UCLA Medical School Expansion Takes Form

Photo credit: Daniel Castro

More than one year after breaking ground at Tiverton Drive and Le Conte Avenue, UCLA's new Teaching and Learning Center for Health Sciences is finally climbing upwards.  The $120 million facility, funded with a combination of cash reserves and philanthropic donations, constitutes a 110,000 square foot expansion of the David Geffen School of Medicine.

The low-rise structure, designed by architectural giant Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, will consolidate a significant portion of the medical school's classroom space, which is currently dispersed in eleven outdated buildings.  Renderings portray a six-story building, clad with glass and red brick, which shall serve as a new southern gateway to the UCLA campus.

When completed in 2016, the TLC will incorporate technology-enabled classrooms, a clinical skills training center, flexible teaching labs, administrative offices and student gathering space.  The university is seeking LEED-Gold certification for the facility.

Photo credit: SOM

Low-Rise Residential Pops Up on Santa Monica Boulevard

According to a set of pictures sent in by e-mail tipster Daniel, construction is nearing completion on a the Century Park Apartments, a new multi-family complex on the southern fringe of Westwood.  The five-story building, located at 10475 Santa Monica Boulevard, will contain a total of 24 rental units above a two-level, partially underground parking garage.  Future residents will live in close proximity to a variety of major employment nodes and entertainment districts.  Century City's skyline looms just a few blocks east, while the commercial hub of Wilshire Boulevard lies approximately one mile north.

The low-rise development was designed by West Los Angeles-based Plus Architecture, and features an exterior consisting mostly of plaster and glass, accented by yellow-colored elements on upper levels.  The firm's previous work includes the 2900, a 48-unit mixed-use development on Sepulveda Boulevard, and the Palms, an Art Deco-inspired apartment complex planned across the street from Sony Picture Studios.

Westwood's Gayley at Wilshire Revived?

Image credit: Wilshire Gayley

After sitting idle for several years, Westwood's Flatiron-inspired Gayley at Wilshire could finally be moving forward.  A case filing from the Los Angeles Department of City Planning indicates that developer Indivest Incorporated has revived plans for the 250-key, five-star hotel tower, which would be located on a currently vacant property at 10955 Wilshire Boulevard.  Designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects, the 29-story building would rise 427 feet, making it the tallest structure in the Westwood skyline.  First proposed before the global economic meltdown, the project site has seen little action since 2011, when its former low-rise occupant was demolished.  Since then, Indivest has patiently awaited improved economic conditions and potential tax breaks from the city.  Signs of movement on the long stalled development first appeared last year, when the developer briefly disagreed with UCLA on the terms of an alley vacation deemed necessary for the construction of the tower.  With neighboring property owners now on board, and the LA City Council doling out hotel tax breaks left and right, perhaps construction cranes are in Westwood's near future.

Marina Del Rey Lofts District Gets More of the Same

Marina Del Rey's so-called Arts/Loft District may not have much in the way of art, but the neighborhood will be adding yet another low-rise residential building to the mix.  Plans were submitted to the city in early February for a 67-unit condo development at 4091 Redwood Avenue featuring 7,500 square feet of commercial space.  The new residential building would rise five stories, replacing one of the last remaining warehouse structures from prior to the neighborhood's mid-2000 development boom.  As is typical with most Westside multi-family projects, 4091 Redwood comes with copious parking accommodations.  The building would sit atop a 141-stall underground garage, containing spaces for both residents and the project's commercial tenant.  However, this section of Marina Del Rey also provides plenty of reasons to leave your car behind.  4091 Redwood would sit within easy walking distance of the recently upgraded Villa Marina Marketplace, a Costco, and a wide variety of stores along busy Washington Boulevard.  Other developers have also taken note, with a similar project proposed just one block to the east.

