Steven Sharp WELCOME HOME

Lately, the talk of the town has been the recent influx of Chinese investment into the South Park neighborhood. How about some foreign money from closer to home? This Tuesday, the DLANC’s Planning and Land Use Committee is scheduled to take a look at multiple high-rise projects proposed by two Canadian-based developers. The Amacon Group, which has stayed north of the border until recently, is revamping its pre-recession proposal for a mixed-use high-rise development at 1133 Hope Street.

Courtesy of Thomas Cox Architects, feast your eyes on an updated rendering of South Park’s upcoming Onyx mixed-user. Planned by Fashion District landlord Jade Enterprises (Topaz), Onyx will rise on two surface parking lots near the intersection of Pico Boulevard and Flower Street. The two colorful buildings will stand seven stories, combining to create 410 apartment units and over 30,000 square feet of ground floor commercial space. Located across the street from Metro’s Pico Station, the transit oriented development will contain less than half the amount of the residential and commercial parking normally required by code.

It’s not everyday that Downtown’s Historic Core sees the possibility of ground up construction, let alone for a high-rise. Nevertheless, veteran developer Izek Shomof intends to construct a 34-story residential building at the intersection of 4th Street and Broadway, just one block east of the Pershing Square subway station. Dubbed “Broadway @ 4th,” the project would consist of 450 residential condominiums above approximately 7,000 square feet of ground floor retail and restaurant space.

After a brief lull to start the year, construction is once again moving forward on the Sares-Regis Group’s Little Tokyo Apartments. A red construction crane has been raised high above the intersection of 2nd and San Pedro Streets, while a caravan of cement trucks helps to lay the foundation for the future $100 million development. Set to rise seven stories, the TCA Architects-designed project will create 240 apartment homes above 16,000 square feet of ground floor retail and restaurant space.

With Danny’s Tacos safely relocated to the opposite side of the street, it’s time to bid farewell to the beloved surface parking lot at Olympic Boulevard and Grand Avenue. The arrival of construction fencing signals the start of work on the Hanover Company’s latest South Park development. Set to rise seven stories, 1000 Grand Avenue will create 274 apartment units above 12,000 square feet of ground floor commercial space. Designed by TCA Architects, the facade of the low-rise building will feature bricks salvaged from Myron’s Ballroom, an early 20th century structure which was demolished to make way for the new development.

With the first half of the bike-friendly G12 development scheduled to begin construction later this year, it’s time to take a look at 12th & Olive, the second phase of the $245 million project. Replacing the current surface parking lot at 1243 Olive Street, the new building will rise seven stories, containing 293 apartment units above 17,300 square feet of ground floor retail and restaurant space. Phase two includes 7,000 square feet of residential amenities, with the added bonus of 24⁄7 on-site concierge and valet service.

It must be a nice time to own a business that rents temporary construction fencing. Last week, a couple of Downtown parking lots were closed off, making way for new mixed-use projects on 9th Street and Olympic Boulevard. We can now add a third surface lot to that tally, as the phase one site of South Park’s G12 development is now fenced off in preparation for construction. Designed by locally-based TCA Architects, phase one will rise seven stories at the southeast corner of 12th Street and Grand Avenue.

Take a look at the latest renderings for City Market, the Fashion District mega-development which proposes to transform a century-old produce market into a 10-acre mixed-use campus. Comprised of 14 development sites roughly bounded by 9th, 12th, San Julian and San Pedro Streets, City Market would create more than 1.9 million square feet of programmed space. Designed by HansonLA, plans call for 945 units of new housing, a 210-room business class hotel, and 225,000 square feet of ground level retail and restaurant space.

Although Mack Urban’s upcoming South Park developments bring the exciting potential for new high-rises near the AT&T Center, the project also features a substantial low-rise component along Pico Boulevard. Here is a first look, thanks to a presentation from the DLANC website. Set to rise on adjacent parking lots between Olive and Hill Streets, this phase of the project consists of two seven-story buildings containing 360 condominiums and approximately 6,400 square feet of ground floor commercial space.

Construction on Downtown’s $400 million Federal Courthouse has moved at a leisurely pace since work commenced in August 2013. Now, with the arrival of a tower crane at 1st Street and Broadway, the long awaited Civic Center mega-project is finally going vertical. Scheduled to open in 2016, the project comprises 600,000 square feet of floor area, calling for 24 courtrooms and 32 judge’s chambers. Designed by SOM, the 10-story mid-rise is commonly referred to as “the Cube,” due to its stout, boxy profile.