A fire engulfed the Morrison Hotel in Los Angeles on Thursday, ultimately destroying the building that was made famous as the cover of The Doors‘ 1970 studio album.
Per FOX11, the building was believed to be empty and abandoned, though members of the homeless community had been using it (as seen in the news broadcast below).
Prior to the fire, the building had been purchased by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation with aims of repurposing it into affordable housing, but it is now believed to be deemed “unlivable” after the fire’s damage.
As far as classic album covers are concerned, Morrison Hotel remains one of the most iconic of its era, as well as one of the Doors’ most notable.
Photographer Henry Diltz spoke with Rock Cellar in 2012about his career behind the lens of some of the most recognizable photos and album covers in rock music — and he told the story …