Modernist Hotel Up for Sale - Page 2

Explaining why they are listing the Hideaway this week with realtor Keith Markovitz of HK Lane / Christie's International for $2.75 million, Miller cited the recent sale for $200,000 of a single unit in the adjacent Burns apartment complex, The 400 at 400 West Arenas. After restoring it, he said, "They're in for almost $300 [thousand], and I'm like, 'Wow.'"

"We're just trying to figure it out," said Miller, admitting that he would consider offers by investors interested in purchasing part of the property and managing the hotel as a partnership. He said some of the units need some plumbing or air conditioning maintenance. "The market's so hot," he added, "so we might as well find somebody and show them how to run it."

"Having two places [hotel locations], it does kind of stretch us a bit....We're just trying to simplify," Miller said, noting that he owns the Orbit In outright but has a mortgage on the Hideaway. "And the neighborhood is great here. It's going to get a lot of play, I think."

Burns is noted for his personal take on desert modernism, which the 'Historic Site' application calls "less austere" than many mid-century modern designers.

"You can tell a Herbert Burns a mile away," said Miller with obvious admiration, noting the "hints of Art Deco" in his style. "It's so Palm Springs."

"It was actually built as sort of a lifestyle, so that's kind of a unique thing," he said of the Hideaway, which has 11 rooms including one for an on-site manager, plus a guest lounge. Out the rear doors and windows, he said, "You see nothing but the mountain, and it's faced dead into it."

"We've got a lot of business here, and a lot of people who enjoy coming back," Miller promised. "We think it's a great opportunity for somebody to do what Herbert Burns did in 1947."

With a touch less mystery, of course.