 | ||
Part 1 the standard hotels bright young things
The Standard Hotels are a group of five boutique hotels in Los Angeles (Hollywood and Downtown LA), New York City (Meatpacking District and East Village) and Miami Beach. The hotels are operated by Standard International Management.
Contents
History
The first Standard Hotel, The Standard Hollywood, opened on the Sunset Strip in 1999 in West Hollywood, California. It was opened by Andre Balazs Properties.
The building that now houses The Standard, Hollywood, was originally built in 1962 as the Thunderbird Motel, and had become a retirement home when Balazs purchased and remodeled it. Original investors in the Hollywood hotel were Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, Benicio del Toro, D'arcy Wretzky and James Iha.
In 2002, a twelve-story, marble-clad building formerly known as Superior Oil Company Building (completed in 1956) was converted into The Standard Downtown LA. The renovation was designed by Koning Eizenberg Architecture, Inc., and included the addition of a roof-top pool and bar, and a two-story lobby space reconfigured from the old banking hall. In 2003, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
In 2006, The Standard Hotels expanded to Miami beach, where they opened The Standard Spa, Miami beach. Located on Biscayne Bay, The Standard Spa, Miami Beach, is a holistic and hydrotherapy-oriented spa hotel.
In 2008, The Standard Hotels brand completed their most ambitious project to date, with the opening of The Standard High Line. It was the first time the brand built a property from the ground up, rather than renovating an older space. The design was the work of the Ennead Architects.
In 2011, Andre Balazs properties completed the acquisition of The Cooper Square Hotel. The building was gutted and transformed into The Standard, East Village.
In the Fall of 2013, the brand's founder, Andre Balazs, sold an 80% stake in the company to Standard International.