Downtown LA's evolution is spreading, moving beyond South Park to areas such as the Broadway Corridor. That's why tomorrow, we're hosting the major players behind some of DTLA's billions of dollars worth of development in Bisnow's fifth annual Evolution of Downtown, starting at 8am at 1418 N Spring St.
Among our panelists will be Omgivning principal Karin Liljegren (here taking son Arik to meet his Swedish relatives for the first time), whose architecture, interior design and urban design firm specializes in the adaptive reuse of DTLA's existing and historic buildings. A major project for the firm right now is Broadway Trade, converting the old May Co department store at Broadway and Eighth. The 1M SF complex will feature a two-story food hall with vendors (think Grand Central Market), along with retail and a hotel. The majority of the building will be office space. Forget about 20% vacancy in DTLA's sleek, newer high-rises. Karin tells us the supply of move-in ready office space in historic buildings with 15-foot ceilings and character is nowhere near the fervent demand.
The May Co makeover will boast two swimming pools on the roof, plus a park with event space, and five bar/restaurants. Karin calls Broadway a critical piece of downtown's redevelopment. She's been heavily involved with Councilman Jose Huizar's Bringing Back Broadway initiative, having chaired the preservation committee. She also played a lead role in efforts to clarify the historic building code and incentivize development for the commercial reuse of buildings on Broadway. Fun fact: The firm's name is a Swedish word meaning ambience or setting--the way a space feels.
Omgivning recently finished the Broadway Lofts adaptive-reuse project, 430 S Broadway, for ICO Development (whose Joseph Soleiman also will be a panelist). Another one on Broadway is the Case Hotel (above, as seen by the Bisnow time machine), a former YWCA that's being converted to a boutique hotel. Off Broadway, Omgivning is working on the landmark Sears building in Boyle Heights for developer Izek Shomof. Still in the entitlement phase, the 2M SF project will include 1,000 new apartments plus retail, office space and a public park area.
On the interiors side, Omgivning provided interior and furniture design for Artisan House restaurant, 600 S Main St in the Pacific Electric Lofts building. Karin's obsession with Downtown began at Killefer Flammang Architects, where she worked on the firm's landmark adaptive-reuse building survey. They literally walked up and down streets to determine which underutilized buildings had the right light, ventilation and dimensions for apartment conversion, she says. While at KFA, Karin worked on the first project under LA's adaptive reuse ordinance: Tom Gilmore's Old Bank District. To hear more about DTLA's ongoing transformation, join us tomorrow at 1418 N Spring St for Bisnow's Evolution of Downtown, starting at 8am. Sign up here!
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