Small California beach city torn apart over fate of this 37-room historic family-owned hotel

Battle lines person been drawn complete nan demolition and planned rebuild of an historical edifice successful Carmel-by-the-Sea.

The family-operated Hofsas House hotel, a 37-room inn pinch views of nan Pacific Ocean, has stood since 1949, but has now sparked a fierce proxy conflict betwixt 2 groups of neighbors betwixt those who want to modernize and others who want to sphere history.

One group wants to person nan building torn down successful favour of a marque caller modern luxury edifice - thing caller for nan quaint seaside municipality known arsenic the Carmel Legacy Hotel.

The caller building would beryllium nan largest building task to return spot successful nan municipality since nan 1960s.

But location is different group who are straight opposed to those successful nan town, who want to spot nan building preserved for posterity, complete pinch its nostalgic and humanities charm, known for its unsocial pinkish exterior.

The conflict has only intensified successful caller months aft third-generation edifice proprietor Carrie Theis won unanimous support successful April from nan city's readying committee to demolish and rebuild nan Bavarian-themed hotel.

But conscionable arsenic Theis had been gearing up for nan demolition, Neal Kruse, co-founder of nan Carmel Preservation Association, revenge an entreaty to artifact nan razing of nan building and its rebuild, pinch nan volition of protecting Carmel-by-the-Sea's accepted architecture. 

Kruse's entreaty has stalled successful nan last support stages, frustrating Theis and her family, who were preparing for nan edifice to beryllium demolished later this twelvemonth aliases successful early 2025.

Theis pointed retired that nan caller edifice to switch nan Hofsas House would beryllium akin successful size and standard to nan existent property. 

'I didn't inquire for much rooms to make much money, because I knew I didn't want to push nan envelope. I didn't,' Theis said to SFGate about her plans for nan caller hotel. 

'I wanted to do everything successful nan box. And I don't admit that group don't understand that.' 

Some of nan building's planned for demolition were constructed successful nan 1940s, 50s and 60s - and are agelong past their usefulness.  

The relation said that it was committed to 'safeguarding nan charming accepted architecture of Carmel-by-the-Sea.'

Kruse and his statement reason that demolishing Hofsas House would erode portion of nan unsocial characteristic that defines Carmel.

'I want you to retrieve what they did and that will show you what they consciousness astir what nan residents request to cognize astir what's coming,' he said, airing his concerns.

Theis said she was 'not happy' astir nan appeal, which has now put nan family task connected hold. 

Several sitting connected Carmel City Council want to spot nan task proceed.

'I’ve been to that hotel. It’s a labyrinth. It’s difficult. It’s not fixable. I deliberation this will beryllium a awesome summation to nan metropolis erstwhile it's finished,' Councilmember Karen Ferlito said. 

'As I spot much and much luxury hotels being built successful nan peninsula, I deliberation this is simply a much-needed project. We request group who enactment present alternatively than day-trippers who enactment retired of town.'

The imaginable rebuild of Hofsas House is 1 of a number of different large-scale projects successful Carmel that are taking place.

Kruse has described it arsenic a play of 'absolute building hell' disrupting nan serene ambiance of able oceanfront community.   

As nan statement rages on, nan early of Hofsas House is emblematic of nan larger mobility facing Carmel connected really to equilibrium maturation and modernization pinch nan preservation of its unsocial humanities charm.