Diane Keaton rallied to save Ennis House![\"Century](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/06cc871b611a647b5a7473454b2bc4bd.jpeg\"\/)
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Century Plaza Hotel in Century City, California – LA Conservancy\/Yamasaki Associates<\/p>\n
Diane Keaton’s activism continued with better results for the Ennis House and the Century Plaza Hotel, two sites that visitors can visit today.\u00a0Standing like a forgotten temple, the 6,000-square foot Ennis House with its Mayan Revival-style facade is a familiar site from more than 80 appearances in movies and television shows including “Blade Runner,” “Beverly Hills Cop II,” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” Well-known for its distinctive construction using 27,000\u00a0buff-colored, textured concrete blocks, the 1924\u00a0residence\u00a0(designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and built by his son, Lloyd)\u00a0made the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s\u00a0list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in 2005. Keaton, a trustee for the non-profit,\u00a0called on the Hollywood community, which had benefitted from this home, to give back in the form of financial support.\u00a0That lead to the establishment of the Ennis House Foundation and the collection of $6 million for repairs.<\/p>\n
Eventually, the foundation sold the home to billionaire Ron Burkle for less than a third of the asking price at $4.5 million in 2011.\u00a0In turn, he poured another $17 million into the house and sold it for $18 million to a limited liability company tied to cannabis entrepreneurs.\u00a0In partnership with the LA Conservancy,\u00a0the private home is available for tours 12 days out of the year.\u00a0Of course, you can always drive by or hike to the home located just steps from Griffith Park,\u00a0home to\u00a0a breathtaking hike to Griffith Observatory<\/a>\u00a0as well as the Hollywood Sign.<\/p>\n A star-studded hotel survives The gardens at the Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills – Barry Winiker\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Another property which is more easily accessible is the 19-story Century Plaza Hotel built in 1966\u00a0which has weathered many storms in the hospitality industry and financial markets.\u00a0Designed by Minoru Yamasaki, the hotel and its 750 rooms attracted high-profile gatherings like the Emmys and the Grammys\u00a0as well as a\u00a0Democratic fundraiser headlined by President Lyndon Johnson in 1967, a state dinner for the Apollo 11 astronauts hosted by President Richard Nixon in 1969, and President Ronald Reagan’s re-election celebration in 1984.<\/p>\n When Woodbridge Capital Partners bought the building and announced its plans in 2008\u00a0to raze it for a new mixed-use development,\u00a0the news set off alarm bells. Working with the LA Conservancy, Diane Keaton headlined a press conference announcing the hotel was added to the National Trust’s “endangered list.”<\/p>\n In 2013, a deal was struck with\u00a0the hotel which involved slimming the room count to 400 while\u00a0adding two new towers, retail space, and more pedestrian access.\u00a0Now called the Fairmount Century Plaza and owned by the Reuben Brothers, who rescued the entire project from foreclosure in 2023, you can stay at the hotel, savor a spa massage, relax at the bar, or benefit from proximity\u00a0to the world-famous luxury shops of Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills<\/a>\u00a0—\u00a0just two blocks from the hotel’s front door.\u00a0After hitting up those brand-name boutiques, go witness the majesty of another historic landmark in this affluent city by visiting the manicured grounds of one of the most filmed locations, the Greystone Mansion\u00a0& Gardens,<\/a>\u00a0the former 1928 estate built for Ned Doheny, the son of oil tycoon Edward Doheny.<\/p>\n Ready to discover more hidden gems and expert travel tips? Subscribe to our free newsletter<\/a> for access to the world’s best-kept travel secrets.<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/448063aa19736f294588131ed285ad5c.jpeg\"\/)
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