much time had passed to comply with the court order. The court ordered the city to set aside and invalidate its approvals of the project in March 2025, with a June 12 deadline to comply.
It would’ve been Relevant’s latest hotel project in Hollywood in recent years following the completion of the Dream hotel in 2017 and the Tommie and the Thompson hotels in 2021. In 2023, Relevant turned the Tommie and the Thompson over to lenders following foreclosure on the properties. The 212-room Tommie has since been rebranded as the Hollywood Volume, now a Marriott Tribute Portfolio property at 6516 Selma Avenue, and the 190-room Thompson is under Hyatt leadership at 1541 Wilcox Avenue.
The Dream, located at 6417 Selma Avenue next door to where the now-scuttled hotel would have risen, remains in Relevant’s portfolio.
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Conclusion
The Los Angeles City Council’s decision to rescind the approval of the hotel project at 6221 Selma Avenue is a significant setback for Relevant Group. The project had been in the works for several years, and its cancellation will likely have a significant impact on the local hospitality industry. The decision also highlights the importance of environmental considerations in development projects and the need for developers to carefully navigate the regulatory landscape.
FAQs
Q: What was the proposed hotel project at 6221 Selma Avenue?
A: The proposed hotel project was an eight-story, 114-room hotel with a nearly 2,000-square-foot rooftop restaurant and 22,000 square feet of ground-floor retail.
Q: Why was the hotel project approval rescinded?
A: The hotel project approval was rescinded due to a lawsuit filed by Sunset Landmark Investment, which claimed that the project would have a significant impact on air quality.
Q: What other hotel projects has Relevant Group completed in Hollywood?
A: Relevant Group has completed several hotel projects in Hollywood, including the Dream hotel in 2017 and the Tommie and Thompson hotels in 2021.
Q: What is the current status of the Tommie and Thompson hotels?
A: The Tommie hotel has been rebranded as the Hollywood Volume, a Marriott Tribute Portfolio property, and the Thompson hotel is under Hyatt leadership.
