Development WELCOME HOME

The Central City development swell continues, as yet another sizeable mixed-use project is on its way west of the Harbor Freeway. Here’s what to expect: 1435 W 3rd Street The project includes the demolition of nine buildings with 22-single and multi-family residential units and approximately 2,000 square feet of commercial floor area and the construction of a new five-story mixed-use residential building. The residential component of the building will include 122 residential units with 11 units reserved for very low income households, and a total of 93,885 square feet of floor area, and 122 parking spaces.

Since I was already in Hollywood on Friday afternoon, I decided to have a look at the progress on Phase 1 of Clarett West Development’s massive Blvd 6200 project. As of today, construction of the two buildings fronting Hollywood Boulevard are up to their sixth and final levels, while the two buildings at the back of the property work on their third and fourth floors. Phase 1 brings 535 new apartments and 75,000 square feet of retail space to Hollywood.

If you’ve ever wanted to stay at a 405 adjacent hotel built over a defunct miniature golf course, you may get your chance within the next year. According to the Daily Breeze, TRCF Development broke ground on a two hotel development at Marine Avenue back in Spring. As of today, construction is up to the fourth floor on both buildings. Scheduled to open in 2014, the project will create a 147 room Hilton Garden Inn and a 172 room Marriott Residence Inn.

According to documents from the Neighborhood Council of Westchester and Playa Del Rey (NCWP), a mostly vacant plot of land in Westchester is set for some big changes. Marina Del Rey based Trical Construction has plans for 7407 La Tijera, a large, mixed-use development located just a short walk from the 405 freeway. Here’s what to expect: 7407, 7401-7501 S. La Tijera Boulevard, 5630 W. 74th Street The construction, use and maintenance of a new five-story, mixed-use building, containing 140 residential units, 2,600 square feet of ground floor retail space, 241 parking spaces (including 227 residential spaces and 14 retail spaces), and located on a 51,990 square-foot lot….Of the 140 units, 127 units will be market rate and 13 units will be restricted to Very-Low Income Households….The project will provide 18,104 square feet of open space, composed of a courtyard, a rear yard, amenities (gym and recreation room), and private balconies.

Marina Del Rey’s so-called “Arts District,” received quite a bit of investment prior to the last real estate bubble, with perhaps a dozen residential developments springing up before the market flat lined. With the housing market in better condition five years later, the neighborhood is starting to see long dormant projects come back to life. Recently, I noticed construction that an an extension was taken out for site plans at 4131 Glencoe Avenue, a mixed-use proposal from the Torrance based Katherine Companies.

Prepare to say goodbye to another surface parking lot on Sunset Boulevard. According to information from the Department of City Planning, an office development is slated for the northwestern corner of Sunset and Bronson. The specs read as follows: 5901 W SUNSET BLVD DEVELOP NEW 17-STORY MIXED-USE PROJECT WITH 274,000 SQ FT OFFICE AND 26,000 (SQ FT) OF RETAIL 5901 Sunset is owned by a subsidiary of Hudson Pacific Properties (HPP).

As reported by the LA Times this morning, the long stalled “Mega Toys,” development is finally getting underway in the Arts District. The $100 million project from Lowe Enterprises includes 320 residential units over ground floor retail, set to come online in 2015. The re-development of the Mega Toys warehouse joins two other upcoming mixed-use developments on the Arts District’s northern edge: the 439-unit One Santa Fe and Legendary Development’s 472-unit project adjacent to SCI-ARC.

UPDATE: The Los Angeles Times has reported that the Grand Avenue Authority voted unanimously to reject Related California’s updated plans for the Grand Avenue Project. Thus, the below information and images are already outdated. Looks like it’s back to the drawing board for both the Authority and Related, which potentially means even further setbacks for the long delayed project. The Times indicates that Related will likely receive another three month extension to draw up new plans for the project.

Back on the Westside, construction is moving quickly on Lincoln Property Group’s Runway development on Jefferson Boulevard. The $200 million development broke ground in April, and is intended to provide a town center for the massive Playa Vista campus. When completed in 2014, Runway will provide 420 residential units, 35,000 square feet of office space, and 221,000 square feet of retail space, served by a 1,400 car garage. Announced tenants include CVS Pharmacy, Veggie Grill and Whole Foods Market.

Down on the far western end of Culver Boulevard, developer Cove Spring Partners is in the midst of construction on an office development known as “The Strand Offices at Playa Del Rey.“ The project creates 10,000 square feet of creative office space, divided between two three-story buildings with architecture from the MIKA Design Group. The Strand will include large windows and outdoor decks to provide sweeping views of the Ballona Wetlands and Marina Del Rey.