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By Liz Kuball

Mapping the changes on Westlake’s horizon

Twenty-one high-profile projects are headed for the neighborhood that has so far resisted gentrification

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Westlake has resisted gentrification, but the neighborhood has also been subject to long-term overcrowding, underinvestment, and a lack of access to basic resources.

Now, a slew of development is headed for the neighborhood. In the pipeline are fancy new apartments in glassy towers, a huge mixed-user near the Westlake/MacArthur Park rail station, and even some new hotels.

The changes in store for LA’s second most walkable neighborhood aren’t just in the form of new buildings. Some local fixtures are poised for major shake-ups: The Westlake Theater has been sold and the details of what’s planned beyond a paint job are still unclear; the Hayworth Theatre has been reactivated as a venue and offices for HBO writers; a deli that has been in business here for over eight decades could get a new owner.

Here, some of the biggest potential changes to the neighborhood are mapped. These projects are the largest and most eye-catching, but by no means are they the only ones slated for Downtown’s neighbor to the west. Time will tell whether all of these changes will help address the community’s needs.

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Westlake/MacArthur Park Metro Red Line Station

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In 2017, Metro received an unsolicited proposal from an unnamed developer that wanted to build a project on top of the Westlake subways station.

In February, it was revealed that the proposal—for 655 residential units and over 250 hotel rooms—was from Dr. Walter Jayasinghe, who’s planning another big development a block away. The Metro Board of Directors struck down the plan, citing insufficient affordable housing, but hasn’t ruled out reconsidering an updated version of the plan.

The site has attracted sustained developer interest over the years, but so far nothing has materialized.

A photo of a man riding an escalator out of the Westlake/MacArthur park subway station, with a wall of red tile in the background. Shutterstock

2900 Wilshire

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Construction began in February 2019 on a 25-story tower close to the Koreatown border and immediately south of Lafayette Park. The building, developed by big-time Koreatown landlords Jamison Services and Hankey Group, will hold apartments, ranging from studios to “three-bedroom, two story penthouses.” Rents are expected to start at $2,000 a month and top out at $10,000 a month when the project opens in early 2021.

A rendering of the tower seen from mid-way up the tower. The building is wavy and undulates around a podium topped with a swimming pool and amenity space.

The Lake on Wilshire

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This development would convert an existing 14-story office building into a hotel and build a multi-cultural center and 41-story apartment tower on Wilshire near Alvarado.

The project would bring 478 apartments to the neighborhood (including at least 39 affordable units) and feature ground-floor restaurants and retail spaces. Many neighbors of the project had concerns about the effects it might have on the neighborhood, but the project and its development agreement were approved in May 2018.

View of Lake on Wilshire from street level. The building has a multi-colored section directly at the street corner, with a tower rising behind it. Via Department of City Planning

The Westlake Theatre

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The Westlake Theater just off Wilshire Boulevard might be inches away from a revival—the former swap meet was sold in the spring of 2018 to Jamison Services for $2 million. The Spanish-style theater opened in 1926 and its interiors featured Renaissance-inspired murals that remain on the ceilings today, though they’re in need of restoration. A spokesperson for Jamison told Curbed at the time of the sale that a restoration was planned for the theater. City records show Jamison is in the process of securing permits to alter and paint the exterior.

Affordable housing is also planned by another developer behind the theater.

A photo of the Westlake Theatre in its most recent state, with a “swap meet” sign in front and hand-painted signs on its front. The large rooftop sign is in frame. Courtesy of Cushman & Wakefield

94 low-income units on a vacant lot

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A vacant site, ​previously planned for a mixed-use, market-rate project, is now expected to hold 94 apartments—all but one of them for low-income households, Urbanize LA reports.​ The seven-story project is using transit-oriented communities guidelines to build taller and more units on the lot than would otherwise be allowed.

Google Maps

The MacArthur

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DCGG Park Plaza, the MacArthur’s owner, and a British performance troupe were planning to renovate part of the historic old Elks Lodge as an “immersive” theater performance space that will have multiple bars and play out across several levels of the building, but the owner of the theater has withdrawn their application for the theater-related part of the renovation. The space has functioned as a successful event space in the recent past.

A photo of the landmark, which has a tan exterior and a large arched window at the entrance. Photo by Hunter Kerhart, courtesy of Omgivning

Hope on Alvarado

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Designed by KTGY Architecture, this 84-unit transitional housing project will be built out of shipping containers. Developer Aedis Real Estate Group is planning a series of similar shipping container developments to be built across LA over the next year.

The four-story building will hold 84 studio and one-bedroom apartments measuring between 400 and 480 square feet. Construction is under way and expected to wrap up by the end of 2020. Total project costs are estimated at over $27 million, according to the developer’s website.

