LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 6.0

[craigs]

Brookfield's Beaudry apartment tower readies for debut at 960 W 7th Street

Slim high-rise brings new housing to site next to Figat7th

Steven Sharp
Urbanize Los Angeles
April 4, 2023

Next to the Figat7th shopping mall in Downtown Los Angeles, developer Brookfield Properties is almost ready to open the market's first residential high-rise since the onset of the global pandemic.

Beaudry - now one of the city's tallest residential buildings - stands on a long-vacant property at 960 W. 7th Street. The 64-story building, which rises more than 600 feet in height, features a total of 785 residential studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom dwellings as well as parking for 831 vehicles in a podium garage.


While not all of the building is scheduled to open for occupancy on the debut date of April 15, the units listed for rent on the project's leasing website include studios commanding monthly rents as low as $2,480, while a two-bedroom unit on an upper floor runs for $8,295 per month.

Marmol Radziner designed Beaudry, with LARGE Architecture serving as executive architect. Previously, the building was described as having a mid-century modern inspired, indoor-outdoor aesthetic. Floor-to-ceiling windows line the apartments, while terrace decks and a lounge on the 57th floor provide open space for residents. Other common features include a podium top amenity deck, as well as co-working spaces, a golf simulator, and a swimming pool.

At the time of its groundbreaking, Beaudry was billed as the final component of a master-planned development first conceived by the late developer Robert Maguire in the 1980s. Brookfield controls a full block bounded by 7th, 8th, and Figueroa Streets, which also includes the Figat7th mall and the 777 Figueroa and EY Center office towers. Prior to losing control of the site, Maguire had planned more offices at the 960 W. 7th Street as recently as 2006.

Brookfield, which is the largest office landlord in the Downtown market, is also planning to construct a 34-story residential building adjacent to Bank of America Plaza, and has Adidas and Forever 21 as office tenants at the revamped California Market Center in the Fashion District.

Nonetheless, the company has not been immune to the impacts of the pandemic and changing work habits on the office market. Brookfield defaulted earlier this year on loans for two of the properties within its Downtown portfolio.

Beaudry is one of two market-rate residential high-rise buildings set to open in the near future within the Downtown market. Across the street, Mitsui Fudosan America is building a similar 42-story apartment tower.

And the images:

[headcheckjj]

What is this building? Would love to see another tower added on top!

[citywatch]

^ that originally was the top level of a mainly below grade dept store...I think it was the old bullocks chain...built in 1986, back when 7th at Fig was known as citicorp plaza...

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[headcheckjj]

Originally Posted by citywatch

^ that originally was the top level of a mainly below grade dept store...I think it was the old bullocks chain...built in 1986, back when 7th at Fig was known as citicorp plaza...

So, is it vacant now? Or what's there?

And is it owned by whomever owns 777 Fig?

[ChelseaFC]

Originally Posted by headcheckjj

So, is it vacant now? Or what's there?

And is it owned by whomever owns 777 Fig?

I think it's just a parking structure now and I believe Brookfield owns the entire block.

[craigs]

777 Tower is, pound-for-pound, my favorite skyscraper in LA. It is the rare post-modern tower that has stood the test of time, and still looks clean and sculptural--especially when it is lit at night. Personally, I'd hate to see a tower built within mere feet of its sheer western façade.

[edale]

Originally Posted by craigs

777 Tower is, pound-for-pound, my favorite skyscraper in LA. It is the rare post-modern tower that has stood the test of time, and still looks clean and sculptural--especially when it is lit at night. Personally, I'd hate to see a tower built within mere feet of its sheer western façade.

100% agreed. Keep a little space to allow for 777 to be seen.

[ChelseaFC]

Originally Posted by edale

100% agreed. Keep a little space to allow for 777 to be seen.

Perhaps they could keep the garage below, but just make that area into a pedestrian/grass plaza similar to Grand Park with a cafe and some sitting areas.

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by headcheckjj

So, is it vacant now? Or what's there?

target has taken the largest amt of space, but that's on the north side of the original mall, where May Co once was. This bldg is on the south side. Although it's probably not parking since that would require structural specs that a store wouldn't need. So it's likely just storage or vacant space.

flickr.com


lapl.com

About 6,000 community leaders and guests have been invited Wednesday evening to help Citicorp Plaza hosts and Mayor Tom Bradley open Seventh Market Place, the retail portion of the new downtown business complex at 7th and Figueroa streets.

