The owner of the historic Brookdale Lodge complex in the Santa Cruz Mountains said this week he is now hopeful of opening a completely renovated hotel with retail stores by the end of the year, and of opening the legendary Brook Room restaurant in 2017.
Pravin Patel, who owns two hotels in Santa Cruz, won approval on Sept. 16 of the last permit needed to allow him to complete the first phase of his restoration project, which he began in April, when Santa Cruz County allowed reconstruction of 46 hotel rooms at the site, on Highway 9 in Brookdale.
The county, in an unusual move, announced the permit approval in a press release.
Patel will call his new hotel the Brookdale Inn and Spa, because he does not have rights to use te historic Brookdale Lodge name.
Patel purchased the property in 2015, envisioning returning the Lodge to its former glory as a regional destination and source of community pride in the San Lorenzo Valley.
Working closely with the county Office for Economic Development, Patel was recently issued permits allowing him to perform the work necessary to reopen the hotel and several shops serving the residents of Brookdale and the surrounding area.
“I have looked forward to this day, and I know the community has as well. While we have been making progress in other areas on the site, these permits allow us to finally begin work on the main lodge and eventually re-open our doors to the public,” Patel said.
“People in the San Lorenzo Valley and far beyond have been eagerly looking forward to the re-opening of this beloved landmark. We fully support Pravin Patel’s endeavor, and I personally can’t wait to visit once the project is completed,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Bruce McPherson, whose Fifth District includes the San Lorenzo Valley.
McPherson and the Office for Economic Development are strong supporters of the project.
Work began in April to renovate 46 rooms separate from the main lodge, and a rear apartment section damaged in a 2009 fire has been removed.
Patel foresees the return of a coffee shop, grocery store and other service-oriented businesses to the hotel, which had previously offered the few retail options available to Brookdale residents.
The oldest section of the lodge was built in 1890 on the site of a lumber mill, to house lumber workers.
It expanded to become a romantic retreat for gangsters and movie stars, including Marilyn Monroe and James Dean. A glass-walled swimming pool still stands and Patel said that his current plans including keeping the pool intact.
The resort was once a destination for Hollywood’s jet set and other famous historical figures, from President Herbert Hoover to Al Capone.
The famous Brook Room, with Clear Creek running through the middle of several dining levels, remains intact and will be subject of the second phase of Patel’s renovation, with as former Grover Lumber Mill lodge building and the cabins located east of Highway 9.
Patel also hopes to reestablish the lodge as a destination for weddings, church groups, reunions and more. He is asking those with personal photos of the exterior or the interior to post them on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc.) with the hashtag #BrookdaleMemories.
