Excavation Underway for Hollywood Office Building

Earlier this month, developer Hudson Pacific Properties commenced excavation for Icon, a 14-story office tower on the Sunset Bronson Studios campus (SBS).

The 200-foot tall edifice, designed by architecture firm Gensler, will rise from the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Van Ness Avenue, creating a total of 315,000 square feet of creative office space.  Artistic renderings portray a mid-rise structure, described by the Architect's Newspaper as consisting of "five rectangular, stacked volumes, offset horizontally to create exterior terraces."

Icon is part of a $150 million expansion of Sunset Bronson Studios which will completely remodel the eastern half of the approximately 10-acre campus.  Plans call for the construction of a 90,000-square-foot production facility and a 1,600-car parking garage along Van Ness Avenue, both of which broke ground last September.  The project also includes the refurbishment of the SBS Executive Office Building, a 1920s structure which once housed the headquarters of Warner Brothers.

The Los Angeles Times previously reported that completion of the SBS expansion is expected by late 2016.

Luxury Hotel Tower Rising in Beverly Hills

The modest Beverly Hills skyline will soon be augmented by a striking five-star hotel tower.

Earlier this year, a team of investors lead by the Alagem Capital Group broke ground on the new Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills.  The $200 million project, located at the high-profile intersection of Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevards, will consist of a 12-story tower with 170 guest rooms, luxury retail establishments, and other ancillary uses.

Designs from architecture firms Gensler and Pierre-Yves Rochon call for a structure primarily clad in white stone, featuring strong horizontal lines and curving forms which are typical of the Streamline Moderne style.  The building's interior will maintain a similar aesthetic, featuring a "rich palette of burnished bronze, warm white stone, [and] Lalique installations throughout."

Beverly Hills Waldorf Astoria (All images: Waldorf Astoria)

Work Ramping up on South Park Megaprojects

Image: Oceanwide Real Estate Group via the Los Angeles Times

In what amounts to an excellent Christmas for Downtown boosters, work will soon begin on multiple new high-rise buildings in the South Park neighborhood.

Earlier in December, Oceanwide Real Estate Group started clearing the large surface parking lot at 1101 Flower Street, future site of Fig Central.  Now, after much speculation, the Los Angeles Times reports that the long-stalled mixed-use complex is on track for an early 2015 groundbreaking date.

The $1-billion development will feature a trio of skyline-altering towers designed by architecture firm RTKL.  The largest of the buildings - a 49-story edifice at the corner of Flower and 11th Streets - will rise 677 feet above street level, making it slightly taller than the nearby Ritz Carlton Hotel & Residences.  In total, the three towers will comprise 504 condominiums and a five-star, 183-room hotel.

Fig Central was originally conceived as the retail complement to the nearby restaurants and entertainment venues of the LA Live complex.  The retooled proposal from the Oceanwide Group places a similar emphasis on shopping, with approximately 200,000 square feet of stores and restaurants planned for the development

The project as a whole is expected to cater to an affluent clientele, with plans calling for an array of luxurious amenities.  In addition to a variety of high-end stores, the proposed hotel will feature multiple event spaces and a "celebrity chef restaurant."  DTLA Rising reports that Fig Central may also include the first American outpost of the ultra posh Cavalli Club.

Mid-Rise Office Building Breaks Ground in Hollywood

With the end of 2014 fast approaching, construction has finally started on one of Hollywood's most controversial developments.

Earlier this month, the J.H. Snyder Company broke ground on 1601 Vine Street, an eight-story office tower slated for the former site of Molly's Burgers.  The $70 million project, designed by architecture firm Gensler, will consist of approximately 110,000 square feet of Class-A office space, a 2,000-square-foot ground-level retail stall, and 174 underground parking spaces.  The potentially LEED Gold-certified development is scheduled for delivery in 2016.

1601 Vine Street is the third major office complex to break ground near the Hollywood/Vine subway station since 2013, joining campus-style projects from Kilroy Realty and Hudson Pacific Properties.  Office development has thrived in Hollywood during the past several years, despite the overall sluggish performance of the Los Angeles market.  The neighborhood's most recent coup came in the form of media giant Viacom, which will consolidate its Southern California operations within 180,000 square feet of the Columbia Square complex.

