Sunday, September 8, 2013

Is the Entrada Still Alive in Culver City?

The Entrada at 6163 Centinela

I was surprised to find that signs are still up for the Entrada, a 13 story Gensler designed office tower intended for a Culver City parking lot near Playa Vista.  The 220 foot tall/340,000 square foot proposal from Centinela Development Partners first emerged in 2008, but has yet to show any physical signs of progress.  The development was met by stiff opposition from neighbors in Culver City and Westchester, citing concerns about blocked views and increased traffic congestion.

Check out some images of the proposal pulled from the project's website:

View of the project's Centinela Avenue frontage.  A six story garage accounts for 1,250 parking stalls.

View of the building from the east.  The site currently serves as a parking lot for the Double Tree Hotel seen on the right.

Overhead view of the project site.

Centinela Ave streetscape.  Even the modest amount of pedestrian traffic portrayed here is optimistic for this 405 freeway adjacent area.

View from the nearby Howard Hughes Tower.

The Entrada would be highly visible from the 405 freeway.  The northern side of the building should make for very valuable ad space.

My guess is that the Entrada is several years away from groundbreaking, if it ever comes to fruition.  LA Business Journal reported that Playa Vista's office vacancy rate was close to 60% this past June, so conditions aren't exactly ripe for new construction.  Not all hope is lost, though.  Playa Vista has recently benefited from overflowing office demand in Venice and Santa Monica.  As "Silicon Beach," spreads further south, perhaps market conditions will improve enough to allow for new construction.  Maybe the long stalled Howard Hughes Center expansion could finally get underway.

In the very long term future (as in decades from now), this location would be well served by the proposed Sepulveda Metro Rail line.

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