Laguna Beach Planning Commission OKs Pacific Edge Hotel Remodel

By Lou Ponsi, Special to the Independent

The Planning Commission on Wednesday unanimously recommended the approval of a much-needed makeover for the Pacific Edge Hotel, a renovation that includes construction of a new building and 25 additional guest rooms and a more cohesive design for the 102,500 square foot property.

These additional rooms would bring the total to 156.

Commissioners’ vote of approval arrived after more than three hours of discussion, with some concern voiced by nearby residents saying the revamped resort could bring more traffic and noise.

Situated on the ocean side of South Coast Highway with additional buildings across Sleepy Hollow Lane, the project includes the remodel of nine existing structures.

“It’s had a lot of deferred maintenance over the years and is definitely in need of an upgrade,” Commissioner Ken Sadler said. “There are so many positive things about this proposal.”

Since the buildings that make up the resort were constructed over a 30-year period from the early 1930s to the 1960s, the properties will be redesigned to include similar architectural details, landscaping and color themes.

Architects for project are Rocky Rockefeller and Morris Skenderian of Highgate Hotels.

“I  think  the consistency  among the buildings that they are looking to achieve will be a dramatic improvement on the beach side, and perhaps more importantly on the Pacific Coast Highway side,” commissioner Steven Goldman said. “I thought it was a very thought-out project.”

The lobby will be relocated from the Coast Building, which faces Coast Highway, to the Villa Building, which is situated between the beachfront and Sleepy Hollow.

The new lobby will feature a café with indoor and outdoor seating and a new fitness room.

“The idea of doing the cafe in front is a really cool idea,” commissioner Steve Kellenberg said. “It’s going to enhance that street scene It’s going to be a new gathering place in town and enhance that neighborhood. I’m really excited to this level of investment in our town on a property and bring it up to the next level.”

Three guest rooms will be added to Seas Building along Sleepy Hollow and the existing footbridge and driveway ramp along the Coast Highway will be replaced with a pedestrian ramp.

The remodel of the upper-level, ocean-facing Driftwood Kitchen Restaurant will accommodate 62 additional seats. A valet pick-up and drop-off area is being relocated to the 35-room Surf Building along Sleepy Hollow.

“While it does have some issues that were discussed, I think it’s a significant improvement to the current operation of the hotel in terms of moving guests around and more importantly getting in and out for safety and does not have negative impact on traffic,” Goldman said.

Seven parking spaces are also being added to the area to accommodate the hotel lobby and restaurants.

Commissioner Jorg Dubin said the project was a fine example of an upgrade to an aging and inconsistent complex.

“I think all the people who have been working on this have really put together a program that is going to take a resort complex and not only unify it but make it look like something that we can all be really proud of,” Dubin said.

Susan McLintock Whitin, chair of the Planning Commission, said the new resort would join the Montage and Surf and Sand as destination resorts.

“What they are doing here is taking a collection of buildings and weaving them together into a true destination, creating a campus that has a center organizing spine which is Sleepy Hollow,” she said. “[It’s] providing the lateral beach access all along the frontage and creating this public eye on the street where we have this really sweet coastal garden that invites people,” Whitin said.

Much of the discussion centered around whether the resort should be completely shut down during construction or whether construction should take place in segments, while portions of the property remain open.

The architectural firm has proposed shutting down the resort during the duration of construction so that construction materials and vehicles can be contained on-site to limit impacts on neighbors.

Some commissioners expressed compassion towards employees who might be out of work for an extended period.

The City Council still needs to sign off on the project.