Hollywood's office boom has been accompanied by equally impressive performances from the residential and hospitality sectors.  Houston-based Camden Property Trust is currently in the midst of construction on a mixed-use development directly across the intersection from Snyder's project.  West along Selma Avenue, local developer Five Chairs broke ground this past Spring on the 180-room Dream Hollywood.  Additional boutique hotels are slated for nearby properties along Cahuenga Boulevard and Wilcox Avenue.

Fancy Senior Housing Complex Breaks Ground in Playa Vista

Image credit: Kilograph

Feast your eyes on the latest shiny object to sprout from the ashes of Howard Hughes's once expansive empire.  According to multiple sources, the Los Angeles Jewish Home has officially broken ground on the Fountainview at Gonda Westside, an upscale senior housing development in the Playa Vista neighborhood.  The $100 million complex will feature a series of low-rise structures, offering a total of 175 independent living units and 24 assisted living/memory care units.  Plans call for a wide battery of residential amenities, including a fitness center, library, screening room and a ground-floor cafe.  In addition, an accessible rooftop deck will offer both a swimming pool and a spa.  Completion is currently scheduled for sometime in 2016.

Plans from architectural firm Gensler call for a complex of six-story buildings, incorporating the sloping rooflines and wood paneling frequently seen on other Westside developments. The project's design  ingratiates itself heavily to the outdoors, both through its rooftop amenity deck and its expansive balconies.  Lush landscaping will surround the perimeter of the residential community and permeate into an internal courtyard.

Big Sunset Bronson Studios Expansion to Break Ground Next Week

Icon at SBS (Image credit: Hudson Pacific Properties)

Hollywood's well documented construction boom continues to surge, as yet another skyline altering project prepares to break ground near the 101 Freeway.  According to Bisnow, local landlord Hudson Pacific Properties (HPP) plans to begin work next week on a long-awaited expansion of Sunset Bronson Studios (SBS).  The $150 million development, designed by architectural firm Gensler, will retool the eastern side of the SBS campus with a new parking garage and approximately 400,000 square feet of office and production space.

HPP's expansion project is highlighted by Icon, a 14-story office tower slated for the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Van Ness Avenue.  The 315,000 square foot structure will stand roughly 200 feet tall, creating a commanding presence above the nearby freeway trench.  An August piece from the Architect's Newspaper describes the building as featuring "five rectangular, stacked volumes, offset horizontally to create exterior terraces."  Facade elements will variate between precast panels and a glass curtain wall, breaking down the tower's broad, imposing scale.

Moving south from Sunset Boulevard, the project will include two new buildings of a lower height profile.  The first, a five-story production building, will contain 90,000 square feet of production office space and a ground-level cafe.  The second, a seven-story garage, will rise adjacent to the production building and offer parking accommodations for 1,600 vehicles.

Perpetually Stalled Hollywood Office Building Getting Active

Image credit: Loopnet.

Over three years after Molly's Burgers served its final customers, one of Hollywood's most polarizing projects is poised to emerge unscathed from development hell.  1601 Vine Street, a mid-rise office tower first proposed in 2006, is miraculously on pace to break ground before the end of this calendar year.  Last week, demolition permits were pulled for the pair of drab commercial structures that currently occupy the project site.  This follows construction permits for the new office building, which have been in the works since earlier this summer.

The eight-story, glass-clad structure will contain 112,000 square feet of creative office space, a 2,000 square foot ground-level commercial stall, and a five-level, 194-vehicle underground parking garage.  The Gensler-designed building will stand approximately 130 feet tall, adhering to Hollywood's historic (but non-binding) height limit.

The turning point for 1601 Vine Street came last year, when the locally-based J.H. Snyder Company took over development of project.  Although a bureaucratic hiccup towards the end of 2013 delayed a previously scheduled Spring groundbreaking, the city and the developer worked quickly to put their ducks in a row.  Snyder told Bloomberg earlier this year that he expects to break ground on the speculative development sometime in September.

