Holds Grand Reopening

Dozens of Eureka's elite gathered for the grand reopening of the Eureka Inn on Tuesday, marking the first event at the hotel in almost six years since tax defaults led to its foreclosure back in 2004.

Current owner Libo Zhu bought the property in September 2009. His goal was to restore the hotel to its original splendor.

"We looked at many options, but when we saw this one we were very excited,” said Zhu, a businessman from Southern California.

The historic hotel, which is located less than a block away from the Eureka Theater in downtown, is taking reservations for the 50 rooms that are currently ready. Along with the rooms, the lobby and outdoor pool are also open for use.

Local architect John Ash, who specializes in historic building projects, is working with Zhu on the restoration process.

"This is just the beginning,” said Ash. “A lot of work has been done that you don't see, like overhauling the boiler room in the basement and setting up wireless Internet in the lobby.”

The next step is getting the ballrooms ready so that groups such as the Rotary Club can resume their meetings at the hotel. Ash anticipates that the rooms, along with the in-house restaurant, will be finished in the coming year.

"Restoration is not something that happens overnight -- it takes time,” he said.

“The main thing that (Zhu) has said all along is 'I gotta get it open.'”

What has many Eureka residents excited is the Inn's Christmas tree, which traditionally stands at the main entrance to the lobby. While it might be more than six months away, Ash said the tree -- which will be upwards of 30 feet -- will be back at the Eureka Inn for Christmas 2010.

Eureka Mayor Virginia Bass also spoke at the event, and is excited for the hotel to reopen. "I think we've had our hopes built up for so many years,” said Bass. “In the past, this place was the hub for events in the community.”

If you are looking to stay at the Inn, now is the time. Room rates are being discounted for the opening, and range from $64.99 to $159.99 per night.

"We bought the hotel, but the history belongs to the community,” said Zhu. “No one person can own the history of a place like this.”

Eureka Inn ready for reservations

grand opening set for next week

Donna Tam/The Times-Standard

While only rooms on the second and third floor are available, inn owner Libo Zhu said the hotel will continue upgrading the rest of the hotel, which includes the first floor rooms, the bar, the ballroom and the cafe.

”We will keep remodeling until we are a five-star hotel,” Zhu said Monday.

After spending years on the market, news broke in September 2008 that Zhu, a Southern California businessman, had purchased the inn for $2.75 million, with plans of restoring the place to its old luster.

Zhu said his wife fell in love with the hotel when they first started looking for a hotel to purchase.

”It's a beautiful hotel,” Zhu said. “I've only seen this kind of hotel in the movies.”

Built in 1922, the 93,000-square-foot Eureka Inn served as the premier hotel between San Francisco and Portland, Ore., for many years, and became a staple holiday tradition for many North Coast families. It has hosted presidents and royalty, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It has been shuttered since 2004.

News of its opening is being celebrated by many in the community, including the Humboldt County Convention and Visitors Bureau (HCCVB), the city of Eureka and the inn's new staff.

Eureka City Manager David Tyson said the city has been trying to help Zhu with the building process and his search for investors.

”The city is excited that the inn is going to have life in it again and is going to be used by the public and Libo has a plan to get the inn back open and we applaud him for that,” he said.

Zhu said he has been working nonstop to get the rooms ready. The rooms range from $64.99 a night to $129.99.

HCCVB Executive Director Tony Smithers said visitors and travel media have been inquiring about the inn's reopening since it closed. He said the bureau is excited to help any way it can, and has already dropped off brochures.

”The timing is pretty good, with graduation weekend coming up,” he said, adding that the competitive pricing will help, with so many hotels booked full this time of year.

Although there is ongoing construction, Smithers said he hopes people will see the sprit behind it.

”It's a diamond in the rough, it's a work in progress -- come try the historical atmosphere of it and come back, because every time you come back, it's going to be better and better,” he said.

To make a reservation, call 877-552-3985.

A new beginning

for

Eureka Inn

In a time of budget cuts, layoffs, high unemployment and political polarization, the surprise announcement offers a beleaguered community a cause for celebration and a chance to reminisce about weddings, high school reunions and Christmas traditions from years gone by.

Built in 1922, the 93,000-square-foot Eureka Inn served as the premier hotel between San Francisco and Portland, Ore., for many years, and it became a staple holiday tradition for North Coast families. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 but has been shuttered since 2004.

Now, the new owner is taking reservations for 50 of its historic rooms. While construction continues on the inn that hosted royalty, U.S. presidents and movie stars during its heyday, it's a start and welcome news.

