Los Angeles Commercial Construction News: July 2017

Disclaimer: H.W. Holmes, Inc. curates this monthly summary of Los Angeles commercial construction news covering Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties. We have no association with any of these developments unless specifically stated.

CULVER CITY BECOMING DESTINATION FOR NEW OFFICE BUILDINGS

Los Angeles County’s Culver City is attracting quite a few new offices and businesses. Mayor Jeffrey Cooper told BISNOW, “One of my goals since being elected in 2010 was to attract, grow and retain tech, including digital, media, biotech, film and television content, by offering an attractive tax structure, a state-of-the-art city-owned fiber infrastructure, a transportation network offering several modality choices, a city staff that lays out the welcome mat and many cultural amenities that our city offers.”

One creative office project that’s garnering quite a few headlines is the Culver City Creative building – or C3 – which is near completion. This 7-story creative campus boasts of open floor plan designs from 33,000 to 49,000 square feet with floor to ceiling glass and private balconies.

Skybridges connect the parking lot to private entry portals and external connecting stairs. These skybridges also allow for potential branding opportunities.

Also featured is a suite of outside rooms that includes everything from a dog park, fire pit, and bocce court to stadium sitting and a conference center.

Additionally, at the end of July, protective fencing went around Downtown Culver City’s Parcel B, marking the imminent start of work for the Culver Steps development.

READ: “CREATIVE OFFICE IS MAKING WAVES IN CULVER CITY” @ BISNOW

COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION BOOM IN LOS ANGELES CONTINUES

LA Commercial Construction - Downtown LA Oceanwide Plaza Development

Photo by Elijah Chiland

Despite a lack of housing development, the commercial construction boom in Los Angeles continues. By mid-June, the number of cranes at work in the LA area increased by 7 from the beginning of the year. This brings the total to 36 as of July 13th. The construction surge in areas like Downtown LA, Hollywood, and Koreatown continues. Other major commercial developments under way include South Park’s 1212 Flower and the Park Fifth development adjacent to Pershing Square.

This puts commercial construction in Los Angeles only second behind Seattle at the moment. Others cities in the Top 5 include Chicago, IL Denver, CO, and Portland, OR.

READ: “LA HAS THE SECOND HIGHEST NUMBER OF CRANES AT WORK IN THE U.S.” @ CURBED LA

DETAILS EMERGE FOR STRUGGLING SOUTH BAY GALLERIA MALL’S MASSIVE MAKEOVER

In 2016, one year after Nordstrom relocated their store and tax dollars to regional rvial the Del Amo Fashion Center, Forest City – the owner of the South Bay Galleria Mall – announced a large scale revamp. The City of Redondo Beach recently published a draft of the project’s environmental impact revealing more details.

Although anchor tenants like Macy’s, Kohl’s, and an AMC multiplex cinema still call the mall home, a makeover was deemed necessary following Nordstrom’s move and a steady increase in empty storefronts.

Plans right now have the 3-story enclosed structure (developed in the mid 80s) being opened up for open air dining and pedestrian promenades. The mall’s acres of surface parking lots will be redeveloped with mixed-use structures (5 retail buildings and 2 residential buildings), a proposed hotel, and multiple landscaped entryways and open space.