New Details Emerge for Massive SoLA Village

Image credit: Gensler and P-A-T-T-E-R-N-S via Los Angeles Times

This past June, Glendale-based PRH LA Mart shocked many observers when they announced plans for SoLA Village, a $1 billion development intended for two sprawling parking lots adjacent to South Broadway's REEF Building.  Consisting of 1.6 million square feet of new floor area, architectural renderings from Gensler and P-A-T-T-E-R-N-S portray shimmering condo towers and new apartment buildings along the path of Metro's Blue Line.  Although the project remains years away from groundbreaking, a new environmental study released by LADCP sheds light on both the timeline and the scale of the development program.

A Closer Look at the Skyline Altering Metropolis

Later this week, the DLANC Planning and Land Use Committee is scheduled to take a close look at details of the Greenland Group's plans for Metropolis.  The first stage of the $1 billion project, which quietly began site preparation last week, will create 350 hotel rooms and 308 condominium units in towers of 19 and 38 stories.  Buildings will surround a ground-level automobile courtyard, lined by more than 7,000 square feet of pedestrian-oriented retail space.  Both towers would sit atop a seven-floor parking garage, featuring five above-ground levels.

The more ambitious second phase of the development calls for two additional high-rise towers, oriented towards the northern end of the 6.3-acre project site.  Buildings would rise to heights of 58 and 40 stories, containing a cumulative 1,250 condominiums and 67,000 square feet of retail space.  The larger structure, peaking 647 feet above street level, would narrowly edge out the Onni Group's proposed tower at 820 Olive Street for the title of Los Angeles' tallest residential building.

Watch Metropolis Reshape the Downtown Skyline

Your eyes do not deceive you: the surface parking lot at the corner of 9th and Francisco Streets is no more.  With a $39 million taxpayer subsidy in hand, Shanghai's Greenland Real Estate Group has officially commenced work on the first half of the long-awaited Metropolis development.  A skeleton crew quietly kicked off on the $1 billion project yesterday morning, stripping asphalt from the phase one site.  The dirt lot seen above will eventually birth high-rise towers of 19 and 38 stories, creating 350 hotel rooms and 308 condominium units above street-level retail space.  San Francisco-based Webcor Builders, general contractor for the Metropolis development, has fortunately installed a construction camera directly across 9th Street.  Take your progress updates every fifteen minutes in glorious HD.

The Greenland Group is currently in the planning stages for a more grandiose phase two of the project, which would create larger buildings near the intersection of 8th and Francisco Streets.  Gensler-designed plans filed with the city call for a total of 1,250 condominium units and 67,000 feet of commercial space.  An updated rendering of Metropolis from brokerage firm Douglas Elliman portrays the second phase with two additional towers, featuring glass exteriors and sloping roof lines (see below).

Check Out the Specs for Metropolis Phase II

Image credit: Gensler via Kilograph

Although likely years away from the start of construction, the Shanghai-based Greenland Group is already working on plans for the second half of their ambitious Metropolis development.  According to a memo released by CRA/LA earlier this month, phase two of the $1 billion project tentatively calls for two high-rise towers that would comprise over 1.4 million square feet of floor area.  The first structure, an approximately 50-story tower, would stand flush with Francisco Street and consist of 510 condominium dwellings above a parking podium.  The second building, standing roughly 60 stories, would abut the corner of 8th and Francisco Streets with 740 condominiums and 67,000 square feet of ground floor retail space.  Both towers would be located directly across the street from an allegedly "sexy, mixed-use," parking structure, currently under construction next to the CTBC Bank Tower.

Phase one, revealed in a February groundbreaking ceremony, will reportedly start excavation and shoring work later this month.  Consisting of two additional towers, the first stage of Metropolis will create 310 residential units, more than 6,000 square feet of pedestrian oriented retail, and up to 350 hotel rooms.  A 19-story hotel tower, to be located at the corner of Francisco Street and James M. Wood Boulevard, will rise 271 feet above a retail and parking podium.  Although official reports have yet to specify an operator, earlier documents produced by the LA City Council point to the Hotel Indigo brand.  A 38-story residential building, set towards the eastern side of the property, will stand 442 feet tall.

