Items Tagged ‘Los Angeles’
Deal Reached to Save Landmark L.A. Hotel
Publication Date:
February 11, 2010Written By:
Jacob AdelmanSource:
Engineering News-RecordRead more...
Synopsis:
Next Century Associates purchased the historic Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles in 2008 with plans to replace it with new towers containing condos and shops. Since that announcement, the community has come out in full force to save this key building. The Century Plaza Hotel was built at the core of Century City – a district of high-rises on the former site of a 20th Century Fox movie lot – and opened in 1966. It was designed by architect Minoru Yamasaki, whose later work included New York City’s World Trade Center towers. It is the heart of Century City and a true landmark as it had welcomed home the crew of Apollo 11 as well as hosted President-elect Ronald Reagan’s victory celebration and Bob Hope’s celebrity-studded Century Ball. Next Century has revised its construction plans. The hotel will now be converted to include 400 guest rooms and 45 condominium units. Additional tower/buildings have been approved to be constructing on the sides or back of the hotel, but not to obstruct the building’s presence on the street.
Goodbye Garmentos, Hello Artists
Publication Date:
January 29, 2010Written By:
Ryan VaillancourtSource:
Los Angeles Downtown NewsRead more...
Synopsis:
Rafi Shaoulian has a plan to convert the 14-story Corporation Building in downtown Los Angeles into affordable space for artists. The building originally served as a bank tower but in recent years has been home to garment manufacturers. Its location on Gallery Row however has the partnership that owns the tower seeing greater value it opening up the tower to artists. The adaptive reuse of the building will be a slow process, as the partnership will convert vacant space into studios and office space for creative users. This will be one of the few former office towers in the Historic Core targeting creative uses – the Spring Arts Tower being the only other example. With most floors being completely open, raw, and offering 4,700-square-foot blocks, the owners see the potential of tenants requesting entire floors. New artists tenants could start moving in as early as May. “The project represents someting of an experiment for Shaoulian and his investor partners. If successful, he said, it could lead to similar conversions at other Downtown properties they own.”
Going for Broke
Publication Date:
October 23, 2009Written By:
Anna ScottSource:
Los Angeles Downtown NewsRead more...
Synopsis:
While the Adaptive Reuse Ordinance may have helped spur residential development in downtown LA, the economic downturn has brought a new set of problems. There are currently eight projects in bankruptcy, though these are recently completed or nearing completion. The issue is two-fold: large amount of supply, economic recession.
Los Angeles City Council Expands Adaptive Reuse Incentives
Synopsis:
In 2002, Los Angeles expanded its Adaptive Reuse Incentive program to a number of additional districts in the city, as a response to its success in downtown. A problem arose when terminology allowing for residential-to-residential phrasing was incorrectly included. Livable Places (Los Angeles) has advocated to keep residential-to-residential credits off the table. “The Adaptive Reuse Ordinance was clearly intended to add to the housing stock…not by reducing the number of units affordable to very low income people.” For Livable Places, adaptive reuse is a key mechanism is providing affordable housing in Los Angeles.
Model Policy: Los Angeles Adaptive Reuse Ordinance
Publication Date:
2008Written By:
anonymousSource:
National Trust for Historic PreservationRead more...
Synopsis:
The NTHP outlines the success of the Los Angeles Adaptive Reuse Ordiance. What was initially intended “to revitalize the greater downtown area by encouraging a live/work residential community” has resulted in creating a “powerful engine for economic revitalization and the creation of new housing supply.” Originally enacted in 1999 for the downtown, the city expanded the program to the entire city in 2003. The ordinance provides a set of land use ordinances to relax zoning requirements as well as adjusting fire and life safety measures that are more flexible. This has reduced the amount of construction necessary to rehab a building as well as sped up the review process. NTHP also noted that the ordinance has helped to spur so much new housing, that there is a second wave of adaptive reuse projects underway to provide retail to the new residents.