A huge crane hovers over a construction site, where gray containers are starting to form a building. KTGY Architecture + Planning

1237 Seventh Street

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Chinese motorcycle manufacturer Lifan is the developer of this 29-story tower slated for Seventh and Witmer streets. The 306-unit residential building is being planned as rentals (for now), and would include nearly 5,600 square feet of retail space along the ground floor.

A rendering of Lifan tower, a glassy tower. Via Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council

675 Bixel

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This two-building project calls for 36-story residential tower and a seven-story extended-stay hotel at Bixel and Seventh. In 2016, it was reported that the 126-room hotel might be operated by Hilton's Home2 Suites brand.

Designed by Humphreys and Partners Architects, the residential tower would hold 422 apartments; a podium deck with a pool and dog park; 5,600 square feet of ground-floor retail space; and 596 parking spaces split above and below ground. The developer is Career Lofts LLC.

A rendering of two buildings, one shorter and in the fore and one taller and in the background. Via Downtown LA Neighborhood Council

The Seven

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This development would bring a glassy 25-story tower to Seventh Street near Lucas. The tower would hold 225 residential units, ranging from studios to three-bedrooms, plus ground-level commercial space. The complex would include six levels of parking, too. Seven Street Properties, LLC is behind the project. The architects on the project are HED.

Courtesy of HED

MacArthur Park renovations

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A proposed $20 million renovation would update the park’s restrooms, build a new boathouse, add workout equipment, improve the entrances, and add a picnic area and outdoor classroom.

Funding was an issue, but piece by piece, upgrades are on their way: Urbanize LA reported in 2017 that the city’s housing and community investment department was pursuing $1.3 million in funding to help bring ADA improvements to the park and kickstart early work on the new boathouse.

A lake ringed in concrete abuts a grass lawn with trees and lots of ducks. A couple of mid-sized buildings are in the background.
MacArthur Park
By Liz Kuball

Langer's

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The Westlake property that houses iconic Los Angeles deli Langer’s has been on the market for a couple of years, but the deli itself isn’t likely to go anywhere immediately. The family that has owned the popular eatery is looking to sell the land in anticipation of the “significant” upgrades the older buildings will require in the coming years.

A photo of the deli, which has a white awning and a big white cursive-lettered sign that says “Langer’s.” Photo by Wonho Frank Lee, via Eater LA

Occidental Gardens

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The six-story building planned near Occidental Boulevard and Third Street would hold 47 new apartments—mostly one-bedrooms. Eleven of the apartments would be for low or very low income tenants. Resident parking would be provided by an underground garage. Designed by Chinatown-based Bo.Shi Architects, the project is listed as under construction on the architect’s website.

Courtesy of Continental Partners

1018 Ingraham

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This eight-story project would bring an unannounced number of apartments and ground-level commercial space to the intersection of Ingraham Street and Beaudry Avenue. The project would replace a small parking lot, and provide parking via on- and offsite parking spaces. (The project had initially been proposed with no parking.)

Google Maps

2005 James M. Wood

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A six-story, 100-room hotel would take out a strip mall on Westlake and James M. Wood Boulevard. The developer is Infinitely Group. The project is working its way through the planning process now.

A photo of the site where the project would rise; it is occupied by a single-story commercial building. Google Maps

2001 Olympic

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A six-story hotel is planned for this site on Olympic near Alvarado Street. The 150-room hotel would have on-site parking (both underground and at ground level), as well as a first-floor restaurant. There is no clear timeline for the project.

A photo of the site where the project will rise. It is a corner lot with a single-story building on it. Google Maps

1230 Ingraham

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Once planned as an 80-unit, market-rate complex called HōM Lofts, this site will now hold 121 affordable apartments for low-income tenants. City records show the developer, SRO Housing Corporation, is in the process of securing permits for the project now. Urbanize LA reported in July 2019 that the LA County Board of Supervisors had approved $5.5 million in funding for the project.

Via Urbanize LA

1027 Wilshire

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This nine-story building from Amidi Group has been in the works since 2007, and it appears to finally be getting off the ground. The project would contain a whopping 376 live/work apartments, commercial space, as well as resident amenities. Construction is in progress now and should be complete sometime this year.

Via Urbanize LA

1800 Beverly Blvd

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Developer CityView is planning a 243-apartment building at the edge of Historic Filipinotown. The complex would include 21 units for very low-income households, plus ground-floor commercial space and parking for nearly 300 cars.

The five-story project would demolish a warehouse, a commercial building, and a 12-apartment complex. Urbanize LA reported in April 2019 that there was fencing around the site; it is currently under construction.

