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Tuesday, 25 April 2006 | Levent OZLER
Frank Gehry Unveils Design for Downtown LA Project
The Grand Avenue Committee and The Related Companies today unveiled a dramatic initial design by Frank Gehry for the 1.2 million-square-foot, $750 million mixed-use neighborhood that comprises the first phase of the highly anticipated Grand Avenue plan. Set on a full city block of three acres directly across the street from Gehry's signature Walt Disney Concert Hall, the first phase will bring a world-class hotel, residences, retail, restaurants and public amenities to the city's cultural center. It will create a destination that is pedestrian-friendly and attractive to residents and visitors.
The phase one design was well received by the Los Angeles Grand Avenue Authority, a joint committee of county and city officials that oversees the planned $1.8 billion development being built on county and city land by The Related Companies. Plans include an iconic 50-story tower that will face Walt Disney Concert Hall. The hotel will occupy the lower floors of the tower while exceptional residences located in the upper floors will command dramatic views and take advantage of hotel services.
Gehry's design for this large urban site is influenced by its context. It weaves the space into the neighborhood with street-front retail, plazas and walkways with expansive view corridors and pedestrian connections to downtown's cultural center, the new civic park and adjoining Grand Avenue, First, Second, and Olive Streets. The form and scale of the buildings respect Disney Hall and other nearby landmarks while creating a striking new destination.
"Frank Gehry's design makes Grand Avenue a truly visionary core for downtown Los Angeles and will create a vibrant city center where people want to live, work and play," said Eli Broad, chairman of the Grand Avenue Committee that has overseen the management of the redevelopment project for the past five years. "We have made great progress in just one year. For a development of this size and complexity to move forward this quickly speaks to the exceptional cooperation and working relationship we have formed."
"We've worked hard to make this a true LA building and to make it a great place to be," Gehry said. "We've made close connections between indoor and outdoor spaces, and we've focused a lot on landscape. We've made moves along Grand Avenue to break down the scale of the project at street level so that it fits in with Disney Hall, the Music Center, the Colburn School and MOCA. We've put public spaces throughout the project, we want to create a unique pedestrian experience, we want to activate the streets and energize Grand Avenue."
"This is a major urban plan by Frank Gehry in his hometown that will enhance the landscape and the lifestyle for the people of Los Angeles and raise our international stature," said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. "We are fortunate to have the best architect in the world today, collaborating with one of the finest development companies, creating this important part of our city."
The bold design features two towers and 250,000 square feet of retail spread across the site that creates a strong street-level experience. A 50-story iconic tower at the corner of Second and Grand will house an approximately 275-room, world-class hotel and 250 condominiums on the upper floors. At Olive and First Streets, a 25-story residential tower will feature 150 lofts and condominiums along with 100 affordable apartments.
"In the heart of our civic and cultural center we are developing not only one of the most desirable places in Los Angeles to live and visit for people of all interests and incomes, but the proceeds of this development will simultaneously fund a new civic park with gardens, greenery, and a place to host major cultural events," noted Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina, chair of the Los Angeles Grand Avenue Authority.
Civic Park Moves Forward
A core team, led by Mark Rios of Rios Clementi Hale Studios and Brenda Levin of Levin & Associates with Aaron Paley from Community Arts Resources, has been named to begin the programming, public outreach and early design and planning process for the 16-acre grand civic park, a centerpiece of the Grand Avenue plan that will be built as part of phase one. The county and city have committed The Related Companies' $50 million ground lease payment for phase one to fund the park.
"This park belongs to our entire community here in Los Angeles and we are looking forward to hearing their ideas and thoughts about how it will be used and what components could be included to help make this a world-class destination," said Los Angeles City Councilwoman Jan Perry, vice chair of the Los Angeles Grand Avenue Authority. "This will be the most dramatic public space in all of Los Angeles and we are delighted that planning is underway."
The Related team is on target to begin demolition of the parking garage across from Walt Disney Concert Hall at year-end with construction to start in early 2007.
The multi-phased $1.8 billion Grand Avenue development is planned for two city and two county-owned parcels and an adjacent site to be acquired by Related and will generate 25,000 construction jobs, 5,300 permanent jobs at build-out plus $28 million in annual revenues for the city, county and state.
Maintaining Grand Avenue's momentum, the Grand Avenue Committee will issue the draft Environmental Impact Report for public comment in June.
Envisioning a Grand Avenue Community
Stephen M. Ross, chairman and CEO of The Related Companies, expressed appreciation for the support of the Joint Powers Authority and the Grand Avenue Committee. "Los Angeles has brought together a great team of civic, government and business leaders to make this dream a reality. This provided a platform for us to do what we do best -- create great environments where people can enjoy a vibrant lifestyle. Our plan fosters a community that will ultimately bring 2,000 families of various income levels to Grand Avenue."
Public review of the initial Gehry design will begin with a meeting on May 25. Public meetings to solicit ideas for the civic park will take place in June, July and September.
A broad spectrum of retail is planned in Grand Avenue phase one including a 50,000-square-foot specialty food market, a major bookstore, a food hall, a 35,000-square-foot premier health club, signature retailers and specialty apparel shops. A collection of local, regional and nationally recognized restaurants and associated art galleries will play a major role in establishing the ambiance and appeal of this new downtown destination. Restaurants, located throughout the complex, will offer abundant outdoor dining options and spectacular views from the many landscaped terraces and roof decks.
"We have received an enthusiastic response from a significant number of impressive retailers and restaurateurs, and are in serious discussions with many who have strong interest in locating at Grand Avenue," noted Kenneth A. Himmel, president and CEO, Related Urban Development. "We anticipate announcing significant commitments to the development in the near future."
The entire nine-acre Grand Avenue mixed-use redevelopment comprises 400,000 square feet of retail, a 275-room hotel and up to 2,600 residences, providing a new and dynamic community for downtown as well as a Southern California destination that will engage the region's more than 17 million residents and 24 million annual visitors.
The Grand Avenue Committee, which has led the negotiations and planning with The Related Companies, is comprised of Eli Broad, chair; Nelson Rising and Antonia Hernandez, co-chairs; Gerry Hertzberg; David Riccitiello; Ayahlushim Hammond; and Martha Welborne, managing director of the Grand Avenue Committee.
The Los Angeles Grand Avenue Authority is a Joint Powers Authority formed by the County and the Community Redevelopment Agency in 2003 to oversee the project. Board members are Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina, chair; Los Angeles City Councilwoman Jan Perry, vice chair; Los Angeles County Chief Administrative Officer David Janssen, and Deputy Mayor, City of Los Angeles, Bud Ovrom.
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