Whenever I hear of another landmark in downtown Los Angeles being restored back to its former glory I smile. It is pretty well known that L.A.'s downtown district is going through a revitalization as of late, but what tugs at my heartstrings is that each and every building has a story just waiting to be told.
The Hotel Stowell is no exception. Built in 1913, this downtown Los Angeles hotel was once the home of Charlie Chaplin and was at one time considered the epicenter to the banking district known as the Wall Street of the West. After an extensive $25.7 million restoration by Downtown Properties, that lasted three years, its Gothic Revival and Art Nouveau features are now a feast for the eyes once again. Although the building now is home to trendy loft condominiums (The El Dorado Lofts- priced incredibly well at $200,000+) the lobby's columns and walls feature prized tiles produced in the early 1900s by the Pasadena-based Batchelder-Wilson Company. It is a joy to see a building, that was shuttered since 1992, spring back to life and add to the beauty and history of downtown Los Angeles.
Photos: www.eldoradolofts.com
