Hotel redevelopment could spur revitalized Channel Islands Harbor

SAN DIEGO — Abandoned since 2009 the former Casa Sirena Hotel in Oxnard has been an eyesore on the Channel Islands Harbor waterfront. Plans to demolish Casa Sirena and rebuild a new hotel have been discussed for years. Those plans recently received a little wind in the sails thanks to a California Coastal Commission approval of a Public Works Plan amendment on July 14, opening the door for redevelopment of a dilapidated stretch of land in the heart of Channel Islands Harbor. Upgrading Casa Sirena is part of Ventura County’s larger vision to revitalize the Channel Harbor Islands area into a more attractive visitor-serving destination on the Oxnard waterfront. Steve Hudson, a district manager with the Coastal Commission, said current plans call for a more compact and efficient building footprint than the original design of Casa Sirena, meaning more view corridors would be available to the public. Coastal Commission staff acknowledged Casa Sirena, which opened in 1972, has fallen into a state of disrepair; the hotel has been closed since 2009. Ventura County assumed ownership of the hotel site in 2014. “This redevelopment of the site will allow for significant improvement of public access across the entire area,” Hudson said, pointing out a longer...