The Eureka Inn has long held a special place in the hearts of local residents as the site of special celebrations and life-changing moments, but it also represents a connection to Humboldt's storied past, when timber was king. One can only imagine the stories if those walls could talk.

To see its doors open again is a new beginning, not just for the Eureka Inn, but for the community as well.

Business / By Hank Sims / May 10, 3:19 p.m.

Eureka Inn Opens Tomorrow

No freaking joke — the Eureka Inn is going to have a semi-stealth grand opening tomorrow. The Journal just spoke with owner Libo Zhu, who was answering phones at the desk when we called. Zhu said that the company didn’t wish to make a splash because they’re just starting with a few rooms at first. (Zhu also said that the opening is happening tomorrow, not Wednesday, as the link above would indicate.)

This is a historic goddamned day. It’s been almost six years since the grand old Inn, perhaps the second-most historically significant building in Eureka, shuttered its doors amid all kinds of weird financial scandal.

Welcome back, Eureka Inn! Congratulations, Libo Zhu!

UPDATE: On-the-scene report from Richard Stenger of the Humboldt County Convention & Visitors Bureau, who was as shocked as everyone by the news:

The Eureka Inn is going to have a modest reopening of 50 rooms while they renovate and upgrade the other 50. It will be sort of kitschy and retro, but not 100 percent luxurious yet — that is, the rooms are in clean but not luxury shape. But the price will be quite a draw: $64 and up. Priced equivalent to a mid-level hotel it will be a good value, and fun for those wanting a bit of history with their room.

 

UPDATE 2: The T-S is saying that the first rooms will be let next week, not today. Open for reservations as of now, though!

 Movement at Eureka Inn

After lying dormant for years, there are signs of life at the Eureka Inn, and a Christmas tree may not be too far off in the landmark's future.

”(The new owner) says he'll definitely have a Christmas tree up in 2010,” said John Ash, principal architect on the project, at a small news conference called Monday to discuss owner Lebo Zhu's plans for re-opening the historic inn.

After spending years on the market, news broke in September 2008 that Zhu, a Southern California businessman, had purchased the inn for $2.75 million, with plans of restoring the place to its old luster. The purchase was lauded as a huge step for the city, the hope being that Zhu could transform the abandoned building into the economic driver and community hub it once was. But, for almost a year, few in Eureka heard much from Zhu.

The silence was broken at Monday's press conference, when Zhu and Ash unveiled plans for renovating the inn's back entrance at the corner of Eighth and G streets, which they said will be submitted to the city for design review today. Zhu and Ash didn't offer any concrete timeline for the inn's reopening, but indicated they intend to get to work immediately.

”The timing is to get it open as soon as possible,” Ash said. “When you own a property, letting it sit dormant is to let it disintegrate.”

Ash also said the property looks better than some might think.

”I toured it the other day, and you'd be surprised how great it looks,” he said. “It's almost like they closed it down yesterday and it's ready to reopen.”

When completed, Ash said the inn's new rear entryway will feature a rose garden, valet parking and a kind of outdoor lounge entryway leading up to the inn's back door and overlooking the inn's swimming pool.

As to when construction will begin on the rest of the inn, Ash and Zhu said they are currently in the process of doing minor cleanup and repairs inside, and hope to formulate a plan to get some of the inn's conference rooms and guest rooms up and running, possibly in phased construction. But, Ash said the first order of business is simply cleaning the place up.

”Until you literally clean it up, you don't understand what needs to be repaired,” he said. “So, the first stage of any restoration is cleanup.”

Built in 1922, the 93,000-square-foot Eureka Inn served as the premier hotel between San Francisco and Portland, Ore. for many years, and became a staple in the holiday traditions of many North Coast families. It has hosted presidents and royalty, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It has been shuttered since 2004.

J Warren Hockaday, executive director of the Greater Eureka Chamber of Commerce, said Monday's announcement comes as good news.

”I can speak for a whole lot of people out there who are just delighted to see any sign of progress,” Hockaday said, adding that the inn's local importance can't be overstated. “It's really the centerpiece of the community.”

On Monday, Ash commended Zhu for “stepping to the plate” when nobody else did and for taking on “a major challenge.” But, most of all, Ash expressed excitement and nostalgia at the project sitting before him.

”It's so exciting to walk through it,” he said. “It just brings back so many memories.”

Silence at the Eureka Inn

Eureka Inn buyer reportedly wants to restore building as a historic hotel