L. A. Midtown Hilton to Be Opened This Summer

The highly-visible building under construction near the Vermont Avenue crossing of the Hollywood Freeway is expected to open in August as the Los Angeles Midtown Hilton.

Completion of the 206-room hotel, to become a franchise operation, has been delayed because of a difficult traffic-access problem on the three-acre site leased from Caltrans. It had been expected that the $20-million project, financed by Sumitomo Bank of California, would open earlier this year.

Owner Ed Chow said an extension of Rosewood Avenue, crossing Vermont Avenue, will carry auto traffic into the hotel property at 400 N. Vermont Ave. The bridge is expected to cost the developers about $750,000. Also, Chow said, Vermont Avenue frontage, opposite the California Highway Patrol headquarters, has been widened by 11 feet.

Ki Tong Yang, general manager, said a formal opening will be held in September, following the “soft opening” in August. The hotel will have facilities for conferences and banquets, three restaurants and a lobby bar, as well as a Denny’s restaurant.