Scientology has left downtown Santa Barbara and in its place a new hotel will rise.
Drift Santa Barbara plans to open in early December at 524 State St., the site of the longtime Church of Scientology building.
Commercial real estate broker Jason Jaeger, his partner Sep Wolf and a team of investors purchased the building from the church in 2020. The team has reimagined the building and transformed it into a 45-room hotel under the management of California-based TMC Hospitality.
“The building was originally designed and built as a hotel,” Jaeger told Noozhawk. “I think this is an exemplary example of urban development, and how to repurpose old buildings.”
TMC partnered with architectural firm Anacapa. The team “paid special attention to ensuring the traditional Italian Mediterranean architectural skin of the building dating back to the 1920s was carefully preserved and restored while imbuing the interiors with a bold, minimalist aesthetic,” said Evan Rauch, a spokesman for the hotel company.
The theme, Rauch said, pays homange to the Drift brand’s San Jose del Cabo roots, while simultaneously maintaining a strong local identity.
“With floor-to-ceiling windows across the hotel, natural light and the coastal breeze bring to life the raw materials such as oak, concrete and brass and open the spaces to both the bustle of State Street as well as the striking views of the Santa Ynez Mountains,” Rauch said in a statement.
The hotel will have an “indoor-outdoor living” theme, with breakfast at Dawn and dinner at Dusk facing State Street.
“Dawn kicks off the day with an airy space full of warm textiles, natural wood and bright white walls while serving Good Citizen Coffee Co. and breakfast items such as savory house-baked treats,” Rauch said. “Dusk, in contrast, is a moody agave and tapas bar ensconced in a space outfitted with dark steel and raw wood which features craft cocktails and seasonal takes on fresh ceviche, aguachile and crudo.”
The hotel is across the street from Hotel Santa Barbara, which is also undergoing a renovation after a sale, bringing two new hubs for travelers to the downtown area.
Jaeger, whose firm renovated the historic El Centro Building, worked with the city to declare the former Scientology building a local landmark.
The team brought the building up to code, including stormwater management.
“It’s basically a brand-new building inside,” Jaeger said.
The hotel’s features include a rooftop penthouse with a fireplace and lounge furniture.
“There are great mountain views,” Jaeger said.
Jaeger, the team, the hotel operator and the city are planning a big ceremony in December when the hotel opens.
“Just think about how much more business is going to be coming from the hotel,” Jaeger said. “These people will travel and shop on State Street. Hopefully the city can use this as a model for some of these other buildings downtown that need to be revitalized.”
Kathy, president/CEO of Visit Santa Barbara, said the project will help bring excitement to downtown Santa Barbara.
“Drift Santa Barbara will be a welcome new addition to the South Coast’s hotel offerings,” Janega-Dykes said. “Along with the upcoming renovation of Hotel Santa Barbara across the street, as well as the State Street promenade, visitors will have even more reasons to visit our revitalized downtown area.”
— Noozhawk staff writer Joshua Molina can be reached at jmolina@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
