Santa Cruz city leaders approve a plan to tear down La Bahia

The Santa Cruz City Council on Tuesday night gave the green light to a major project to transform La Bahia.

The historic building on Beach Street, across the street from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, has been in a state of disrepair for years. Previous plans to revitalize the building have been rejected by the Coastal Commission.

A new plan by the owners of the Boardwalk, who also own La Bahia, calls for demolishing most of the building and creating a new upscale hotel and conference center — something the Seaside Company says is sorely lacking in the city.

Under this new plan, the majority of the existing 44-unit residential complex will be torn down, except for a portion of the southeast building containing the bell tower.

The plans previously were approved by both the historic preservation commission and the planning commission have already approved the existing plans.

The proposed project can now move ahead to the Coastal Commission for review.