More on Hollywood and La Brea's Upcoming High-Rise Complex

All images credit: Horizon Hollywood and GMPA Architects

With an official website up and running, we can now take a closer look at the latest tower project slated to realign Hollywood's low-slung skyline.  The $150 million Horizon Hollywood - to be developed by a partnership between by Kennedy Wilson and the LeFrak Organization - would create 410  residential units and 10,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space just a short walk from Hollywood/Highland Station.

Designed by Santa Monica-based GMPA Architects, Horizon would erect a trio of modern buildings on a two-acre property currently occupied by Mosaic Church.  A 26-story tower known as the La Brea Building would be the centerpiece of the development, rising 275 feet from the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and namesake La Brea Avenue.  Renderings portray a white color scheme for the high-rise, similar to that of many nearby historic structures.

Moving northwest from the busy intersection, Horizon's buildings would step down in height to match the scale of adjacent developments.  The eight-story Boulevard Building, to be located in-between the aforementioned tower and an existing residential mid-rise, would stand 88 feet above street level.  The six-story Courtyard Building, the smallest of the proposed structures, would rise 65 feet at the northernmost corner of the development site.  All three buildings would be served by a wide array of amenities, including roof decks, a fitness center, conference and media rooms, and an outdoor pool.

Cognizant of the numerous obstacles faced by most developers in Hollywood, LeFrak and Kennedy Wilson have included a slew of amenities to make Horizon Hollywood more palatable to its prospective neighbors.  One example is an expansive public plaza, planned for the southernmost corner of the project site.  The 9,300 square feet of open space would feature public art, gathering spaces, benches, landscaping and outdoor dining along one of the most pedestrian-heavy corridors in Los Angeles.  In addition, the new buildings would be aligned so as to preserve views to and from the adjacent Hollywood Hills.

Due to Horizon's location along two major arterial roads, the developers are making an earnest attempt to mitigate any potential traffic and parking impacts.  The buildings would sit above a larger-than-required vehicular garage, intended to prevent spillover parking in the surrounding neighborhood.  Furthermore, Horizon Hollywood would implement a "traffic demand management plan," that would encourage alternate transportation modes, including bike-sharing and mass-transit.

Fully aware of the lingering specter of the Hollywood fault line, LeFrak and Kennedy Wilson are taking preemptive action to ensure their project's earthquake safety.  Although the Horizon site lies outside of the Hollywood fault zone (and the stringent seismic testing associated with it), the developers have nonetheless announced their intent to conduct subsurface trenching.  This action, while not required, will help to assuage fears of seismic activity at the development site.

Contingent on various city approvals, Horizon Hollywood is scheduled to break ground in 2016.  Construction of the 460,000 square foot development is anticipated to last roughly two years.

• Horizon Hollywood (Official Website)
• High-Rise Complex Proposed at Hollywood and La Brea (Building Los Angeles)
• Developers Have Faith in Church Site on Hollywood Boulevard (Los Angeles Times)
• 24-STory Mixed-Use Apartments Slated for Hollywood/La Brea (Curbed LA)

High-Rise Complex Proposed at Hollywood and La Brea

7107 Hollywood Boulevard

As the developer of the controversial Millennium Hollywood proudly declares its property fault-free, another skyline altering project will soon go before the neighborhood's notorious NIMBY gauntlet.  Last week, plans were submitted to the city for a new mixed-use complex at the northwest corner of Hollywood Boulevard and La Brea Avenue.  The proposed development would consist of a "six to twenty-six story building," containing retail space and an unspecified number of residential units within approximately 466,000 square feet of floor space.

The two-acre development site - currently home to the nomadic MOSAIC church - lies just outside the southernmost boundary of the Hollywood fault zone.  The exact route of the fault line has become a contentious issue over the past several years, as outspoken neighbors have fought several proposed high-rise buildings on the basis of earthquake safety.  Developments falling within 500 feet of an active fault line require stringent seismic testing, in order to avoid the potential dangers posed by a surface rupture.  In this particular case, a video flyover produced by the Los Angeles Times portrays the fault zone as running a half-block north of the project site, ending near Franklin Avenue.

Proposed development site, as it currently exists

Although most of Hollywood's ongoing development boom is concentrated to the east near Vine Street, several projects are also underway along the La Brea corridor.  One block from the proposed high-rise tower, developer La Brea Regency is building a five-story mixed-use complex with 56 apartments and 9,000 square feet of ground-level retail space.   Further south along Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood-based Faring Capital is planning a two-building low-rise development.

• Case Information Summary Sheet (LADCP)