The former hospital, designed by noted L.A. architect Claud Beelman, provided care for Hollywood stars such as Marilyn Monroe, Errol Flynn, Mae West and Burt Lancaster. The 500,000-square-foot property houses Scientology's West Coast headquarters and main Los Angeles church.
Chris GodleyThe church and its affiliates own seven historic buildings worth an estimated $300 million, all paid for in cash. “We almost always buy; we never borrow and rarely lease,” says Davis.
7051 Hollywood Blvd.
Formerly Hollywood Savings and Loan
Purchase price $1.6 million, 1995
The former bank houses a ground-floor theater that hosts readings of L. Ron Hubbard’s pulp fiction and is open to the public. Built in the 1940s, the Beaux Arts property is also home to a library of Hubbard’s novels and short-story collections. The building is owned by church affiliate Author Services Inc., which manages Hubbard’s literary works.
Related Stories
5930 Franklin Ave.
Formerly Chateau Elysee
Purchase price $1.5 million, 1973
A former apartment complex and hotel to the stars, the seven-story building — now the Celebrity Centre International — houses Scientology counseling and study rooms, a hotel for religious retreats and a French restaurant. The church is planning a renovation of the property, which opened in 1929. Built in the style of a 17th century French-Normandy castle, it is a city Historic-Cultural Monument.
4401 W. Sunset Blvd.
Formerly KCET Studios
Purchase price $42 million, 2011
Acquired by the church in April, the longtime home of KCET-TV will be converted into a Scientology broadcast center and is slated to open next year. The 300,000-square-foot facility, known for its red-brick buildings, opened in 1912 and has been home to several studios, including Monogram Pictures and Allied Artists. It is a city Historic-Cultural Monument.
7065 Hollywood Blvd.
Formerly Hollywood Congregational Church
Purchase price $1.75 million, 1995
The former Protestant church now houses Scientology’s offices of the Association for Better Living and Education International, a nonprofit that coordinates social programs affiliated with the church. During the late 1980s and early ’90s, the building, owned by the nonprofit, served as Screen Actors Guild headquarters. At its peak in the ’50s, Hollywood Congregational, which opened in 1925, was one of the area’s most popular houses of worship.
6724 Hollywood Blvd.
Formerly Christie Hotel
Purchase price $1.25 million, 1974
Scientology’s renovation of Hollywood Boulevard’s first high-rise hotel is expected to begin this year. When complete, the building will house an information center on the religion and include apartments on the upper floors. The National Register of Historic Places considers the building, which opened in 1920, a contributor to its Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District.
6331 Hollywood Blvd.
Formerly Hollywood Guaranty Building
Purchase price $5.1 million, 1988
The 12-story Beaux Arts tower houses the church’s ecclesiastical management offices and the
L. Ron Hubbard Life Exhibition, a museum focused on the founder of Scientology. Formerly home to a branch of Guaranty Bank, the building in its heyday also housed the offices of such Hollywood luminaries as Rudolph Valentino. Built in 1923, it is on the National Register of Historic Places.
4833 Fountain Ave.
Formerly Cedars of Lebanon Hospital
Purchase price $5 million, 1976
The former hospital, designed by noted L.A. architect Claud Beelman, provided care for Hollywood stars such as Marilyn Monroe, Errol Flynn, Mae West and Burt Lancaster. The 500,000-square-foot property houses Scientology’s West Coast headquarters and main Los Angeles church. It was renovated and reopened in April 2010; Scientologists refer to the property as the Complex.
