MUMBAI: A couple of months ago when the first pound of bulldozer hit the outer wall of Juhu Centaur Beach Hotel, it was not just razing a structure but a past which is unparalleled. Built in 1985, it was one of the most glamorous addresses in the suburb. Less than 10 kilometers away in Bandra lie ruins stretching out into the sea of a property which was in a similar league – Hotel Sea Rock.
The two have kindred history – they were both targets of Bombay bomb blasts on March 12, 1993, faced change of ownership and litigation. Both hotels were once elegant addresses, frequented by people from the film industry. The celebrities have since moved on to newer addresses in both Juhu and Bandra.
On a day of incessant rains, Centaur renamed Tulip Star in the past, was demolished after being acquired by Macrotech Developers, owned by BJP politician and well-known real estate developer Mangal Prabhat Lodha. Luxurious triplex sea facing apartments will come up here, a first for Mumbai. When HT called Lodha to share details of the development plan, he refused to divulge information, saying he was “not in business”.
The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has greenlit the acquisition. The six acres of land is prime property on Juhu Tara Road. The hotel’s stature was dented after JW Marriott came up in the neighbourhood.
The old hotel with 367 rooms, restaurants, large banquets, gymnasium, swimming pool and other luxuries had closed operations several years ago, owing to multiple.