Howard Hughes Center Expansion Back on Track

Image credit: Curbed LA

After years of delays, long awaited plans to add hundreds of residential units to Westchester's Howard Hughes Center are finally moving forward.  Earlier this year, ground was broken on a new apartment complex, located on a formerly vacant lot at 6040 Center Drive.  Rising six stories, the building will contain 218 apartment dwellings above two levels of underground parking.  Permit filings from the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety indicate that a second six-story residential complex is also planned across the street at 5900 Center Drive.  That building would be slightly larger in scale, consisting of 327 apartments in addition to underground parking accommodations.  Both residential structures would lie within walking distance of the Promenade at Howard Hughes Center, a two-level outdoor mall anchored by a luxury theater outpost.

6040 W. Center Drive

Whoa: New High-Rise Apartment Building Headed to West LA

Here's something you don't see everyday: something tall planned west of the 405 freeway.  According to documents just released by the Los Angeles Department of City Planning, West LA-based Douglas Emmett Inc. intends to construct a new 34-story residential tower at 11750 Wilshire Boulevard.  The Landmark Apartments, first spotted moving through LADCP last December, would rise 338 feet above ground and contain 376 one and two bedroom units.  A conceptual site plan drawn up by Gensler indicates that the apartment tower would stand on the southern side of the property, replacing a low-rise structure which previously housed a Pavilions supermarket.  In addition to the standard outdoor pool deck, residential amenities would include a lobby, lounge, fitness center, recreation room, and bicycle storage area.  The project also includes a standalone 4,700 square foot retail structure, which would directly front the corner of Wilshire and Stoner Avenue.  Although no renderings of the project are provided by the LADCP documents, the design is described as consisting of "a slim, concrete frame lined with floor-to-ceiling glazing accented by light metal and fritted glass panels."  Construction would last approximately 30 months, with completion anticipated in 2017.  Sounds awesome, so bring on the Westside NIMBY gauntlet.

Another Office Tower Planned on Sunset Boulevard

Site Plan for 5901 Sunset Boulevard

Construction cranes have become a common sight in the Hollywood skyline over the past two years, and a newly proposed development from Hudson Pacific Properties would keep them around for the foreseeable future.  Earlier today, the Department of City Planning released an environmental report for a new 274,000 square foot office building at 5901 Sunset Boulevard.  The 18-story tower, designed by Gensler, would include six-stories of above-grade parking and 26,000 square feet of retail space at street level.  With an architectural apex 260 feet above ground, 5901 Sunset would provide tenants with landscaped courtyards on its upper office levels.  Vehicular ingress and egress for the tower's 1,118 stall garage would be provided along the Bronson Avenue side of the property, preserving the the building's Sunset Boulevard frontage for pedestrians.  Construction is scheduled to last 22 months, with completion expected in 2017.

Hudson Pacific Properties' newest office building comes to light as a variety of large, mixed-use projects are either planned or under construction on Sunset Boulevard.  At Sunset and Gower, Kilroy Realty is building over 300,000 square feet of office space as part of its redevelopment of Columbia Square.  Next-door to 5901 Sunset, the Hollywood-based CIM Group is pushing towards completion on their 23-story Sunset Gordon tower.  Across the street, Emerson College recently opened its stunning new Los Angeles campus.  Finally, one block east of 5901 Sunset, Hudson Pacific Properties is planning another Gensler-designed office tower on the Sunset Bronson Studios campus.

Metropolis Scheduled to Break Ground on Valentines Day

The Greenland Group raised more than a few eyebrows when they boldly proclaimed that they'd break ground on the long awaited Metropolis development before the end of 2013.  Turns out that they might not have been that far off.  According to a document from the city's Chief Legislative Analyst, the Chinese developer plans to start shoring and grading work for phase one of Metropolis on February 14.  Phase one will emerge at the intersection of Francisco Street and James M Wood Boulevard, consisting of two high-rise structures above a pedestrian plaza.  The first tower, a 350-room Hotel Indigo, will rise approximately 19-stories.  Guest rooms will stand above a podium structure containing food and beverage outlets, meeting space, recreational amenities, and street level retail.  Records from LADBS indicate that the second tower is intended to rise 38-stories, containing 290 residential units above a parking podium.  Phase two, which has no scheduled groundbreaking date, will consist of three two towers with a "mix of residential and commercial uses."

