Apparently the owners of the 591-room Fairmont Hotel are considering a condo conversion of 226 rooms in the tower annex into 60 housing units. According to the owners group, “The landmark portion of the hotel won’t be touched…[t]hat will continue to operate as a hotel. All the ballrooms, all the public spaces will be exactly as they are…We think there’s a need for additional housing.”
Not too surprisingly Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin is up in arms, “Turning the Fairmont into luxury condos would be like turning the Eiffel Tower into an office building…[I]t’s not the Fairmont Condo Tower. It’s the Fairmont Hotel.” This afternoon Peskin plans to “propose an ordinance…that would prohibit tourist hotels with more than 50 rooms from converting lodging space into condominiums or other housing units.” A bit reactionary and short-sighted if you ask us.
· Condos proposed at the Fairmont [Chronicle]
· Luxury condos proposed for historic S.F. hotel [Examiner]