by Mark McDermott
A nine-room, 4,494 square foot hotel, developed by longtime local property owner Tony Choueke and designed by architect Louie Tomaro, will replace a real estate office in downtown Manhattan Beach.
The Planning Commission unanimously approved the hotel, located at 1145 Highland Avenue, at its July meeting. Tomaro told the council its inspiration came from Choueke’s travels in Europe.
“Tony has obviously owned property all around the city, but also travels extensively, and I think what he is trying to do is to create what he sees when he travels overseas, these very quaint hotels that you find throughout any Mediterranean village,” Tomaro said. “I think he’s trying to create that and create more of a European flavor to the structure, right? It’s very symmetrical, balanced, versus, you know, the stark contrast of a very contemporary library structure. He’s trying to make it feel homey and cozy.”
The hotel does not include a bar or restaurant, but just in-room alcohol services.
Jill Lampkin, president of the Downtown Business and Professional Association, said the business community welcomes the hotel. She specifically praised Choueke, who owns the properties that house the Chocolate Factory and Shellback Tavern as well as a hair boutique, all in the downtown area.
“We appreciate the fact that we are losing two ground floor office spaces for this because generally speaking, we feel like that is not a draw for the other retailers in town and a boutique hotel of this caliber will definitely be good for the businesses,” Lampkin said. “The applicant has proven themselves for years as wonderful landlords downtown, very considerate of their tenants and of other businesses. And we very much appreciate that he has made a special effort not to include food and beverage service, which is great because that, you know, provides us with nine hotel rooms that are going to be bringing people to the other businesses in the area.”
Commissioner Jim Dilavou likewise welcomed the hotel. He said the fact that both Choueke and Tomaro are local is evident in the design of the hotel.
“I think this is the type of project, the type of applicant, and the type of architect that we want in Manhattan Beach,” he said. “There are always out of town groups looking to invest and develop in Manhattan Beach, and there’s clearly a shortage of hotels. It’s scary when outdoor developers come in and try to propose things in Manhattan Beach.”
Choueke, in an interview, said his inspiration was less about his travels to Europe and more about the feeling he has when he comes home.
“That’s Louie’s version,” he said of the architect’s reference to his being inspired by Mediterranean villages. “But my version is more about doing something right here, you know? I’m not so worried about Italy or some other area. We live in the best area right here, so why not make the best of it, right? I mean, we don’t need to look further. Go anywhere in the world, and it’s wonderful to come back here.”
Choueke said his main inspiration was to add something that helped the community keep growing in a good way.
“You want positive change, right? I mean, think about all the people who came here early in the 1900s. They saw a beach here, and they built a beautiful community here, and they built a hotel and all kinds of things down here. What are we doing? That’s what I want to know.”
“You know, I’m almost 80 years old right now, so I’m not caring about fame or fortune or prestige. I don’t care about all that. I just want to do something.”
Choueke hopes to complete the hotel construction in two years. The hotel is as yet unnamed. “When it all starts coming together, the name will suggest itself,” he said. “I believe in organic growth, that once we start doing it, the name will come.”
He said the balance he hopes to strike with any development is to add to the community without taking anything away from the best of what it already is. He noted that the Chocolate Factory, on 13th Street, is so well liked that people take photos in front of it, while the nail salon and boutique, also on Highland, is a local community hub.
“It’s very popular, full of people all the time, and the building is very beautiful,” he said. “And so there are some buildings we shouldn’t touch, like the Shellback Tavern — I own that one, too. We should do things that 20 years from now, people say, ‘Oh, that’s a nice building. We shouldn’t tear it down.’” ER