Unfortunately, not all is not well on Metropolis' 6.3 acre parking lot.  The Greenland Group claims that the project's hotel component is facing an $82-92 million finance gap, and requests assistance from the city to make up for the deficit.  In years past, Los Angeles has granted tax rebates to both the J.W. Marriott and the Wilshire Grand for this purpose.  While the city will conduct its own analysis of Greenland's project before making a decision, representatives of the Convention Center have already indicated a willingness to provide financial incentives to get 4,000 new hotel rooms by 2020.  In other words, it seems likely that the Greenland Group will get their tax break.  In the meantime, get your popcorn ready and keep your eyes peeled for construction equipment come Valentines Day.  Or go spend time with your loved ones...whatever.  Either way, Downtown's long delayed mega-project will finally get shovels in the ground.

• Economic Development Incentives for the Metropolis Hotel Project (LA City)
• Greenland Group Gets Serious About Metropolis (Building Los Angeles)

Gensler Designed Senior Housing for Playa Vista

The Fountainview at Gonda Westside, image from Gensler via Kilograph

Back to Playa Vista, where the Los Angeles Jewish Home is currently working on their latest luxury retirement community.  The Fountainview at Gonda Westside is scheduled to open in 2016, creating 175 independent living units and 24 assisted living units.  The five-story, Gensler-designed structure will rise at the intersection of Jefferson Boulevard and Westlawn Avenue.  The building's "picturesque rooftop," features a swimming pool, spa, garden, cafe and observation deck.   Other residential amenities include a fitness center, library, and on-site theater.  As the Fountainview prepares to break ground, the rest of the Playa Vista campus is in the midst of a full on building boom.  Just a short walk away, Lincoln Property Group is hard at work on the $200 million Runway at Playa Vista, which will create a mixed-use complex consisting of apartments, office space, ground floor retail and (of course) parking.  Also under construction nearby is the Resort, a 25,000 square foot recreation facility featuring a fitness center and a Junior Olympic pool.  In addition, a variety of smaller for-sale and rental housing facilities are underway from developers such as KB Home and Brookfield Home.  This is shaping up to be a walkable, amenity laden community, full of the resources that car-free seniors will need.  Plus, the beach is just one-and-a-half miles west (if you're into that sort of thing).

Greenland Group Gets Serious about Metropolis

The Metropolis site, seen from the intersection of James M Wood Boulevard and Francisco Street.

When the Shanghai based Greenland Group announced their intent to purchase the long delayed Metropolis development in June 2013, many details from the press release were muddled in the Mandarin-to-English translation.  IDS Realty quickly stepped in to put the kibosh on the rumored sales price of $1 billion, but all parties involved have remained adamant that the project would be going vertical as soon as possible.  It appears that the Chinese developer remains true to its word, with the project's first buildings set to be a 19-story hotel at 899 Francisco Street and a 38-story apartment tower next door at 889 Francisco.  According to permits filed with LADBS, the hotel's guest rooms would rise above a four-story podium containing event, retail and restaurant space.  The residential building would contain 290 units, stacked atop a four-story parking garage.  Both towers would also feature two levels of subterranean parking.

Curbed LA recently caused a stir when they provided renderings of two Gensler-designed Metropolis towers via structural engineering firm Saiful Bouquet.  Although those renderings have been verified as outdated, they do hint at the the intended scope of the project.  While perhaps not as grand in scale as some of the Greenland Group's developments across the Pacific, the first phase of Metropolis will still make a noticeable impact on the Downtown skyline.  On the other hand, Gensler has their work cut out for them at ground level.  Isolated from the activity of LA Live and sandwiched between the 110 freeway and series of parking garages, the Metropolis site does not easily lend itself towards pedestrian activity.  That doesn't bode well for the effort to transform Francisco Street into Downtown LA's wannabe French Quarter.

