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Community Corner

New Hotel Coming to Town, Sort Of

The current Country Inn and Suites, located at 23627 Calabasas Road, will relaunch as an upscale, independent hotel in May.

 An Old Town Calabasas inn is getting a new name and look this year with an extensive renovation that will elevate it from cozy to upscale while staying true to its Calabasas roots.

Located off the 101 Freeway between the Leonis Adobe Museum and the Courtyard at the Commons, the 122-room Country Inn and Suites by Carlson will relaunch as a high-end hotel featuring upgraded amenities, according to Geoffrey Stairns, senior planner for the City of Calabasas.

“They’re remodeling every room as well as the lobby area, so they’re changing everything inside,” Stairns said.

Described as an independent, upscale property by its new management company, Evolution Hospitality of Newport Beach, the changes will include an extensive remodel that will "complement the rich heritage of the Calabasas area with a design aesthetic that is comfortable and timeless," according to a press release by the company. 

To oversee the transformation, Evolution Hospitality has selected the John Hardy Group, an Atlanta-based developer whose local projects include the Warner Center Marriott in Woodland Hills and the Summerfield Suites in Chatsworth.

“We will manage a complete redesign, ensuring that the client maximizes their investment in this new independent property,” said John Hardy, president and CEO of the John Hardy Group, in a press release.

Reviewed by the Historic Preservation Commission in December, the renovation was found to fit the character of Old Town Calabasas and is “compliant with the Old Town Master Plan, said City Planner Tom Bartlett, adding that only a minor facelift is planned for the building’s exterior. He approved permits for the renovation at a community development hearing on Jan. 2.

Since the upgrade will include a complete overhaul of the air conditioning and heating system, Bartlett said that “they’re removing the window and wall-mounted AC units, so you won’t see those ugly boxes sticking out of the windows anymore.”

Additional changes approved by the planning commission include minor upgrades to the pool area and entryway, including the addition of stone veneer, a trellis, a new sign and updated handicap accessibility. The color scheme and materials on the outside will remain the same, Bartlett said.

Now that they have received approval for the outside, they can apply for standard building permits for the inside, which is to be completely transformed by architect James Culpepper of CMMI.   

The Country Inn and Suites was purchased from Carlson last July by affiliates of Evolution Hospitality, which is now managing along with Channel West Group and Arris Investments. A construction start date has not yet been confirmed, and the name of the new venture has not yet been released.

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