Ambassador Hotel torn down, new high school? (salvaged, cabinet)

[roosevelt]

Can anyone tell me about the Ambassador Hotel being torn down and a high school built? Did they actually do it? Seems insane, prime high rise property. It was across the street from the Brown Derby when I lived at Virgil and Wilshire Blvd. in 1960's; used to walk by the Ambassador every day to eat at Rand's Roundup buffet. At night I would walk about a half block to Simon's Drive In on Hoover for a deep dish apple pie with whipped cream.

[Fontucky]

It's gone.

[nickdahammer]

Happened sometime ago. The Coconut Grove nightclub was salvaged, but that's about it. I'm a member of the LA Conservancy and we launched a campaign to save it but to no avail. Donald Trump wanted to build the highest building on the West Coast on that site. That was sometime ago. Simon's Drive Inn? I've seen pictures of the place (there's a flower shop next to that site today), but that's it.

Google Image Result for http://artscenecal.com/ArtistsFiles/ConnellW/ConnellWJPGs/WConnell1.jpg

[roosevelt]

Originally Posted by nickdahammer

Happened sometime ago. The Coconut Grove nightclub was salvaged, but that's about it. I'm a member of the LA Conservancy and we launched a campaign to save it but to no avail. Donald Trump wanted to build the highest building on the West Coast on that site. That was sometime ago. Simon's Drive Inn? I've seen pictures of the place (there's a flower shop next to that site today), but that's it.

Google Image Result for http://artscenecal.com/ArtistsFiles/ConnellW/ConnellWJPGs/WConnell1.jpg

There was another Simon's I used to go to when I went to USC, it was on the corner of Figueroa and Exposition Blvd. I believe.

I remember going to a huge hi fi show at the Ambassador about 1960. The dealers were in the bungalows and were blasting sound really loud to drown out the other dealers. Before, they had to set up in the Pan Pacific Auditorium so they loved their bungalows. I saw the JBL Hartsfield corner speaker for the first time there, what a beautiful cabinet that was. I had to cross Wilshire to see the Heathkit exhibit because the hi fi show would not let them in because they made kits so they found a place nearby and had quite a crowd.

[BRinSM]

i believe the new school is due to open next school year.