• Property Activity Report (LADBS)
• Are These the Latest Renderings for Downtown's Re-Jumpstarted Metropolis Megaproject? (Curbed LA)
• Metropolis Rendered in the LA Skyline (Building Los Angeles)

Grand Avenue Project's $650 Million Phase 1 Revealed (UPDATED)

UPDATE: The Los Angeles Times has reported that the Grand Avenue Authority voted unanimously to reject Related California's updated plans for the Grand Avenue Project.  Thus, the below information and images are already outdated.  Looks like it's back to the drawing board for both the Authority and Related, which potentially means even further setbacks for the long delayed project.  The Times indicates that Related will likely receive another three month extension to draw up new plans for the project.  Should Related be removed as the project's developer, Los Angeles County will open itself to "major legal liability," as Related has already paid over $50 million towards the construction of Downtown's Grand Park.

The Gensler designed Master Plan for Parcel Q, a.k.a. Phase 1

Earlier this month, documents from the LA County Board of Supervisors revealed that Robert A. M. Stern Architects (RAMSA) had been commissioned to draw up new designs for the much anticipated Grand Avenue Project.  Now, more information has emerged providing insight into Related California's revised plans for Phase 1 of the development.  Although the new iteration of the Grand Avenue Project has been reduced in scope from Frank Gehry's pre-recession vision, it remains one of the largest real estate developments in Los Angeles.  Phase 1 carries a staggering $650 million price tag.

Phase 1A is scheduled for groundbreaking in March 2015, with completion in September 2017.  Cost estimate?  A cool $160 million.  It will consist of an approximately 48-story residential tower on the southern portion of the site, abutting the corner of Olive and 2nd Street.  The 485 foot tall building will contain 380 apartments above 31,000 square feet of commercial space, served by a 400-car underground garage.  The project will have studio, one and two bedroom units available for rent.  While it is unclear if these renderings represent the final design for the Phase 1A tower, they are labeled with the name of the project's design architect, RAMSA.

View of the Phase 1A tower from the Music Center's Grand Avenue frontage.  The new Parcel Q master plan intentionally sets the Phase IA tower back from Grand Avenue in deference to the Walt Disney Concert Hall across the street.

View of the Phase 1A tower from the southwest.

Phase 1B is further down the pipeline, with groundbreaking scheduled for September 2017 and completion anticipated in June 2020.  Based on the previously listed estimates from Related, Phase 1B will cost approximately $490 million.   It will consist of a 250 key, 4 star hotel tower standing above 141,000 square feet of commercial space and a 20,700 square foot public plaza.  This portion of the project would be served by a 940-car garage.  The Phase 1B tower could contain 50 for-sale condominium units, if market conditions are hospitable to their inclusion.  The commercial space includes room for a market, in addition to retail and restaurant space.  Related told the Grand Avenue Authority earlier this year that Ralph's Fresh Fare had expressed interest in the location.

Although the document never explicitly states a height or number of floors for the Phase 1B tower, a diagram shows it standing approximately 41-stories and 453 feet above grade.  However, the building could wind up significantly smaller should the condominium option not be included in the final plans.

With the details out of the way, how about some more eye candy?  Keep in mind that much of this is merely conceptual.

View of the Phase 1B site from in front of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.  The actual Phase 1B tower would most likely be set further back from Grand Avenue, as the new master plan seeks to avoid overshadowing the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

View of Phase 1 from the Broad Museum.  It's fun to imagine this parcel as an active contributor to Grand Avenue's street life.  Helps you forget that the land is currently occupied by a derelict parking garage.

Aerial view of the project site from the south.  I hope that the blank wall at the Olive/2nd Street corner doesn't make it into the final design.

Diagram showing the ground level floor plan.  Phase 1A and Phase 1B are bisected by the vertical line seen center left in the above picture. With a significantly larger footprint, Phase 1B comprises a much greater portion of the overall cost estimate for the project.

Height profile of both Phase 1A and Phase 1B.  Two towers standing well over 400 feet tall would noticeably alter the Downtown skyline when viewed from the north.  However, Phase 1B only stands 24 floors and 283 feet tall without the condominium option.

Comparison between the original 2007 plans and the new 2013 version.  The residential program has clearly shifted away from condominiums to focus on the strong rental market.  The retail square footage and number of hotel rooms have slightly decreased, while the health club and event facility have been eliminated entirely.

