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Thursday, 4 October 2007 | Levent OZLER
Rethink Development Redefines Urban Living
REthink Development (REthink), a leader in the emerging industry of eco-real estate development, breaks ground this month on Cherokee Lofts, the first of several ambitious and progressive mixed-use and commercial developments. By mixing the right technology and design innovation, REthink strives to create high-performance buildings that respect both people and planet. Founded by sustainable design expert Greg Reitz and real estate entrepreneur Steve Edwards, REthink takes a holistic approach to development that integrates context, sustainability, and history to create contextually relevant developments that offer more value for owners, operators, and inhabitants.
"We're thrilled to break ground on Cherokee Lofts," said REthink Principal and former Green Building Advisor for the City of Santa Monica Greg Reitz. "This is the first of several planned highperformance mixed-use projects that we feel will offer all stakeholders - buyers, operators, and investors - a much-needed urban live + work alternative to the norm."
"As population continues to increase and concentrate in urban areas, people will need healthy and efficient housing solutions, businesses will need productive spaces, and investors will need to seek out real estate projects that will continue to perform in the long-run," explained REthink Co-Founder and Principal Steve Edwards. "We hope to meet all of these pressing and convergent needs with REthink development projects."
Rethinking Contextual Development
With an impressive collective portfolio of real estate investments and experience that includes work on the Santa Monica Public Library (LEED Gold), Santa Monica Public Safety Facility (LEED Silver), and the Rhino Records Building, Reitz and Edwards understand what it takes to develop successful projects and have created their own development process called contextual development.
"Most approaches to real estate development are driven by single-minded goals and short-term financial results," said Edwards. "As a result of this myopic approach, a large portion of the built environment costs more than it should to operate, damages the environment, can affect the overall health of its occupants negatively, and in general, is poorly planned and generally uninspiring."
REthink instead takes an integrated approach that places as much importance on the long-term value of the building as well as the short-term financial goals. Working exclusively with challenging urban infill lots located in densely populated areas, REthink looks at the historical, cultural, and environmental context resulting in a final project that has a unique story which enhances the community in which it is built. Each potential project is designed to perform from cradle to grave, as opposed to the typical method of cradle to sale.
"We understand that our projects are not built in a vaccum," adds Reitz. "They need to relate directly to the community that will ultimately welcome them and we want to make sure that each project tells a unique story that will continue to resonate for years to come following the completion of the project."
Upcoming REthink Projects
REthink continues to build an impressive slate of innovative green mixed-use projects slated for completion in 2008 and 2009 that are certain to change the urban landscape of Los Angeles.
Cherokee Lofts, REthink's inaugural project, is a mixeduse development consisting of 2,800 sf of commercial space and 12 loft style condos. Built on a site formerly occupied by Cherokee Studios - where over 300 Gold and Platinum albums were recorded by such acclaimed artists as David Bowie, Elton John, Frank Sinatra, and Elvis - REthink intends on continuing its predecessor's legacy of excellence by going for its own brand of gold with Cherokee Lofts. Slated for completion in early 2009, the project is expected to achieve LEED Gold from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), the second highest level of environmental achievement possible under the current evaluation system. Cherokee Lofts will be the first LEED-New Construction certified retail space in Los Angeles. Designed by Pugh + Scarpa, REthink's Cherokee Lofts will feature a high level of environmental features and systems, such as a green roof, photovoltaic arrays, a recycled aluminum façade, advanced and highly efficient heating and cooling, LED lighting, Energy Star appliances, and Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood. In homage to Cherokee Studios, the new Cherokee Lofts will creatively re-use famous black forest walnut panels from the original studio. Two of the residential units will also include dedicated space for in-home recording, carrying on the site's musical spirit and history.
REthink is also planning to develop a mixed-use property located in the heart of Culver City. Currently in the early entitlements phase, the Culver Theater Building is slated to break ground in late 2008. This ambitious project will offer four stories of restaurant, retail and green high performance office space. In partnership with the Cuningham Group Architects, REthink is creatively linking the new development to the history of the adjacent Kirk Douglas Theatre, Sony Studios (formerly MGM), and the burgeoning vibrant community of downtown Culver City. Upon completion, the Culver Theater Building is expected to achieve LEED Gold.
Pairing once again with The Cuningham Group Architects, REthink is also developing a 60,000 sf office building in the popular creative office district of Culver City known as the Hayden Tract. The Hayden Tract Office Building will feature four stories of commercial office space and two levels of underground parking. The building will consist of two separate structures connected by a common core and a green courtyard. The entire building will be designed to reduce operating costs while increasing the productivity of workers though smart green design. Formerly the site of Selznick Studios where Gone With the Wind's Tara Farm was located and as well as Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz's Desilu Studio, REthink is integrating the site's iconic Hollywood history into the design and character of what will be the first sustainable creative office building in Southern California. The Hayden Tract Office Building is expected to break ground in Summer 2008 and achieve LEED Core & Shell Silver or Gold certification upon completion.
In close partnership with the City of Los Angeles and Pugh + Scarpa, REthink is also planning the Barranca Lofts, an ambitious transit-oriented development next to the Gold Line and the Livable Places mixed income green development in Lincoln Heights in northeast Los Angeles. The project will consist of a mix of 200 live + work and standard lofts units ranging in size from 500 sf to 1,200 sf. The development aims to bring a modern, unique, and reasonably affordable living option for younger urban professionals. In conjunction with the other green projects in the area, REthink hopes to play a key role in creating what will be the first city-partnered LEED neighborhood development (ND) in the nation. Currently in the design phase, REthink expects to begin construction on the Barranca Lofts in 2009.
Most recently added to REthink Development's slate is the new Abbott Kinney green mixed-use project in Venice Beach. 11,500 sf of existing restaurant and retail shops sit on 34,000 sf of land. The existing site will soon be supplemented by 16 loft-style residential units, 4,000 sf of creative office space and one level of underground parking. This exciting project will be the first green (LEED Gold Certified) mixed-use development in the Venice area. The result will be a more efficient, distinct, healthy and profitable development that caters to the creative people and artistic culture that make up this dynamic neighborhood. Using an integrated design approach while paying close attention to the neighborhood's roots, the new development will combine the charm from the old with green building practices and innovative design making it one of the most sought-after creative office spaces and live-work townhomes on the Westside. REthink's Abbot Kinney project will make use of the abundance of natural daylight and mild climate to create a highly energy efficient and comfortable environment for both tenants and residents. Environmentally-friendly and durable materials such as fiber cement cladding, solar glazing, and FSC-certified wood flooring will be used throughout resulting in a unique project that is skillfully designed, constructed to the highest quality, more energy efficient, less expensive to operate, and overall more environmentally sound.
REthinking Green Building
REthink also provides green consulting services, helping owners of existing buildings navigate the USGBC LEED program, improve long-term operations and enhance the marketability of the projects. Through integrated green design and innovative technologies, REthink can reduce operation costs by $50/sf on average. REthink is currently providing consulting services for the Ambrose Hotel, a boutique hotel in Santa Monica, a newly-constructed class A building , a 70,000 sf retail development in El Segundo, CA, and the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Seeing a need for high-performance buildings, REthink is stepping into the void establishing the firm as a leader in the emerging field of eco-real estate development, creating both its own brand of urban infill redevelopment and working with clients to help them green existing or soon-to-beconstructed real estate developments.
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