The three-level mall features a “space frame” and has 67 shops and restaurants. The $75-million, 345,000-square-foot mall, anchored by Bullock’s and May Co. department stores, is part of the $600-million Citicorp Plaza, a joint venture of Prudential Insurance and Oxford Properties, which is also project manager.

One of the largest commercial/retail complexes under way in the United States, Citicorp Plaza will eventually have more than 3.7 million square feet of space and include three office towers. One of the towers, the 42-story Citicorp Center, was completed last October and is part of the first phase, along with a parking structure and the mall.

^ The pace of improvements like that regrettably didn't occur faster, so a lot of the economy of dtla, including the part made up of shoppers the old 7th St marketplace needed, became too hollowed out. I read the owners wanted to close this store in the early 1990s, right after the riots in 1992, but Tom bradley & LA city govt encouraged them to stay open.

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[Quixote]

The Beaudry is very elegant with its black glass and slender figure. With these 785 units, that should be another 1,250-1,500 new residents a block away from a very important Metro station and within walking distance to lots of white-collar jobs.

[scania]

Originally Posted by Quixote

The Beaudry is very elegant with its black glass and slender figure. With these 785 units, that should be another 1,250-1,500 new residents a block away from a very important Metro station and within walking distance to lots of white-collar jobs.

And the inside is amazing!!!

[LAsam]

Originally Posted by craigs

777 Tower is, pound-for-pound, my favorite skyscraper in LA. It is the rare post-modern tower that has stood the test of time, and still looks clean and sculptural--especially when it is lit at night. Personally, I'd hate to see a tower built within mere feet of its sheer western façade.

Cesar Pelli elegance at its finest. Agree that it's one of, if the the most beautiful towers in LA.

[zonedgreg]

Anyone have any update pictures of Onni's Olympic & Hill?

[Yackemflaber69]

No pictures but i was there the other day. The top of the core is at ground level and the rest of the structure isnt far behind. Wouldnt be suprised if the whole structure is above ground by the end of May.

[Jun]

Originally Posted by Yackemflaber69

No pictures but i was there the other day. The top of the core is at ground level and the rest of the structure isnt far behind. Wouldnt be suprised if the whole structure is above ground by the end of May.

I was there yesterday, didn't think to take a picture. This project is MASSIVE.

[citywatch]

Just read this review from last yr. But very satisfying knowing that the former tinker toy parking structure at 1st St & Grand is now something just a bit better...

MELANIE LIEBERMAN/THE POINTS GUY

Few things are more exciting for a travel editor than the opportunity to check in to one of the most anticipated new hotels of the year. But it's hard not to be skeptical. I worried the hotel atop the flashy, Frank Gehry-designed complex would feel inaccessible — too whimsical, too boxy, too contemporary — to be comfortable. Or that, perhaps, from its 28-story perch, the hotel would feel too far removed from the city.

Many of the things I enjoyed most during my stay at the Conrad Los Angeles were tiny moments of surprise and delight, such as the whisper-quiet and seemingly supersonic elevator ride to my guest room floor, or sitting down for room service breakfast to see a button for tray removal and a vase with two perfect Craspedia blooms come as part of the presentation.

Though this could spell good news for the neighborhood, it also means guests at the hotel might feel worlds away from the city. On that note: This sculptural tower is all soaring ceilings and windows that leave the rooms and public spaces dappled with light and shadow, giving the entire property a dynamic texture that shifts throughout the day. It's at once upscale (and expensive) enough to satisfy your most discriminating business client, and simultaneously cool enough to impress your date.

During my stay, the lobby was filled with polished professionals holding quiet meetings or clicking around in red-bottomed Louboutins, while the rooftop restaurant, Agua Viva, was packed with a livelier crowd; no doubt the venue will quickly become a fixture in LA's see-and-be-seen scene. Sit on the terrace if you want to watch Walt Disney Concert Hall turn into a ripple of gold at sunset (and, don't worry, you'll be offered a blanket at least once on a cool evening).

