Westfield's Century City Tower Gets a Big Haircut

Image credit: Westfield Group

Westfield Century City's long delayed expansion plans are shrinking...again.  Citing market conditions and an ongoing dialogue with the surrounding neighborhood, the Austalian mall developer has opted to downscale its proposed 39-story high-rise to a less imposing 15-story structure.  Once planned to contain 262 condominiums, the revised tower proposal features just 20 "upscale residences."  When approved in 2009, the project was slated to include approximately 100,000 square feet of office space, in which the Westfield Group had intended to house its US headquarters.  However, as the company has since leased space in the nearby Century Plaza Towers, the modified development program has reduced the amount of commercial space by 14,000 square feet.

On the other hand, Westfield will not scrimp on retail or restaurant space in their $700 million upgrade.  The expanded facilities will add over 400,000 square feet of floor area, a new central plaza, and double the mall's parking capacity.  Additionally, streetscape improvements along Santa Monica Boulevard, Century Park West and Avenue of the Stars will add lush new greenery around the shopping complex's perimeter.  Retail tenants will reportedly include Nordstrom, Armani and New York-based Eataly.

According to the mall's official website, these improvements are scheduled for completion in 2017.  However, the exact timeline and phasing of the development is unclear at this point in time.  A demolition permit was issued for 1801 Avenue of the Stars in May, which would clear the way way for the planned residential tower.  However, the Welton Beckett-designed mid-rise still stands proudly above Santa Monica Boulevard.  To date, the only aspect of the project to have reached completion is a 550-car parking garage, located at the northeast corner of Constellation Boulevard and Century Park West.

Columbia Square Now Going Vertical

The Hollywood skyline was starting to get a little sparse, with construction cranes having recently disappeared at both Emerson College and Blvd 6200.  Then, along came the $380 million Columbia Square development to save the day.  While little more than a giant dirt pit at this point in time, developer Kilroy Realty will eventually turn the parcel at 6121 Sunset Boulevard into over 300,000 square feet of new Class-A office space and a 20-story residential high-rise.  Dubbed "The Residences at Columbia Square," the Rios Clementi Hale-designed tower's 200 units will be divided between luxury rentals and extended stay hotel suites.  The project also entails the adaptive re-use of Columbia Square's historic William Lescaze designed structures, which shall be repurposed as creative office and retail space.

It's difficult to imagine anyone looking at Hollywood in the 1980's and seeing the potential for luxury housing and shiny new office buildings, but here we are all the same.  Kilroy Realty is confident enough in the neighborhood's future that they recently announced plans for a second project just a few blocks away.  The West LA-based developer paid over $45 million to acquire the four acre site on Vine Street where the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences once planned to build its museum.  With the proposed museum relocated south to the LACMA campus, Kilroy will instead construct a $285 million mixed-use complex containing 220 apartments, retail and office space.

Another New Look for Columbia Square?

All images from Rios Clementi Hale Studios

Work is already underway on Kilroy Realty's Columbia Square development, but that doesn't mean it's too late to change the project's design...again.  Rios Clementi Hale Studios, one of three architectural firms collaborating on the project, recently posted updated renderings of Columbia Square to their website.  While a PR representative for RCH has informed me that these plans are in no way finalized, the new renderings indicate that a redesign may be in the works for the project's 22-story residential tower.  Gone is the boxy, minimalist high-rise unveiled earlier this year, and in its place an asymmetrical glass tower, featuring misaligned windows and vertical lines stretching the length of the building.  RCH has designed the ground-up structures to mimic the architectural massings of the William Lescaze designed CBS Studios complex, with "shifted upper-stories to allow the buildings to adapt as they rise."  RCH's project may not be as ambitious in scale as Johnson Fain's original vision for the development, but it may in fact mesh better with the adjacent 1938 buildings.  At the very least, we are spared a five-story parking podium.  Columbia Square is expected to open in phases staring midway through 2014, with the residential tower ready for occupancy in early 2016.

Wilshire Coronado Condominums to Rise Near MacArthur Park

Wilshire Coronado Condominiums

Tucked away on the western edge of McArthur Park, a mixed-use development will rise on Wilshire Blvd.  The New York based Somerset Group has been working out details with the LA City Council regarding construction of the Wilshire Coronado Condominiums, a 7 story mixed-use building featuring 154 luxury condominiums and 8,500 square feet of retail.  The project will have studio, one and two bedroom units, set to open in Fall 2015.  Design work comes from Rio Clementi Hale Studios and DeStefano Partners.

This project represents a scaled down version of the Somerset Group's original 18 story proposal for the site, also designed by Rios Clementi Hale.

The now outdated design of the Wilshire Coronado proposal, featuring a tall parking podium.

I am curious to know if Somerset is serious about developing this project as for sale units.  While I am a fan of the Westlake/McArthur Park neighborhood, I don't see it as a place for "luxury condominiums," in the near future.  Then again, Somerset's proposal is one of several new developments that have popped up around McArthur Park.  Perhaps this is the direction the neighborhood will take in the long run.

•  Wilshire Coronado Condominiums (Somerset Group)

Westfield Century City Expansion Forging Ahead

A now outdated image of the proposal, via Curbed LA

The Westfield Group, scourge of California taxpayer advocates, continues to make slow but steady progress on enhancements for its flagship Century City location.  When we checked on Century City back in July, they were hard at work on the mall's new parking structure (on the right hand side of the above image).  Now Westfield is moving on to the more exciting phase of the project.  Earlier this month, they applied for a permit to demolish 1801 Avenue of the Stars.

1801 S AVENUE OF THE STARS 90067

APPLICATION / PERMIT NUMBER: 13019-10000-02077

PLAN CHECK / JOB NUMBER: B13LA09712

DEMOLITION OF BUILDING AND BELOW GRADE PARKING (298718S.F) FOR A NEW BUILDING

What new building, you may ask?  To answer that question, here's the other permit they applied for:

1801 S AVENUE OF THE STARS 90067

APPLICATION / PERMIT NUMBER: 13010-10000-02346

PLAN CHECK / JOB NUMBER: B13LA09711

NEW 3-STORY RETAIL + 2 LEVLES(sic) OF PARKING ABOVE AND NEW BELOW GRADE PARKING

As reported by LA Business Journal back in 2012, Bloomingdales will fill the retail space.  This permit application makes no mention of Westfield's 39 story condominium tower planned to sit atop Bloomingdales, likely because the residential component of the project requires a separate laundry list of permits.

1801 Avenue of the Stars/Gateway West, as it currently stands.  Designed by Welton Becket, opened in 1963.  Its twin brother, 1800 Avenue of the Stars/Gateway East, sits on the other side of the street.  They combine to form the so-called "Gateway to Century City."

1801 Avenue of the Stars in 2018 (maybe?).  Designed by Rios Clementi Hale Studios.

• Corporate welfare, alive and well (Los Angeles Times)
• The Evolution of Century City (Building Los Angeles)
• Westfield Finally About to Start on 39-Story Century City Tower (Curbed LA)