Château Élysée Explained

Château Élysée
Location:5930 Franklin Ave, Los Angeles, California
Coordinates:34.1044°N -118.3189°W
Completion Date:1927
Architect:Arthur E. Harvey
Main Contractor:Luther T. Mayo, Inc.
Architectural Style:Châteauesque
Floor Count:7
Floor Area:86,204 sq. ft.
Owner:Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre International

Château Élysée is a 1920s replica of a 17th-century French-Normandy chateau in Hollywood, California. Owned by the Church of Scientology, it is the home of Celebrity Centre International and the Manor Hotel. It is located at 5930 Franklin Avenue in the Franklin Village section of Los Angeles, California.

History

In 1927, Elinor "Nell" Ince, commissioned architect Arthur E. Harvey and contractor Luther T. Mayo, Inc. to build a luxury long-term residential apartment house for movie stars and the film industry.[1] [2]

Ince sold the property in 1943, and in 1951 the home was converted into a luxury retirement home called Fifield Manor. By the 1970s, the building was slated for demolition, and was purchased by the Church of Scientology.[3]

On September 23, 1987, the City of Los Angeles declared the building as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument, number 329, encompassing the addresses 5925-5939 Yucca Street, 5930-5936 Franklin Avenue, and 1806-1830 Tamarind Avenue.[4]

Church of Scientology

In 1969, the building began being used by the Church of Scientology for its Celebrity Centre International, and they purchased the building in 1973 for one million dollars.[5] [6] In the 1990s, the buildings and grounds were renovated,[7] and by 2013 the value of the property was estimated at $75 million.[5] [3]

The Manor Hotel operates on several of the floors[8] and the rest of the building is the Celebrity Centre. Guided tours are available to the general public.

The Renaissance Restaurant, located in the conservatory, has described itself as an "Award-winning five-star restaurant serving fresh organic and preservative-free French-Californian cuisine."[9] The restaurant was previously open to the public, but it is now only open to Scientologists, their guests, and occasional visitors.[10] [11] [12] [13]

Notes and References

  1. https://pcad.lib.washington.edu/building/10854/ Chateau Elysee Apartment Hotel, Los Angeles, CA (1928)
  2. Early Hollywood by Marc Wanamaker; Robert W Nudelman. Charleston, S.C. : Arcadia Pub., 2007
  3. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/scientologys-hollywood-real-estate-empire-213141/ Scientology’s Hollywood Real Estate Empire
  4. http://www.historicplacesla.org/reports/c5ff1b2d-458f-4e94-858b-80cf4b686f78 Chateau Elysee
  5. https://www.kcet.org/history-society/the-chateau-elysee-scientologys-celebrity-centre-before-it-went-clear The Chateau Elysee: Scientology's Celebrity Centre Before it Went Clear
  6. The Apostate : Paul Haggis vs. the Church of Scientology . Wright . Lawrence . February 14, 2011 . The New Yorker . Condé Nast Digital . February 13, 2011.
  7. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/01/14/chateau-scientology Château Scientology
  8. https://web.archive.org/web/20180831073401/http://manor-scientology.org/amenities.html Amenities
  9. https://web.archive.org/web/20180330133628/http://manor-scientology.org/restaurant.html Renaissance Restaurant
  10. News: Suppressive Supper: I Ate Dinner At The Scientology Celebrity Centre . 4 June 2023 . . June 22, 2017 . en.
  11. https://www.laweekly.com/eat-at-l-rons/ Eat at L. Ron's
  12. https://laist.com/news/food/scientology-brunch-pancakes-with-a-side-of-l-ron-hubbard I Ate Brunch At The Scientology Restaurant And Lived To Tell The Tale
  13. Web site: Is Scientology dangerous? . January 23, 2008 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080511144917/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article3232421.ece . May 11, 2008 .