Finally, reality has caught up with what we've been saying forever. "Hey, you know where they should build condos. On top of malls to provide a built in customer base. And density too. Sweet, sweet density." The Times reports that Westfield Group plans to dismantle a Century City building and build a mall with a 42 story tower above.
"You're re-creating, in effect, a town center," said John McIlwain, a senior fellow at the Urban Land Institute, a land-use think tank in Washington. "I think it's a smart thing to do for the community. L.A. needs as much housing as it can find in appropriate places." Planners are focusing less on living and working at the same site and more on offering services and entertainment to residents after they come home and park their cars, McIlwain said.
Even Councilman Jack Weiss is in favor of the new type of development in Century City, and we're pretty sure he hates everything. Not to be left out, lifestyle mall developer Rick Caruso is also all excitedly hyper about the mix of housing and malls and wishes he could have cashed in when he built The Grove. But don't worry, his new developments in Glendale and Playa Vista will include super luxurious condos, making the trip to Cinnabons and J. Crew just a few steps out your front door.
· Condos for Those Who Live to Shop? [LA Times]