Via Department of City Planning

2515 West Olympic

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A vacant lot off Olympic Boulevard could become a seven-story building with 173 residential units. Urbanize LA says that the property is linked to N.Y. Properties, an LLC with ties to the Neman family, which is a major Downtown property owner.

Image via Urbanize LA

739 S Park View

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In the works since late 2015, this six-story project would bring 144 apartments to the neighborhood, replacing an already razed office building between Seventh and Eighth streets, just south of MacArthur Park. The complex’s apartments would be studios and one- and two-bedroom units. The developer is listed as Pacific Parkview on city records.

Via Department of City Planning

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Westlake/MacArthur Park Metro Red Line Station

In 2017, Metro received an unsolicited proposal from an unnamed developer that wanted to build a project on top of the Westlake subways station.

In February, it was revealed that the proposal—for 655 residential units and over 250 hotel rooms—was from Dr. Walter Jayasinghe, who’s planning another big development a block away. The Metro Board of Directors struck down the plan, citing insufficient affordable housing, but hasn’t ruled out reconsidering an updated version of the plan.

The site has attracted sustained developer interest over the years, but so far nothing has materialized.

A photo of a man riding an escalator out of the Westlake/MacArthur park subway station, with a wall of red tile in the background. Shutterstock

2900 Wilshire

Construction began in February 2019 on a 25-story tower close to the Koreatown border and immediately south of Lafayette Park. The building, developed by big-time Koreatown landlords Jamison Services and Hankey Group, will hold apartments, ranging from studios to “three-bedroom, two story penthouses.” Rents are expected to start at $2,000 a month and top out at $10,000 a month when the project opens in early 2021.

A rendering of the tower seen from mid-way up the tower. The building is wavy and undulates around a podium topped with a swimming pool and amenity space.

The Lake on Wilshire

This development would convert an existing 14-story office building into a hotel and build a multi-cultural center and 41-story apartment tower on Wilshire near Alvarado.

The project would bring 478 apartments to the neighborhood (including at least 39 affordable units) and feature ground-floor restaurants and retail spaces. Many neighbors of the project had concerns about the effects it might have on the neighborhood, but the project and its development agreement were approved in May 2018.

View of Lake on Wilshire from street level. The building has a multi-colored section directly at the street corner, with a tower rising behind it. Via Department of City Planning

The Westlake Theatre

The Westlake Theater just off Wilshire Boulevard might be inches away from a revival—the former swap meet was sold in the spring of 2018 to Jamison Services for $2 million. The Spanish-style theater opened in 1926 and its interiors featured Renaissance-inspired murals that remain on the ceilings today, though they’re in need of restoration. A spokesperson for Jamison told Curbed at the time of the sale that a restoration was planned for the theater. City records show Jamison is in the process of securing permits to alter and paint the exterior.

Affordable housing is also planned by another developer behind the theater.

A photo of the Westlake Theatre in its most recent state, with a “swap meet” sign in front and hand-painted signs on its front. The large rooftop sign is in frame. Courtesy of Cushman & Wakefield

94 low-income units on a vacant lot

A vacant site, ​previously planned for a mixed-use, market-rate project, is now expected to hold 94 apartments—all but one of them for low-income households, Urbanize LA reports.​ The seven-story project is using transit-oriented communities guidelines to build taller and more units on the lot than would otherwise be allowed.

Google Maps

The MacArthur

DCGG Park Plaza, the MacArthur’s owner, and a British performance troupe were planning to renovate part of the historic old Elks Lodge as an “immersive” theater performance space that will have multiple bars and play out across several levels of the building, but the owner of the theater has withdrawn their application for the theater-related part of the renovation. The space has functioned as a successful event space in the recent past.

A photo of the landmark, which has a tan exterior and a large arched window at the entrance. Photo by Hunter Kerhart, courtesy of Omgivning

Hope on Alvarado

Designed by KTGY Architecture, this 84-unit transitional housing project will be built out of shipping containers. Developer Aedis Real Estate Group is planning a series of similar shipping container developments to be built across LA over the next year.

The four-story building will hold 84 studio and one-bedroom apartments measuring between 400 and 480 square feet. Construction is under way and expected to wrap up by the end of 2020. Total project costs are estimated at over $27 million, according to the developer’s website.

A huge crane hovers over a construction site, where gray containers are starting to form a building. KTGY Architecture + Planning

1237 Seventh Street

Chinese motorcycle manufacturer Lifan is the developer of this 29-story tower slated for Seventh and Witmer streets. The 306-unit residential building is being planned as rentals (for now), and would include nearly 5,600 square feet of retail space along the ground floor.