As a stubborn New Yorker who insists on walking absolutely everywhere, I can tell you that one of my favorite things about this neighborhood is its proximity to Little Tokyo. You can walk 15 minutes and be surrounded by ramen, sushi and sake (drop by Daikokuya for tonkotsu ramen; Wolf & Crane bar for Japanese whisky). Of course, there are plenty of reasons to stay even closer to the Conrad Los Angeles, including a performance by the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Walt Disney Concert Hall or an afternoon at the adjacent contemporary art museum, The Broad, an angular concrete structure that is a striking architectural counterpoint to Gehry's curvaceous masterpiece. In fact, the Conrad Los Angeles may be the new nexus of art and performance in Los Angeles, since it's also within walking distance to The Music Center up the street, with its numerous theaters and venues, and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, known as MOCA.

If I could put my house on Zillow, move across the country and live in a studio at the new Conrad Los Angeles, I would currently be boxing up my belongings and shipping them to the Golden State. And though I wouldn't complain about living like a grown-up Eloise with 24-hour room service, it's mostly because of all the little things this hotel got so very right.

meanwhile, the angel's landing proj is doing a PR campaign to get their proj through a lot of obstacles...This person in another multipart vid noted that it took over 10 yrs, from when Related Cos first became most active in their dtla devlpt, to get the Grand LA proj to the completion line.

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[craigs]

Silverstein completes $60M renovation of the U.S. Bank Tower

The lobby gets a facelift, but the skyslide is gone

Steven Sharp
Urbanize Los Angeles
April 6, 2023

At a ceremony late last month, Silverstein Properties marked the completion of a $60-million, two-year renovation of the U.S. Bank Tower - the city's second tallest skyscraper.

“The U.S. Bank Tower is a landmark in Downtown Los Angeles,” said Larry A. Silverstein, Chairman of Silverstein Properties in a statement. “We have reimagined the building with spaces and amenities that reflect the new way of working. We want to ensure it remains a beacon of the business district, and also contributes more broadly to a thriving downtown – one of the best places in LA to work, live, and visit.”

The project, designed by Jeffrey Beers and architecture firm A + I, included upgrades to approximately 35,000 square feet of common spaces within the high-rise, including a retooled main entrance and lobby the addition of a juice and cocktail bar and a grab-and-go market.

The 54th floor of the tower has been converted into "The Vista," an amenity space for tenants, which also doubles as a space for events and meetings. The decorations of the The Vista include items such as movie cameras and projectors, film noir posters, and books and gifts from the Central Library across the street.

While the post-pandemic era has been rough on office landlords - with the Downtown submarket being hit especially hard - the U.S. Bank Tower has seen some bright spots in the past calendar years. In November 2022, Silverstein announced five leases totaling 72,000 square feet of space to a mix of engineering, legal, consulting, and investment firms.

The ceremony included an appearance from L.A.-based artist Man One, who was commissioned by Silverstein Properties to create an original work as part of an installation on the top floor of the building last year. Man One also curated a series murals which wrapped the building's 5th Street frontage during the course of construction, which have since been relocated to the tower's 61st floor.

New York-based Silverstein Properties, best known as the developer of the World Trade Center complex, acquired the U.S. Bank Tower in 2020 for $430 million from OUE, Ltd., which reportedly sold the property at a 34 percent discount from what the building was valued at prior to the onset of the pandemic. OUE had undertaken its own renovation of the supertall skyscraper, once the city's tallest building, which included the addition of a 70th floor observation deck replete with a glass slide. That installation has since been removed.

[Blesha13]

^ Should’ve add a 300 ft spire as part of the renovation

[Niftybox]

Originally Posted by Blesha13

^ Should’ve add a 300 ft spire as part of the renovation

That woulda be an all-time great gotcha moment @ Wilshire Grand. Higher top livable floor and way higher highest spire height, they could still do it, I made a render of what it could look like with an extended tapered crown and spire:

[craigs]

Noodling around on Google Maps, I realized that Onni's Olympic + Hill tower will be so far southeast (in terms of the downtown grid, which is a bit askew in terms of true north, true south, etc.) of similarly tall towers that its high-floor northwest-facing units will have sweeping, nearly unobstructed views of the downtown skyline. Put me down for one of those view units!