The Ambassador Hotel, shown in 2004, had been in decline since it closed in 1989. The Myron Hunt-designed complex was built in 1921. (David McNew / Getty Images)
The bungalows at the Ambassador, designed by Myron Hunt and Paul Williams, were once a favorite of celebrities and Hollywood stars. The bungalows ranged from 8,400 square feet to 61,000 square feet. Some dated back to the 1920s. An underground corridor from the Ambassador hotel to the bungalows allowed staff to slip in and out. (Béatrice de Géa / LAT)
Carlyn Frank Benjamin visits the ruins of the Ambassador in 2006. “My childhood is gone - it just disappeared. I’m seeing the whole first 17 years of my life pass in front of me,” she says. Benjamin lived at the Ambassador Hotel from 1921-1938. Her father, Ben Frank, was the manager of the hotel. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)
