California Inn Reopens After Renovation
By Heath Gordon | Online Only | Oct. 27, 2009
A century-old lodge on Coronado Island, off the coast of San Diego, opened for business as a hotel on Memorial Day weekend after having been shuttered for eight years. It took four years to transform the shabby inn into the 1906 Lodge at Coronado Beach.
"What has made it worthwhile is the reception of the city and the people who say that the restoration has made a gem out of an eyesore," says Sue Gillingham, managing partner of the local Trant Manor, LLC, which owns the lodge.
The hotel, originally constructed in 1906 with six guest rooms, was one of the last buildings designed by the team of William Hebard and Irving Gill, an architectural duo who were prominent designers in the Arts and Crafts style.
Known as Trant Manor, the building changed hands several times over the years, and by 2001 had fallen into disrepair as a haven for transients. After multiple calls to the police and health department, it was boarded up. In 2004, four local couples formed Trant Manor, LLC, and purchased the lot, planning an extensive renovation.
Jeff Dreyfus, the architect for the project, says that "including modern conveniences like bedrooms with private baths while maintaining the lodge's original character was the group's biggest challenge."
During the $12 million renovation, workers lifted the inn off of its foundation to make way for an underground parking lot. Great care was taken to save the features like the building's staircase, skylight, central hallway, and parlor. All of the lodge's additions were removed, and another building was constructed, adding 11 guest suites to the property.
Subscribe to the Today's News RSS feed
Comments
