Iconic Los Angeles Landmarks That Are Still Standing Today, Thanks To Diane Keaton

Following the passing of the film star Diane Keaton on Oct. 11, 2025 at the age of 79, the Internet is awash with stories on how to stream her broad canon of movies. From the iconic, such as The Godfather and Annie Hall, to the lesser-known, including Baby Boom and Crimes of the Heart. It's a moment for fans to reconnect with her body of work and for younger cinephiles to get acquainted with a singular talent. 

Not many people realize the Los Angeles-born actress, known for her laidback charm, was a fierce champion for historic architecture. Acting had been her profession, but buying and restoring historic homes was a passion of hers which started with the restoration of the 1928 Samuel-Navarro house in Los Feliz. This project sparked her interest in preserving two more of her city's iconic landmarks — the Ennis House in the Hollywood Hills and the Century Plaza Hotel in Century City. She was also a longtime board member of the LA Conservancy, the organization which was instrumental in saving such historic structures as the Wiltern Theatre, Bullock's Wilshire, and the Cathedral of St. Vibiana.

However, the fights were never easy and she didn't always win. One frustrating battle was the race to save the Ambassador Hotel (site of Senator Robert F. Kennedy's assassination in 1968) from demolition. Despite her involvement, the structure, built in 1921 by architect Byron Hunt, was torn down in 2005 to make way for a new school; a loss she felt profoundly, telling supporters at a follow-up reception that the hotel was telling her, "Next time, try harder." She later wrote about the issue in a Los Angeles Times editorial. 

Diane Keaton's activism continued with better results for the Ennis House and the Century Plaza Hotel, two sites that visitors can visit today. Standing like a forgotten temple, the 6,000-square foot Ennis House with its Mayan Revival-style facade is a familiar site from more than 80 appearances in movies and television shows including "Blade Runner," "Beverly Hills Cop II," and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Well-known for its distinctive construction using 27,000 buff-colored, textured concrete blocks, the 1924 residence (designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and built by his son, Lloyd) made the National Trust for Historic Preservation's list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in 2005. Keaton, a trustee for the non-profit, called on the Hollywood community, which had benefitted from this home, to give back in the form of financial support. That lead to the establishment of the Ennis House Foundation and the collection of $6 million for repairs. 

Eventually, the foundation sold the home to billionaire Ron Burkle for less than a third of the asking price at $4.5 million in 2011. In turn, he poured another $17 million into the house and sold it for $18 million to a limited liability company tied to cannabis entrepreneurs. In partnership with the LA Conservancy, the private home is available for tours 12 days out of the year. Of course, you can always drive by or hike to the home located just steps from Griffith Park, home to a breathtaking hike to Griffith Observatory as well as the Hollywood Sign.

Another property which is more easily accessible is the 19-story Century Plaza Hotel built in 1966 which has weathered many storms in the hospitality industry and financial markets. Designed by Minoru Yamasaki, the hotel and its 750 rooms attracted high-profile gatherings like the Emmys and the Grammys as well as a Democratic fundraiser headlined by President Lyndon Johnson in 1967, a state dinner for the Apollo 11 astronauts hosted by President Richard Nixon in 1969, and President Ronald Reagan's re-election celebration in 1984. 

When Woodbridge Capital Partners bought the building and announced its plans in 2008 to raze it for a new mixed-use development, the news set off alarm bells. Working with the LA Conservancy, Diane Keaton headlined a press conference announcing the hotel was added to the National Trust's "endangered list." 

In 2013, a deal was struck with the hotel which involved slimming the room count to 400 while adding two new towers, retail space, and more pedestrian access. Now called the Fairmount Century Plaza and owned by the Reuben Brothers, who rescued the entire project from foreclosure in 2023, you can stay at the hotel, savor a spa massage, relax at the bar, or benefit from proximity to the world-famous luxury shops of Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills – just two blocks from the hotel's front door. After hitting up those brand-name boutiques, go witness the majesty of another historic landmark in this affluent city by visiting the manicured grounds of one of the most filmed locations, the Greystone Mansion & Gardens, the former 1928 estate built for Ned Doheny, the son of oil tycoon Edward Doheny.