Ritz Carlton Huntington Hotel (now Langham)
Pasadena, California
The original Hotel Wentworth was built in 1907 by General Marshall C. Wentworth, however the structure was only partially complete, and further construction was delayed due to a shortage of construction crews due to the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The hotel closed after its first season and in 1922 was purchased by railroad tycoon Henry E. Huntington in 1911 and reopened in 1914 as The Huntington Hotel after a major redesign which added the hotel's upper two floors and its iconic belvedere tower. Various additions and expansions were added including the first outdoor Olympic-size swimming pool, bungalow cottages and the Lanai guest room building. Modern seismic codes shut the main hotel down in 1985 because it was considered unsafe. The hotel was later purchased by Huntington Hotel Associates in 1987.
As Project Manager for WATG Architects, Mike Paneri managed the design & construction of the complete rebuilding of the main tower and full renovation of the entire hotel to bring it to current building standards. This renovation included the preservation of the two historic ballrooms, the Viennese & Georgian Ballrooms After $100-million reconstruction project the property reopened as The Ritz Carlton Huntington Hotel in 1991.
Architect: WATG / MCG; Interior Design: Wilson Associates
