Stunning plans for former tire company on La Brea
A “Market Hall”-style microbrewery and three restaurants in the historic Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. are on tap to open in the first quarter of 2020, developer Brad Conroy of Conroy Commercial told us.
“We’re happy it’s getting going,” he said of the project at the corner of Eighth Street and La Brea Avenue.
The 12,724-square-foot building’s Machine Age Streamline Moderne design was considered ultra modern when it opened in 1938. New plans for the former tire and repair shop will be equally stunning, Conrad has told us.
Originally expected to open by early 2018, the building’s adaptive reuse was reviewed by the City Cultural Heritage Commission, and in 2017 the city Planning Department approved an application for a conditional use permit for a full line of alcohol sales.
While a retail area, which will focus on the Firestone auto history, also was approved, an outdoor coffee kiosk and outdoor seating were denied for the city Historic-Cultural Monument.
Conroy met with members of the Sycamore Square Neighborhood Association (SSNA) in 2017 to discuss parking, hours and repurposing the former tire and service center at 800 S. La Brea Ave. into the 4,420-square-foot restaurant space and microbrewery.
A Conroy representative is expected to attend SSNA’s regular meeting June 5 with a construction build-out plan, including loading and delivery times.
Construction can be “very disruptive to the neighborhood and to safety,” said Conrad Starr, SSNA president. “We have to always stay on top of these things.”
The property has no on-site parking. Valet and Uber drop-off areas will be offered.
As part of the agreement with the city and the SSNA, two parking leases had been secured with parking lots at Bethel Presbyterian Church, 857 S. La Brea Ave., and AT&T, 634-640 S. La Brea.
Plans also call for retaining many of the Firestone building’s original features, including its fire-engine-red sign.
“There’s definitely been a lot of interest among the neighbors,” said Starr. “There seems to be a lot of enthusiasm.”
The Spirited Group will operate the restaurant and its brewery, which will produce just enough beer for on-site consumption, said Starr.
“They obviously have a pedigree within the city,” said Conroy, citing The Streamliner bar at Union Station among Spirited Group’s many projects.
The Firestone tire store was in continuous operation from 1938 until the last owner, Bridgestone, closed the business in the fall of 2015. The building’s aerodynamic design gives the illusion of speed, precision and efficiency, with uninterrupted horizontal lines and rounded corners, according to the Los Angeles Conservancy website.
Category: Real Estate
Comments (1)
Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed
Sites That Link to this Post