Steven Sharp WELCOME HOME

Are you a senior citizen who has always wanted to live across the street from where Howard Hughes once built a giant wooden airplane? Then this new development might be for you: SENIOR INDEPENDENT HOUSING WITH 83 APARTMENT UNITS OVER 4-STORIES Sure, the neighborhood doesn’t look like much based on Google Maps images from 2011, but there’s actually a flurry of construction activity going on right now. On the other side of Jefferson Blvd, the 196 unit Millenium Del Rey is topped out with cladding slowly attaching itself to the wood framework.

Back in February, Curbed LA broke the news that the long stalled mixed-use development slated for the southeastern corner of Selma and Vine was coming back from the dead. Since then, 1540 N. Vine has slowly made its way through the permitting process and has now reached the plan check stage. When completed in 2016, Selma and Vine will bring 306 apartments with ground floor retail. No official word on a groundbreaking date, but late 2013/early 2014 seems likely based on where the project currently stands with the Department of Building and Safety.

Koreatown is in the midst of a residential building boom, and it looks like a long dead development may want to get in on the action. The owners of the land once intended for Circa on Wilshire took out an extension on the tentative tract map for the lot which will last until 2015. Plans for a 18 floor/190 unit mixed-use tower at the corner of Wilshire and Virgil were put on hold back in 2008 amidst the real estate bust.

I use the word “construction,” liberally, since it’s just excavation at this point in the process. But starting in November of this year, concrete begins filling the massive dirt pit. In April of 2014, the steel framework of the Wilshire Grand begins its three year ascent to the peak of the Los Angeles skyline. In August of 2015, the tower is expected to reach its 1,100 foot apex above the corner of Wilshire and Figueroa.

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.

Earlier this week, the Department of City Planning signed off on CIM Group’s amended plans for a mini shopping center at the northwest corner of Hollywood and Western. Details read as follows: The project proposes the demolition of five one-story commercial buildings; the construction of one new 39,667 square-foot retail structure that is 35 feet in height with 125 parking spaces located on the rooftop The architectural outfit handling the design work is McKently Malak, a firm whose portfolio consists mostly of suburban strip malls.

Since I was summoned to the Hill Street Courthouse this morning for an exciting day of jury duty, I decided to use part of my lunch break to showcase some of the construction activity in the neighborhood. As you can probably guess from the title of this entry, LA Trade Tech’s Construction Technology Building is first on my list. Designed by HMC Architects, the Construction Technology Building will be the largest facility on LATTC’s campus, totaling 139,000 square feet.

We may be in store for yet another Tuscan themed apartment building in City West. The “Under Development,” section of G.H. Palmer Associates’ website was recently updated to include a 9.6 acre property at 1000 W. Temple Street. The website currently provides no information on the number of units planned or a completion date. Geoffrey Palmer has become one of the most prolific developers of residential units in Downtown Los Angeles over the past decade, but has received much criticism in the process.

It appears that nothing can put a damper on the Downtown Los Angeles apartment boom, as another new residential building is set to rise in South Park. Check out these plans that were submitted to the Department of City Planning last week: 1001 S OLIVE ST MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT - 201 DWELLING UNITS AND 4126 SQ. FT. OF GROUND FLOOR COMMERCIAL Surface parking lots in the Central City are being eaten up at a scorching pace these days.

A sizeable mixed-user appears to be on its way to the eastern edge of the Sunset Strip. Check out this filing with City Planning: 8150 W SUNSET BLVD 90046 DEMO EXISTING COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AND CONSTRUCT A MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT WITH 111,000 SF. OF COMMERCIAL RETAIL AND RESTAURANT USES AND 249 RESIDENTIAL UNITS This new proposal comes in the wake of a resurgence in hotel and residential development along the strip. The 100,000+ square feet of retail/restaurant space is unsurprising due to the location’s ample Sunset Blvd.