Golang WELCOME HOME

The Killefer Flammang designed NMS@Culver City continues its slow but steady ascent from the corner of Washington Blvd and Hughes Avenue. When completed in 2014, the project will create 131 apartments above 12,500 square feet of ground floor retail. All of this in highly walkable Downtown Culver City, just fifteen minutes from the current Expo Line terminus.

A draft environmental impact report went into circulation this week for the Oak Village Residences, a proposal from Anastasi Development Company that seeks to bring 142 residential units to a parcel located just southwest of Downtown Los Angeles. Let’s have a look at what to expect: The Project consists of six separate buildings, two condominium buildings and four duplex townhome buildings. The condominium buildings would be six stories tall, approximately 65 feet at their highest point.

The giant parking lot at the back of the former CBS Studios complex on Sunset Blvd is starting to make way for the long awaited Columbia Square development. Work on the adaptive re-use of the existing buildings began in Spring of 2013, and now it appears that developer Kilroy Realty is readying the site for construction of the new office and residential buildings. Here’s a look at what we have in store.

Ever since the LAPD moved into their new headquarters in 2009, questions have lingered about the future of the department’s former home. Now we finally have a chance to get a look at the options on the table. Yesterday, the LA Downtown News linked to the city’s long awaited draft environmental impact report studying the potential uses for Parker Center. The DEIR focused on three different alternatives for the site: To judge these alternatives, the DEIR used the following criteria: If you think that the above criteria seem to point towards “Demolition and Build,” you would be correct.

While its squat profile makes no impact on the skyline, One Santa Fe is pegged to bring 439 residential units to the Arts District by Fall 2014. The Michael Maltzan designed project encompasses 510,000 square feet stretched over a thin, quarter mile mile long footprint. Due to its adjacency to Metro’s subway maintenance yard, One Santa Fe may become the entry point to a proposed Arts District station served by the Red and Purple Lines.

The Park La Brea News reports that Associated Estates Realty has broken ground on a 175 unit apartment building at the parking lot behind the 1928 Desmond’s Department Store at 5500 Wilshire Blvd. The building is appropriately named “The Desmond on Wilshire.“ Completion is expected by summer of 2015. The Desmond on Wilshire joins a slew of other developments on the Miracle Mile, including the under-construction Wilshire at La Brea apartments and the upcoming 13 story Museum Square Office Building.

According to documents submitted to the Department of City Planning, a large parking lot east of the Van Nuys Airport is pegged to receive a new residential development. Here’s what we know so far: 7133 N Woodley Ave Construction of a 126 unit apartment building on two adjoining vacant lots.The proposed project size is 138,296 sq. ft. of floor area and will be 45 ft. in height. The project will provide 224 parking spaces.

J.H. Snyder’s Vermont Towers topped out back in June and have since seen blue tinted glass rise to the top of their 29 and 23 story frames. When completed, the Vermont will bring 464 apartments and 40,000 square feet of retail to the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Vermont Avenue. The development is accompanied by a 12,000 square foot pocket park on Shatto Place. Unfortunately, the Vermont’s most striking feature at ground level is its seven story parking podium.

I was surprised to find that signs are still up for the Entrada, a 13 story Gensler designed office tower intended for a Culver City parking lot near Playa Vista. The 220 foot tall/340,000 square foot proposal from Centinela Development Partners first emerged in 2008, but has yet to show any physical signs of progress. The development was met by stiff opposition from neighbors in Culver City and Westchester, citing concerns about blocked views and increased traffic congestion.

While Jean Nouvel’s erstwhile “Green Blade,” proposal packed more architectural star power, I have grown to appreciate Handel Architects’ version of 10000 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles’ rooftop helipad ordinance is often blamed for giving the city a “bland,” skyline. However, Handel’s design for 10000 Santa Monica shows that it is possible to work around the ordinance to create dynamic shapes. The tower’s slanted rooftop and sharp angles will be unique elements in Century City’s modernist skyline.