• Case Information Summary Sheet 4091 Redwood Ave (LA City Planning)

Squat Apartment Building Heads to the Condo Canyon

West LA could be getting a new residential tower, but Westwood's Condo Canyon continues to see shorter wood-frame projects coming out of the er....woodworks.  According to an e-mail tipster, a trio of mid-century apartment buildings at 10763 - 10787 Wilshire Boulevard were demolished late last year.  In their place, a six-story, luxury apartment complex designed by GMP Architects (Avant, 801 Olive Street) shall rise.  10777 Wilshire would contain 60 residential units above a 150-stall underground parking garage.  Amenities include a fitness center, meditation garden, concierge service and even an on-site salon.  A rooftop patio would provide outdoor kitchen space with spectacular views of Westwood and the Santa Monica Mountains (check out renderings after the jump).  Albeit a little off the main pedestrian corridor, the project's location sits within easy walking distance of the restaurants and stores within Westwood's busy commercial hub.  On the other hand, who can afford to live in a place with concierge service?  Promotional literature from CBRE boasts that units in some of the nearby buildings command rents in excess $10,000 per month.  10777 Wilshire probably won't hit five figures, but it certainly won't be cheap.  It's also worth mentioning that this is not the first time that development has been planned for these parcels.  Way back in 2007, Curbed LA reported that French designer Philippe Starck had drawn up plans for a 27-unit luxury condominium building on the site.  That not-so-attractive concept went nowhere amid the recession, but perhaps GMP's design will have better luck in 2014.

UCLA Getting 6-Stories of TLC

Teaching and Learning Center of Health for Health Sciences.  All images from UCLA.

In late September, UCLA broke ground on a $120 million expansion of the David Geffen School of Medicine at the corner of Le Conte and Tiverton.  The Teaching and Learning Center for Health Sciences, which the administration gleefully refers to as TLC, will stand six-stories and span 110,000 square feet.  The project was paid for using a combination of cash reserves and philanthropic donations.  TLC will allow UCLA to consolidate a significant portion of the medical school's classroom space, which is currently spread between 11 different buildings.  It also includes teaching labs, study space, administrative offices and a clinical skills center.  The Skidmore, Owings and Merrill designed project is expected to wrap up in 2016.

Interior courtyard of TLC

View of TLC's eastern elevation

Close up on TLC's southern elevation

• Geffen School of Medicine Gets Some 'TLC' as Campus Breaks Ground on Innovative Center (UCLA)

Westwood Blvd Getting 71 Apartments

1777 S Westwood Blvd

A mixed-use development is on the way to Westwood Blvd, on a site just north of Santa Monica Blvd.  Here are the details from the Department of City Planning:

1777 S WESTWOOD BLVD 90024

DEMOLITION OF A (E) RETAIL CENTER AND CONSTRUCTION OF A (N) MIXED-USE RESIDENTIAL PROJECT CONSISTING OF 71 RESIDENTIAL UNITS, A CHILDCARE FACILITY AND 6,237 SQ FT OF GROUND FLOOR COMMERCIAL

I'm sure a lot of drivers will decry adding more density to traffic congested Westwood Blvd, especially with the full Purple Line extension still on the distant horizon.  However, this is a very walkable neighborhood with a wide variety of stores and restaurants located in close proximity.  You can leave the Volvo at home more often when there's a grocery store across the street.

Another Addition to the Condo Canyon

Development is on its way for one of the few remaining vacant parcels of land on Wilshire Blvd west of the Los Angeles Country Club.  Check out this filing from August 1st, gleaned from the Department of City Planning:

DIR-2013-2348-DRB-SPP

860 S DEVON AVE, LOS ANGELES CA, 90024

THE CONSTRUCTION OF 33 DWELLING UNITS WITH AN APPROXIMATE HEIGHT OF 75 FEET.  PROJECT AREA: 14,369 SQ. FEET. 

The design for the building appears to be coming from Culver City based RTK Architects, Inc.  No renderings yet, and their currently under construction website supplies little absolutely no useful insights.  More information will be available as this makes it way through LA's tedious approval process, though.

As I mentioned, the lot at Wilshire and Devon represents one of the few remaining undeveloped parcels on Wilshire's so-called "Condo Canyon," through Westwood.  This also vacant lot sits two blocks to the west, at the intersection with Le Conte:

The odd shaped parcel at the corner of Wilshire and Gayley also remains empty, waiting for the Flatiron inspired/Robert A.M. Stern designed Gayley at Wilshire Tower to rise.

At 427 feet from head to toe, the Gayley at Wilshire would be the tallest building in the Westwood skyline.

Currently, the developer is fighting with UCLA over whether or not there will be access to the alley at the back of the property during construction.  The developer deems a street vacation for the alley to be necessary for construction, while UCLA doesn't want access to their adjacent parking lot restricted.