Bakersfield Life

Downtown's Grand Dame

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      It is inconceivable to think of the dazzlingly lavish Padre Hotel as once having been simply just ‘a whim’, a boarded-up old haunt that almost didn’t come back to life.  But only a few years ago, downtown’s worn and derelict diva and her colorful past were complete strangers to hip hotelier Brett Miller and his partners, who flew from San Diego to Bakersfield on a lark, expecting nothing more than a satisfying Basque meal at Wool Growers on their daytrip to check out the rundown landmark.
That day changed downtown’s cultural landscape and cemented the ambitious undertaking of Miller’s team into the lore of the storied old building.  Today, the elegantly restored hotel at the corner of 18th and H streets is a chic, big-city auberge whose contemporary interior design, married smartly with the structure’s imposing original bones, belies a fabled past. 
   
        Former county supervisor Milton ‘Spartacus’ Miller acquired the eight-story Spanish Colonial Revival, built in 1928, in 1954.  It wasn’t long before his acrimonious relationship with city fathers began with both sides trading accusations of corruption and deceit over the years.  In 1966, the city ordered Miller to shutter the third through eighth floors after Spartacus lost a legal battle over fire safety issues.  Miller used his rooftop to showcase his disdain for local government and erected ‘Alamo’ and ‘Tombstone’ signs, along with a missile aimed at City Hall.  But Mr. Miller, as he was affectionately known to some, was as endearing as he was cranky, regularly allowing friends and acquaintances access beyond the second floor, violating ordinances along the way. The hotel’s dark and gaudy Towne Casino lounge became a downtown dive bar and something of a socio-economic watering hole intersection.
       
        Miller died in June of 1999, less than two months after the ailing 85-year-old married Lora Gordan from his hospital bed.  His death triggered a battle over ownership of the legendary building, which lasted nearly two years before his widow and nephews agreed to a settlement.   Three years later, Pacifica Enterprises LLC purchased the property for a million dollars with plans for converting the Padre into condominiums.  But after five years of costly delays, Pacifica halted construction and put the prime real estate back on the market. 
 
        A year later, the project came across Brett Miller’s desk. 
 
       “I remember we asked the cab driver to take us to the Padre, and he knew exactly where to take us,” recalled Brett, no relation to Milton. 
 
      The venerable hotel was at its worst that day, Miller remembered.  But once inside, it was love at first sight when he laid eyes on the three curved windows and 20-foot high ceilings.
 
       “We wondered whether it was haunted, but we felt something special inside that day, and it captured us as we pulled up some dirty chairs, sat down and imagined the possibilities,” he added. 
 
        Brett Miller, a Hanford native, was already familiar with Bakersfield, the big city down the Valley where his family would come to shop when he was growing up.  But at one point, as the subprime market was evaporating, Miller and his San Diego-based Padre Partners, LP Graham Downes and Dave Gash, pulled the project out of escrow, only to be coaxed back into making it work by its sellers.  In March 2008, they purchased the building for $3.9 million.
 
        The condo plans were scrapped, and the developers enlisted the city’s help in securing a $1.8 million federal loan.  All the while, an eager community held its breath as $18 million in renovations were made on the stately property, giving it a facelift and turning her into a resplendent lifestyle boutique hotel the area so desperately desired. 
 
        The Padre finally opened six months ago to almost unanimous praise and acclaim. In the hotel’s Spartacus Miller era, the structure was more an eyesore and magnet for the downtrodden and disenfranchised. A room smaller than a minivan was sold to prospective guests on the promise of having one’s own restroom and a place ‘forced cooled’ by a swamp cooler.
 
        Today, under the direction and design of award-winning San Diego architect and partner Downes, the developers, in restoring the Padre to its original use, have retained and enhanced existing features in its 112-guest rooms, suites and five restaurants and bars.
 
       “We brought what we thought would enhance it and combined it with materials that celebrate Bakersfield.” 
 
        The results are stunning. 
 
       From the main floor’s marble and wood and wall-tufting to the richly appointed luxury suites like The Oil Baron and Farmer’s Daughter, and the uber-sophisticated Prospect lounge that now occupies the revered Towne Casino spot, the historic downtown venue pays homage to the meat and potato and oil derrick roots of Kern’s county seat in a way Mr. Miller could not have imagined but surely would have enjoyed.  “Every room is different today, but every room is fantastic,” Brett Miller enthused.  “The place truly feels good to me. I see the beveled glass, the marble, and it is a feel-good experience every time I walk in the door.”
 
        At night, the architecture stands, as downtown’s beacon of hope for a revival the area hasn’t seen in decades.  
This month, developers will officially unveil their crown jewel to the public, six months after first opening its doors.  A grand opening celebration heralding the unprecedented remodel is planned for 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 30.  The gala will feature cocktails and light dinner fare and hor d’oeuvres. 
 
        A portion of the proceeds of the $125 per person event will benefit Bakersfield Memorial Hospital’s Children’s Medical Center Initiative, and it will feature a ‘casino night’ theme on the second-floor outdoor bar, Prairie Fire. Another treasure and nod to the past, Dena Reynolds, one of the Towne Casino’s last piano players, will also perform.  “The emphasis will be on the fun part of this fundraiser,” Brett said.  “We want this to be the party people will remember for a long time.”
 
        Years ago, a sale was held and some of the signage, trinkets and memorabilia are now in the hands of collectors.  Although one of the last vestiges of the old Padre – the missile – was removed last summer and donated to the museum, smaller relics like the old telephone booth and switch board remain as reminders of days gone by. 
 
         And those who know entrepreneur Miller say the Padre is the ‘baby’ of his trendy, upscale hotel development portfolio.  One does indeed get the sense that he sees himself as preservationist of the history of the iconic 82-year-old building and custodian of the eclectic legacy Spartacus created more than 50 years ago at 18th and H streets. 
 
        “I never got to go to the Towne Casino bar or stay in a room when Mr. Miller owned it, but he did some things right,” 42-year-old Miller said.  “The fact that there are so many people who hold the Padre dear to their heart is very special, and we have to ensure that continues by making sure we are reaching out and touching the hearts of our guests so that they will continue to come back.  We want to be the backdrop for that first date, the wedding anniversary celebration, and the first ‘legal’ drink.”
    
THE PADRE HOTEL
GRAND OPENING GALA
Thursday Evening, September 30
6 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Tickets $125 per person
Food, Spirits, Hors d’oeuvres, Live Entertainment
Vintage Photo Ops
Contact 661-427-4900 for more info
Or visit thepadrehotel.com
Party/room packages available