Dear Friend of the Morrison Hotel,
Thank you being among the first 337 people to sign the petition urging Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Councilmember Ysabel Jurado to use the power of their offices to find a preservation solution for the Morrison Hotel, and put the brakes on its possible demolition.
Yesterday, the Los Angeles Times published a feature story by Nathan Solis about how the 111 rent controlled units in the Morrison Hotel ended up sitting vacant for almost 20 years, including a quote from the Doors album photographer Henry Diltz, the Saint Bernard named Sully who alerted his master that something bad was happening just before the fire exploded, and our petition asking Los Angeles City Hall to help save the building rather than rushing to knock it down.
We’re both quoted, including Richard’s last word: "This building, the Morrison, shows the world is watching,” and Kim’s remarks, "The whole world suddenly is interested in preservation when it's something they feel emotionally attached to. They don't feel emotionally attached to 111 affordable units in a neighborhood they've never been to that's been boarded up for 20 years, but they know the Morrison Hotel. It's got this kind of ruby dust of celebrity cachet."
That jazzy ruby dust phrase was borrowed from the title of literary agent H.N. “Swanie” Swanson’s memoir. Swanie helped a lot of L.A. writers to license their work to the movies and radio so they could focus on creativity rather than trying not to get snookered in business.
As historians who track the journeys of writers and artists on our L.A. walking tours—including Charles Bukowski, Raymond Chandler, John Fante and Leo Politi—we see an empty rent controlled building like the Morrison, we can’t help but think about all the creative people who are struggling in this city, who work so hard just to stay housed and fed and warm, and never get a spare hour to dream about writing or recording or painting something that people will still care about in 100 years.
Saving this building as affordable housing might just give a new star the chance to shine… and give future tour guides something to talk about, too.
You can read Nathan Solis’ story on the L.A. Times website, if you’re a subscriber:
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-01-03/can-the-doors-rock-and-roll-fame-save-the-charred-morrison-hotel-the-world-is-watching
or on Yahoo News, where it’s been syndicated:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/doors-ushered-morrison-hotel-rock-110002541.html
City Hall is still locked up for the holiday, but soon elected officials will be back at work and we'll be advocating directly for them to be a Friend of the Morrison Hotel, too. Please continue to share the petition with other folks who care about rock and roll history, architecture and affordable housing so we can show them how many people believe that this place matters and should be saved.
yours for Los Angeles,
Kim & Richard
Esotouric / Friends of the Morrison Hotel
http://www.esotouric.com/morrisongutted