Home 
BTN News Current News Kawada Company to Bring ‘Zen’ to Los Angeles
BTN News Current News Kawada Company to Bring ‘Zen’ to Los Angeles
| Kawada Company to Bring ‘Zen’ to Los Angeles |
|
|
click to enlarge
One of Downtown’s Tallest Residential Buildings to Be Built All UnionThe Kawada Company of America is planning on making downtown Los Angeles a little more “Zen.” This particular “Zen” will take the form of a 330-unit condo tower rising 50 stories at the northeast corner of Third and Hill streets. This multi-million dollar, privately funded project will be built with union labor and will provide jobs for craft union members of the Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building Trades Council for up to three years. “On a project of this caliber you have to go first-class [for your labor]. You can’t use handy-man operations on this kind of development,” said Beverly Ziegler, the Community Relations representative for Kawada Company of America.These “soft-loft” and penthouse condominium units will range from 495 to 2,765 square feet in area, with 66 units being dedicated to workforce housing. A parking garage with approximately 700 parking spaces will occupy 10 floors above grade, and will be topped by a two-story, 57,000-square-foot fitness center and indoor pool. The parking structure will not only accommodate the needs of the building’s residents, but will also greatly expand parking for visitors flocking to downtown once the nearby Grand Avenue project and renovated Angels Flight are open for business. About 10,000 square feet of retail is planned including a high-end convenience store. A slender, Asian-inspired glass-tower structure will feature condos with an outdoor garden or sunroom. A large roof garden or balcony will overlook downtown. When completed, the project will be one of the tallest residential building in downtown. The outdoor garden, pool, and health club will be open to the public. “This project will be the first great redevelopment project of this caliber in the 14th District,” said Ziegler. The Kawada Company’s principal, Natsuo “Nat” Kawada, is a long-time property owner in Los Angeles has been active in the downtown business community for many years. Kawada’s companies own or control several successful downtown properties, including the nearby Kawada Hotel. “Mr. Kawada retains his properties. He is not going to build this project and then sell it as some developers do,” said Ziegler. “The Zen project will be a tremendous asset in housing and services to the downtown area,” said Richard Slawson, Executive Secretary of the LA/OC BCTC. “The 330 condominium units are sorely needed for the people of Los Angeles. This project with its 66 workforce units assisting young families and employees in the area, along with the 264 market rate units, is a first step in providing new housing in the City.” The 26,400-square-foot site of the development is currently at Joe’s Parking Lot; it neighbors Grand Central Market and the senior housing complex Angelus Plaza. The project, being touted by Kawada as the first new mixed-use high-rise in the district, is currently under review by the city. The project has received widespread community support including the Central City Association, downtown Neighborhood Council, Weingart Center Association, along with numerous businesses and trade associations. The project has also received support from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and City Council Members Jose Huizar--whose District the project will be built in--and Jan Perry. The project is currently in the entitlement process, according to Ziegler. If all goes according to plan, the project will break ground in January of 2008. |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
