The transit-oriented development at 639 S. La Brea, which takes up nearly half a city block along the west side of La Brea, is immediately adjacent to Metro’s Wilshire/La Brea subway station now under construction. The eight-story development will comprise three components: a 125-key hotel, 121 residential rental units and 13,000 sq. ft. of street-level and rooftop restaurant space.
The property will feature the only institutional quality hotel with more than 100 rooms in the Miracle Mile/Mid-Wilshire neighborhood, according to the developers. The boutique-style hotel, which is planned to accommodate both the leisure and business traveler will offer rooms ranging in size from 320-415 sq. ft., as well as two top-floor guest suites as large as 1,200 sq. ft. Amenities will include a 3,500-sq.-ft. event space, a layered rooftop guest deck and swimming pool offering unobstructed views of Downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood Hills and Century City.
CGI+ has engaged New York architecture and interior design firm Morris Adjmi (MA) to design the project, which will be its first in Los Angeles.
“The client had noticed MA’s work on his frequent trips to NYC,” said Ian Mills, director, Morris Adjmi Architects. “He appreciated our work there for its ability to be both modern and contextual at the same time, and that it seemed to echo the design sensibilities of its surroundings. He was curious if we could apply that same mentality to a very different city and context—Los Angeles.”
The project has a distinctive architectural context, according to Mills. “We drew inspiration from the art deco gems of the heyday of the Miracle Mile, most notably the E Clem Wilson building directly across the street from the site, but also the grittier more industrial side of Los Angeles. We used an arched window motif for the hospitality portion of the building at the intersection of Wilshire and La Brea with a vertical expression reminiscent of the Clem Wilson building. Instead of the glossy, monolithic materials typically used in art deco architecture, we are using a few tones of natural brick. The length of the building along La Brea is punctuated with projecting masses that contain residential balconies and create a rhythm of recesses and projections.”
The residential portion will consist of 121 apartment homes consisting of one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans with 18 units set aside for extremely low-income households and one for a moderate-income household. Each apartment home will feature hardwood floors, in-unit washer/dryer, home automation controls for security and climate, as well as one-touch access to neighborhood services. Common area amenities will include a fitness center, rooftop deck with interactive lounge spaces and pool and bicycle storage area.
Tags: CGI+ Real Estate Strategies, Morris Adjmi Architects, 639 La Brea