Overall, Phase 1 of the Grand Avenue project will create up to 430 residential units, 250 hotel rooms, and 171,000 square feet of commercial space.  Many feared a dramatic downsizing of the project after Frank Gehry's plans were officially discarded earlier this year.  It is a relief to see that Related is still pushing forward with an ambitious vision for the site at an appropriately cautious pace.

• Grand Avenue Project - Phase 1  (Grand Avenue Authority)
• Robert A. M. Stern to Design Phase 1A of the Grand Avenue Project (Building Los Angeles)

Robert A. M. Stern to Design Phase 1A of the Grand Avenue Project

The Grand Avenue Project's Phase 1 site, otherwise known as Parcel Q

After months of speculation, the LA Downtown News reported in January that Frank Gehry's $2 billion design for the Grand Avenue Project would not be moving forward.  Now, another architectural giant will try his luck with the long stalled development.  According to a document from the LA County Board of Supervisors, Robert A. M. Stern Architects (RAMSA) will be the new design architect for Phase 1A of the Grand Avenue Project.  Developer Related California also indicated to the Grand Avenue Authority that while there is no master plan for the development, they have been collaborating with San Francisco based Gensler to "look for a template that [works] for the entire site."

Under Related's revised plans for the Grand Avenue Project, Phase 1A calls for a 380 unit residential tower with ground level commercial space at the northeastern corner of 2nd Street and Grand Avenue.  While no specifics have been released regarding the Phase 1A tower's height, Related California President Bill Witte told the Downtown News that it could be taller than the 19-story Parcel M tower which broke ground earlier this year.  Witte also indicated that Related was considering a "hybrid building," featuring for-sale condominiums on the upper floors and rental units on the lower levels.  Groundbreaking for Phase 1A is tentatively scheduled for March 2015.

Phase 1B will consist of a 250 key hotel tower with commercial space on the 1st Street side of the parcel.  The hotel tower could also have 50 for-sale condominiums, should market conditions justify their inclusion.  However, neither an architect nor a timeline have been specified for this part of the development.

While Robert A. M. Stern has had a career that most architects could only dream of, RAMSA has designed few large scale projects in the Los Angeles area.  They previously collaborated with Related California on the 42-story condominium tower in West Los Angeles known as "The Century."  RAMSA is also responsible for the design of the proposed 29-story Gayley at Wilshire.

Two Robert A. M. Stern designs: The Century (L) and the Gayley at Wilshire (R)

Although Stern has a reputation for "throwback," designs, his firm has a knack for creating buildings that fit in well with their surroundings.  It will be interesting to see how their design complements the metallic, postmodern Walt Disney Concert Hall and the honeycombed Broad Museum on the opposite side of Grand Avenue.

• Statement of Proceedings: July 22 2013 (Grand Avenue Authority)
• Statement of Proceedings: April 29, 2013 (Grand Avenue Authority)
• Developer Unveils New Plan for Grand Avenue (LA Downtown News)
• The Grand Avenue Project's First Building Broke Ground Today (Curbed LA)

199 Units of Senior Housing for Playa Vista

Fountainview at Gonda, designed by Gensler

It looks like a new senior housing development is on its way to Playa Vista, with design work from architectural firm Gensler.  The 199 unit Fountainview at Gonda will offer a laundry list of on-site amenities, described by Playa Vista Today as follows:

The ground floor of the Fountainview at Gonda will be called the Gallery and features many areas for interaction and engagement with community amenities including multiple dining venues, create arts studio, theater, library, salon, card room, lounge and cafe oriented around a large interior courtyard.

Additionally, the rooftop features additional amenities for residents' use including two fitness pavilions, a swimming pool and a large sundeck.  There is access to a cafe for outdoor dining as well as numerous lounging areas.  

It's not particularly urban, but senior housing isn't supposed to be. Still, you can count me as a fan of Gensler's design for this project.  The Fountainview looks modern and outdoorsy, which is the perfect look for the Westside.

The Fountainview joins another senior apartment development that was announced for Playa Vista in August.

• Gensler Selected to Design Playa Vista's New Fountainview at Gonda Westside (Playa Vista Today)