SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The Lafayette Hotel and Swim Club closed its doors to the public Saturday, so the final phases of a massive restoration project, expected to be completed by May 2023, can begin.
Consortium Holdings Projects bought the property three years ago, and it says the top-to-bottom renovations will cost $26 million.
The company says its goal is to create an all-encompassing, immersive oasis in the heart of North Park.
CH Projects founder Arsalun Tafazoli says the hotel restoration is an aspirational project.
"As the world becomes more corporatized we yearn for more individual places. We like environments that are independently operated and designed, so you can feel the heart and soul of the people behind the project,” says Tafazoli. “We want to bring the property back to what it was built for, as a destination social and entertainment hub for the citizens of San Diego and those who visit. Hotels seem like a natural progression for us, as I feel food and beverage is always the quintessence of a great hotel.”
According to the press release, the Lafayette was a dining and drinking destination for 1940s and 1950s Hollywood elite.
"The vision is to bolster the property far beyond its heyday," the press release says.
CH Projects hopes the new Lafayette can be a place where visitors and locals can connect with San Diego in a more intimate way.
The Brooklyn-based Post Company will design the new Lafayette, which CH Projects says will be meticulous in design, ornate and distinctive in each of its spaces.
When the renovation is complete, there will be seven food and beverage outlets on the hotel grounds. CH Projects says the second phase will expand the property's work and wellness venues, including a cold plunge and sauna.
San Diego residents will have membership options to regularly access those facilities.
"Creating a truly immersive experience The Lafayette seeks to be an escape and a destination for travelers and locals that is both timeless and evokes present and past cultural touchpoints for all that enter," the press release says.
The Lafayette's address is 2223 El Cajon Blvd. in San Diego.
