A Few Thoughts on Downtown Skyscraper Development
by Tony Chavira
In case you’ve been living in seclusion or don’t use the Internet except to read FourStory, the Los Angeles development Web scene has been providing realtime updates regarding a proposed mixed-use skyscraper at Figueroa and Wilshire in downtown Los Angeles. It’s financed most prominently by Korean Air and Thomas Properties Group; the current (currently the Wilshire Grand Hotel) was purchased by Korean Air back in 1989 and apparently the big plans have been on hold for a while. Naturally, a renovation is never good enough for a city with outlandish, uncoordinated vision.
This exciting and bold new project is a major step forward in our efforts to add green, multi-use developments to the center of our city. Standing just a few blocks from Staples Center and L.A. Live, the Wilshire Grand redevelopment effort will help revitalize downtown, and we look forward to seeing this proposal proceed through the public review process and produce a new landmark that benefits Los Angeles, the community, and the local economy. [... Mayor Villaraigosa confirmed with political authority]
Downtown is continuing to evolve and it is rewarding to see that our collective vision for the area is inspiring private owners to re-imagine properties and shape them in a way that further enhances our community. [... Downtown City Councilmember Jan Perry reinforced matter-of-factly]
Thomas Properties Group has extensive experience with complex projects ranging from securing approvals through designing, developing and leasing. It is a highly regarded firm that has a long history in Los Angeles. They will immediately begin working with the community and the city to begin the approval process. [... squawked Y.H. Cho, CEO and Chairman at Korean Air]
With 2.7 acres, we can create a distinctive destination that is interconnected with the existing business, shopping and entertainment venues. As a property and business owner in downtown Los Angeles, we recognize the need for every development to enhance the walkability of our city and create a more vibrant street-level experience. [... squealed James A. Thomas, Chairman and CEO of Thomas Properties]
[Complete bombastic quotes here.]
Probably the only person telling the truth is Councilmember Jan Perry. Why? Because she’s omitting the name of the property, the developers and the people involved with the project in her comments.
Let’s remember that Mayor Villaraigosa is not the Pope. He doesn’t make the sign of the cross with his hand and greenlight developments, no matter what he tries to get you to think. If this were the case, the Grand Avenue Park development, the L.A. River Revitalization project and the expansions to L.A. Live would have been completed a long, long time ago. Only money greases this city’s already greasy wheels. Most specifically, billionaire developer money. So when you read Villaraigosa say things like “green” and “multi-use,” just remember that they’re buzzwords he’s using to get re-elected. First of all, the fact that the concept was designed to meet LEED-certification standards actually means nothing and would probably be expected from an architect with a chance to design a structure this gargantuan. Regardless, most honest developers and architects will at least attempt to make their structures more sustainable. The LEED certification just makes it look more expensive and impressive to people who are easily fooled, and that’s exactly what they’re hoping. Second of all, this project is only mixed-use in that it incorporates luxury condos, luxury offices, luxury commercial spaces, and luxury restaurants in the same structure. True signs of new urbanist policies would also include “mixed income,” but I’m not sure that those are the people Korean Air and Thomas Properties are seeking to attract.
Actually, Councilmember Perry’s statement is incorrect when she states “our collective vision.” There is no “our” when Korean Air and Thomas Properties are footing the billion-dollar bill. Korean Air and Thomas Properties most likely called up the city officials and said, “We’re going to build this,” the city said, “How?” to which Korean Air and Thomas Properties replied, “With a billion dollars.” Then both CEO Thomas and CEO Cho hung up and hired a lawyer or twelve each to deal with the city for them. A quick leak to the biggest development media outlets later, Councilmember Perry had to sigh and give the frenzied media her take on development that’s pretty much out of her locus of control.
CEO/Chairman Cho is correct about Thomas Properties’ track record, though: in 2003, they purchased and wholly renovated City National Plaza. It was an iconic downtown structure before they demolished it, but preservationists aren’t the stakeholders for whom the quote is meant. This quote for the news has the most bearing on Korean Air’s parent company, Hanjin Group. The quick and dirty explanation: this is really the first time a Korean developer has tried to build something of this size and scope in Los Angeles; naturally, their investors are nervous about investing a billion dollars into a mega-development abroad (despite the fact that Los Angeles has the highest Korean diaspora of any place in the world). To raise the stakes, the Hanjin Group is also what Koreans call a chaebol, or “company that pretty much controls the Korean economy.” Cho has only one option here: to make this mega-development as way-over-the-top, no-holds-barred epic as hell—and nothing can go wrong. If things work out for him, he’ll no doubt be given the opportunity to build more extravagant, more interesting things abroad. If not, he’s a goner. So he needs to instill that faith early on, while there’s still time for new interested investment.
Thomas Properties know what they’re doing, though, especially CEO Thomas, he of the hype-heavy commentary. There is a proposed public park somewhere in this development, and that obviously means that Thomas has the right to unlimited use of the buzz terms walkability, interconnected, vibrant street-level experience, and the community. You can bet your firstborn that the interiors in these structures will be absolutely phenomenal. New, clean and modern condominiums. High-end, elegantly contemporary office spaces. Charming, exclusive restaurants and bars. And all the trimmings. It’ll be a virtual paradise for people who never want to leave an entirely sustainable community in the center of downtown Los Angeles.
But what part of putting up a high-rise means it’ll automatically make the surrounding community more walkable? Or increase interconnectivity? Or contribute to a “vibrant street level experience” in any practical way? Each of these leaps of faith is rooted in the ideas of smart density, but none of them are dependent on the construction of this skyscraper. I’m sure CEO Thomas knows this, but, hey, he’s got a job to do, and he’s got to keep the people on his side as he approaches the city. The moment that the public turns on him and Thomas Properties Group, they lose their license to attempt this hostile takeover of the Figueroa Corridor.
The audacity of these developers knows no bounds. Thomas Properties has already knocked down the Atlantic Richfield building to slap up City National Plaza, iconic Los Angeles design be damned. Who knows how many meetings Korean Air had with the City of Los Angeles before they announced this development? Maybe none at all. In fact, they probably only gave the officials a heads-up before they announced it. In any case, nothing was going to stop Korean Air and Thomas Property Group once their minds were made up. They’re not like lowly affordable housing developers. They didn’t ask the city if they could. They just told Villaraigosa and Perry that they would ... and to “deal.”
Principles of new urbanism are for communities who care about their livelihoods, not developers who only care about the bottom line. Or proving to each other who’s got the biggest ... construction budget. Now the plans for demolition (not solid waste recycling) begin, and I can’t wait for CurbedLA to stop showering Korean Air and Thomas Properties Group with excited hype and wake up to the reality of planning another vertical structure in a city that expands horizontally.
tony@fourstory.org
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