Excitement builds for ‘The Grand’ opening
THE GRAND features a multi-level “Center Plaza” with shops and restaurants between the two new towers with their hotel and residences, all directly across Grand Avenue from the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Rendering from Related Cos.
For those who regularly work downtown and/or visit the Bunker Hill cultural venues on Grand Avenue — but who have not ventured to that part of town for more than a year because of COVID-19 — a big surprise is in store.
Just as though magically dropped from the sky — on the site of the infamous, former “tinker toy” parking structure directly across Grand Ave. from Frank Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall — there are two new, topped-out high-rise buildings! At their base is a rapidly-evolving restaurant and retail hub, all on top of a through-block carriageway for arriving and departing vehicles.
This is “The Grand” (sometimes being marketed as “The Grand LA”). It is what was to be the first part of The Related Companies’ multi-parcel re-imagining of the remaining vacant real estate on Bunker Hill. But as most people know, real estate economics led to delay of this, the primary project, while local politics managed to obtain what was to be the finalé — Grand Park — first. So, the public has been enjoying Grand Park since 2012, while the developers were waiting for funding that finally materialized in time for a February, 2019 groundbreaking for the full block of mixed-use construction now underway.
Last month, the intricacies of the development project were shared with members and guests of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Urban Land Institute (ULI). Attendees enjoyed a virtual site tour and learned about the project that will have a transformational effect on downtown Los Angeles.
Moderated by Clare De Briere, participants in the ULI seminar heard from three key representatives from The Related Group’s development team and Tensho Takemori of Gehry Partners.
The speakers described the planned 176,000 square feet of available retail and restaurant locations. A main feature of the design is public space. A centerpiece is the 20-story, 309-room Equinox Hotel on the corner of First and Grand. There also will be residences in the two towers, including the taller at 39 stories. The 400 total residences not only will include premium units built to condominium specifications (although all residences will be rental for the foreseeable future), they also will include 20 percent affordable units. Anticipated completion of The Grand is sometime in 2022.
Category: Entertainment
