First look at the tower set to rise above Second/Broadway Regional Connector station

Last month, plans surfaced for a new 30-story mixed use high-rise on the site of a vacant lot across the street from the Downtown office complex that houses the LA Times. Now, renderings for the project have been revealed—and it looks a bit like a glassy Jenga tower.

The project is designed by Gensler, and, as Urbanize LA points out, its design is somewhat reminiscent of the boxy Icon Tower now nearing completion in Hollywood, with multiple block-like shapes stacked asymmetrically atop one another in a seemingly gravity-defying style.

Courtesy of Tribune Media

Developed by the Tribune Media Company, which owned the LA Times complex, the project will rise atop the forthcoming Second/Broadway subway station being constructed as part of Metro’s Regional Connector project. Tribune Media Real Estate President Murray McQueen tells Curbed that the company is very pleased with the project’s design.

“As planned, Gensler's design fully integrates the subway station and portal into the design of the building above,” he says.

Tribune’s real estate arm has been busy lately; the company recently sold the LA Times complex to Canadian developer Onni Group. Plans for the site aren’t clear yet, but rumors suggest that the William Pereira-designed structure tacked onto the complex in the 1970s could be replaced with apartments. The recognizable Moderne-style building that has been home to the paper since the 1930s would likely be kept fairly intact, but it’s unclear whether the Times offices would remain in the building.

Courtesy of Tribune Media

Courtesy of Tribune Media

• Updated: 30-story condo tower headed for an LA Times lot [Curbed LA]
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