Wednesday, February 12, 2014

3670 Wilshire Revived, Going Low-Rise

3670 Wilshire Boulevard, seen from the corner of Wilshire and Hobart

The dusty lot at 3670 Wilshire Boulevard, once intended for a glassy condo tower, is instead headed in the low-rise direction.  An environmental report released by LADCP indicates that property owner Don Hankey has plans for a six-story structure, housing 377 apartment units and just under 8,500 square feet of ground floor retail space.  Designed by the architectural firm of Van Tilburg, Banyard & Soderbergh (Casden West LA, Picasso Brentwood), the stucco-clad building would span a full city block in between Wilshire Boulevard and 7th Street.  Located within easy walking distance of two Metro Purple Line stations, the mixed-use development would nonetheless sit atop a two-level, 710-car garage.

Over the years, this 2.2 acre parcel has been the site of several never realized proposals.  Prior to the financial crisis, a Korean developer planned to build a 40-story skyscraper on the lot.  Standing 490 feet above ground, the Nadel Architects-designed tower would have redefined the Mid-Wilshire skyline.  After the recession squashed any chances of a high-rise, Hankey scooped up the property in 2011.  Under an arrangement with the former Community Redevelopment Agency, Hankey would have built apartments on the northern side of the lot, while the CRA would have converted the southern portion into a park.  However, the demise of the state CRA system just a few months later put a stop to any talk of green space.  Three years later, here we are.






Former plan for 3670 Wilshire, designed by Nadel Architects


2 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. If they do not fill up the open holes in downtown real estate, the prices will not rise high enough to justify more high rise buildings. For a major US City downtown, it is CHEAP in LA. Fill in the holes I say. It will fill demand, raise prices on real estate and eventually push prices up to the point where high rise units become feasible.

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