Hollywood Premiere Motel could soon become an LA historic monument

EAST HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- An East Hollywood roadside motel, known mostly for its cheap room rates and Googie-style sign, could become one of Los Angeles's next historic monuments.

The Hollywood Premiere Motel, which has sat at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Serrano Avenue for 65 years, has been nominated to the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission as a possible historic cultural monument.

"It's something that is a landmark for anyone who lived in that neighborhood," said preservationist James Dastoli, who filed the motel's nomination. "You may look at the weathered nature of the sign itself, the sort of rust, that grit and think that it may need a fresh coat of paint, I would argue ... keep the neon burning, but keep that rust on the sign."

Bonnie Xi has owned the Hollywood Premiere for 40 years and said it's been her goal to keep the building as authentic as possible.

"I don't want to change it," she told Eyewitness News. "I want to keep it 1960's style. That's going to work."

The hotel has clearly seen better days, but the nightly rate there is only around $100 and guests do have access to a swimming pool.

Plus, the Hollywood Premiere has a rich on-screen history, popping up in TV shows, movies and music videos.

If the motel makes it through a site inspection and a city council vote, it could become a monument by this summer. If that happens, it could be the motel's biggest accomplishment and come just in time for Xi's retirement.

"I need to retire," she said laughing. "I'm elderly ... I think 40 years is enough!"