Plans move forward for tall buildings concentrating in the downtown area.

New Renderings of Jenga-Like Tower for Downtown

New renderings of a Jenga-like, 53-story, 789-ft.-tall mixed-use tower designed by Arquitectonica on a site that wraps around the historic Pershing Square Building in downtown Los Angeles have been released, The Architect’s Newspaper reported. The renderings are part of an environmental impact statement published by the City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning on the JMF Development Co. plan. The structure will house either a hotel and condominiums or mostly condominiums, depending on economic conditions. As the tower rises, its outline will “explode” in protrusions housing cantilevered swimming pools. Renovation of Pershing Square, also owned by JMF, is set to start in 2020, but a timeline for the tower had not been announced.

Century City Development With Two Towers Moving Forward

New Century Plaza, a US$2.5-billion project that features a pair of 42-story condominium towers designed by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners inspired by Reuleaux triangles (ELEVATOR WORLD, September 2016), is moving forward at 2025 Avenue of the Stars, Urbanize L.A. reported. Woodridge Capital Partners is behind the plan, which includes redevelopment of the historic Century Plaza Hotel next door to house 400 hotel rooms, 63 condominiums and commercial space across 16 floors. Scheduled for completion this year, the hotel portion of the project was designed by Gensler and Marmol Radziner, which built on the original Minoru Yamasaki design.

Gehry-Designed Downtown Project Secures Financing

A US$1-billion mixed-use development designed by Frank Gehry on Grand Avenue in downtown L.A. (EW, March 2017) that includes a 39-story residential tower secured US$630 million in financing from Deutsche Bank in November, meaning the long- awaited project can finally move forward, the Los Angeles Times reported. Planned since 2004, the redevelopment in the Bunker Hill neighborhood is a project of Related Cos. and Core USA — a joint venture of China Harbour Engineering Co. and CCCG Overseas Real Estate. Besides the residential tower, it will have a 20-story hotel, a 430-seat movie theater and a mix of shops and restaurants. Local leaders praised it for bringing permanent jobs and affordable housing to the area. Completion is anticipated by 2021.