The new owner, who bought the JJ Grand Hotel in LA Koreatown in March, has been identified as DMH Investment Group, the same company that bought the former Dongseo Hotel at 8th and Fedora and turned it into an H Hotel. DMH Investment’s family members, The H Law Group, and H Hospitality, will also participate in the remodeling and future management of JJ Grand Hotel.
Firstly, the new owner of JJ Grand Hotel acknowledged the inconvenience caused to reservation holders due to the recent closure of Woo Mi Kwan restaurant on the second floor. Additionally, it was noted that the forced eviction of the restaurant was an inevitable decision.
Nojan Haddadi, head of Marketing at H Hospitality group, said, “The tenant did not pay the rent for more than four months. We asked them to pay at least $3,000, but they didn’t. Now that we’ve reached an agreement with the restaurant, we’re going to start the remodeling process following the restaurant’s closure.”
“The acquisition of JJ Grand Hotel was prompted by the previous owner’s proposal,” Haddadi explained. “Wilshire Street has been successfully gentrified by The LINE LA and Hotel Normandie LA. We plan to completely remodel JJ Grand Hotel and make it a destination with artistic flavor and high-end accommodations.”
According to Haddadi, the acquisition of JJ Grand Hotel cost about $25 million. The renovation, beginning in full swing in December, will cost $10 million. The new hotel, expected to open as early as June 2024, will also have an ‘H’ in its name.
“We’re completely rebuilding the hotel from the ground up,” he said. “We aim to make the exterior as aesthetically attractive as possible, while the rooms will have the highest quality interior design. There will also be a bar and restaurant on the first floor, as well as three banquet rooms on the second floor for various events.”
The JJ Grand Hotel remodeling project will follow the success story of H Hotel on 8th Street. After a complete remodel and expansion, H Hotel is now a community boutique hotel with more than 140 rooms, a restaurant, rooftop, and parking garage.
“My family has operated some of the finest hotels in Sacramento and Orange County, including Marriott,” Haddadi mentioned. “My parents were based in LA Koreatown. Now we want to promote the ‘H’ branded hotels in Koreatown, symbolizing our family’s last name. We will expand the hotel in the future if the right property becomes available.”
H Hotel emphasized that the number of Korean American guests has recently increased and that the environment around the hotel has become safer. Based on this, the company said that a “residence hotel” policy that accommodates homeless people is not advisable given the potential for slums in the neighborhood.
“The problem of homelessness and crime around the H Hotel has decreased,” Haddadi said. “Since the new hotel has been built, many people are walking on the streets in a safer way. We don’t just operate a new hotel, but we work with the local community to improve the living environment. We will also expand our donation activities and recruit Korean descent employees.”
Haddadi also serves as a delegate to the Wilshire Center-Koreatown Neighborhood Council. “The Korean American community has many similarities with the Jewish community, such as hard work and integrity,” he said. “As a delegate, I will work harder for the development of the community.”
BY HYOUNGJAE KIM, JUNHAN PARK [kim.ian@koreadaily.com]