A rendering of Lifan tower, a glassy tower. Via Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council

675 Bixel

This two-building project calls for 36-story residential tower and a seven-story extended-stay hotel at Bixel and Seventh. In 2016, it was reported that the 126-room hotel might be operated by Hilton's Home2 Suites brand.

Designed by Humphreys and Partners Architects, the residential tower would hold 422 apartments; a podium deck with a pool and dog park; 5,600 square feet of ground-floor retail space; and 596 parking spaces split above and below ground. The developer is Career Lofts LLC.

A rendering of two buildings, one shorter and in the fore and one taller and in the background. Via Downtown LA Neighborhood Council

The Seven

This development would bring a glassy 25-story tower to Seventh Street near Lucas. The tower would hold 225 residential units, ranging from studios to three-bedrooms, plus ground-level commercial space. The complex would include six levels of parking, too. Seven Street Properties, LLC is behind the project. The architects on the project are HED.

Courtesy of HED

MacArthur Park renovations

A proposed $20 million renovation would update the park’s restrooms, build a new boathouse, add workout equipment, improve the entrances, and add a picnic area and outdoor classroom.

Funding was an issue, but piece by piece, upgrades are on their way: Urbanize LA reported in 2017 that the city’s housing and community investment department was pursuing $1.3 million in funding to help bring ADA improvements to the park and kickstart early work on the new boathouse.

A lake ringed in concrete abuts a grass lawn with trees and lots of ducks. A couple of mid-sized buildings are in the background.
MacArthur Park
By Liz Kuball

Langer's

The Westlake property that houses iconic Los Angeles deli Langer’s has been on the market for a couple of years, but the deli itself isn’t likely to go anywhere immediately. The family that has owned the popular eatery is looking to sell the land in anticipation of the “significant” upgrades the older buildings will require in the coming years.

A photo of the deli, which has a white awning and a big white cursive-lettered sign that says “Langer’s.” Photo by Wonho Frank Lee, via Eater LA

Occidental Gardens

The six-story building planned near Occidental Boulevard and Third Street would hold 47 new apartments—mostly one-bedrooms. Eleven of the apartments would be for low or very low income tenants. Resident parking would be provided by an underground garage. Designed by Chinatown-based Bo.Shi Architects, the project is listed as under construction on the architect’s website.

Courtesy of Continental Partners

1018 Ingraham

This eight-story project would bring an unannounced number of apartments and ground-level commercial space to the intersection of Ingraham Street and Beaudry Avenue. The project would replace a small parking lot, and provide parking via on- and offsite parking spaces. (The project had initially been proposed with no parking.)

Google Maps

2005 James M. Wood

A six-story, 100-room hotel would take out a strip mall on Westlake and James M. Wood Boulevard. The developer is Infinitely Group. The project is working its way through the planning process now.

A photo of the site where the project would rise; it is occupied by a single-story commercial building. Google Maps

2001 Olympic

A six-story hotel is planned for this site on Olympic near Alvarado Street. The 150-room hotel would have on-site parking (both underground and at ground level), as well as a first-floor restaurant. There is no clear timeline for the project.

A photo of the site where the project will rise. It is a corner lot with a single-story building on it. Google Maps

1230 Ingraham

Once planned as an 80-unit, market-rate complex called HōM Lofts, this site will now hold 121 affordable apartments for low-income tenants. City records show the developer, SRO Housing Corporation, is in the process of securing permits for the project now. Urbanize LA reported in July 2019 that the LA County Board of Supervisors had approved $5.5 million in funding for the project.

Via Urbanize LA

1027 Wilshire

This nine-story building from Amidi Group has been in the works since 2007, and it appears to finally be getting off the ground. The project would contain a whopping 376 live/work apartments, commercial space, as well as resident amenities. Construction is in progress now and should be complete sometime this year.

Via Urbanize LA

1800 Beverly Blvd

Developer CityView is planning a 243-apartment building at the edge of Historic Filipinotown. The complex would include 21 units for very low-income households, plus ground-floor commercial space and parking for nearly 300 cars.

The five-story project would demolish a warehouse, a commercial building, and a 12-apartment complex. Urbanize LA reported in April 2019 that there was fencing around the site; it is currently under construction.

Via Department of City Planning

2515 West Olympic

A vacant lot off Olympic Boulevard could become a seven-story building with 173 residential units. Urbanize LA says that the property is linked to N.Y. Properties, an LLC with ties to the Neman family, which is a major Downtown property owner.

Image via Urbanize LA

739 S Park View

In the works since late 2015, this six-story project would bring 144 apartments to the neighborhood, replacing an already razed office building between Seventh and Eighth streets, just south of MacArthur Park. The complex’s apartments would be studios and one- and two-bedroom units. The developer is listed as Pacific Parkview on city records.

Via Department of City Planning