Local News in Brief : Making Complexes Into Hotels OKd

The West Hollywood City Council has approved an agreement that will allow hotelier Severyn Ashkenazy to convert four apartment complexes into hotels over the objections of residents.

The plan, approved by a 3-2 vote, provides permanent protection against eviction to about three dozen remaining tenants of the complexes and imposes restrictions aimed at reducing noise and congestion around the hotels.

Ashkenazy, who also operates the Bel Age and Mondrian hotels, also agreed to pay the city $4.9 million over the next 20 years as the price for approval of conversion, including $1.2 million in unpaid hotel occupancy taxes and penalties.

Residents said they do not trust Ashkenazy to comply with all the conditions of the agreement, which places time constraints on truck deliveries to the hotels, restrictions on the sale and consumption of alcohol and guidelines for special events.

Since its incorporation four years ago, West Hollywood had opposed Ashkenazy’s attempts to convert the apartments to small luxury hotels, claiming the conversions are illegal.