Target at 8th and Broadway? Not Quite, but It Would be Cool
Eric Richardson
[Flickr]
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Curbed yesterday posted a rumor about Target moving into the Broadway Trade Center (#6), the former Hamburger / May Company store at 801 S. Broadway. Unfortunately I think that's all this is, a rumor. Good sources are saying there's nothing in the works here.
That said, the building really only works as a big-box retailer. It was built with department store floorplates in mind and has enormous expanses of interior space. To convert the structure to a residential or office use would take cutting a bevy of interior lightwells in to try and make the mass less confining.
In the end I like the enthusiasm, but just like the rumors of a Target at 5th & Hill (sparked simply by them posting an ad on a building totally impossible for a store) this one would seem to be the product of wishful thinking. If a Target could be willed into existence I think Downtowners might have made that happen by now.
fridayinla on May 16, 2007, at 07:18PM – #1
Any news about the possibility of a Target at the 7th&Fig Plaza in the old Bullock's space? There seemed to be some substance to that rumor. If Target were to move downtown, that seems like a more fitting location.
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on May 17, 2007, at 06:31AM – #2
According to Target's PR page, their typical stores range from 126,000 square feet to 174,000 square feet. The old Bullocks space at 7+Fig is significantly less than that.
I can't find an exact square footage, but 7+Fig is about 345,000 sq feet of leasable space, and the Bullocks was roughly 1/3 of that. I believe that space was then cut into when Gold's Gym opened.
Bert Green on May 17, 2007, at 01:28PM – #3
I spoke with the manager of 7th & Fig the other day, and she told me that the space is 85,000 square feet. They have spoken to Target but do not have any tenant for it yet.
Jason on May 17, 2007, at 02:19PM – #4
How about an Amoeba? IKEA Express? Or, dare I say it... Trader Joes?
Anyone have any insight as to how the Chapman is coming along? I don't know why, but I'm strangely drawn to that building.
lauren on May 19, 2007, at 03:21PM – #5
How about a target, IKEA, and Trader Joes? It's about time these companies realize that there are people downtown ready to spend money in their stores. They can't be worried about their image because I've seen all of these store in much less glamorous places than downtown los angeles. The time has come.
brady westwater on May 20, 2007, at 12:48AM – #6
The Gold's Gym was built into the some of the other storefronts - not the old department store.
downtowner on May 21, 2007, at 07:10AM – #7
I stopped by the Chapman last weekend and am very very interested in getting a unit there. They have one model unit on display and it looks great. The windows are huge so it gets lots of light. They go onsale on June 16th but you have to have prequalified with their lender to get invited to the sales party and on that day only you get $10,000 towards your closing costs. They added a new rendering of their rooftop a few weeks back and it looks pretty cool too.
urbanica on June 27, 2007, at 11:17AM – #8
We can ask Target to come downtown. The link below will let you add comments or questions.
http://www.target.com/gp/help/display-contact-us-form.html?displayLink=tsq
Ryan on July 28, 2008, at 10:39AM – #9
Isn't anyone going to scream that Target isn't a Latino business and shouldn't be on Broadway?
Target on Broadway would make a mint.
Dennis Smith on July 28, 2008, at 01:01PM – #10
Ryan- No one is raising un grito because Target decided more than a year ago that they were not really interested in opening a location on Broadway.
Commenters are often calling on certain businesses to open in Downtown. Trader Joe's, Target, Wendy's, ArcLight to name but a few. However, this isn't the forum where you should be active as you're preaching to the already converted. Letters, phone calls, emails need to be made and delivered to these corporate interests to convince them there is an eager, untapped and lucrative market for their products and services. Government and local developers have lobbied Trader Joe's for years to enter the downtown Los Angeles market only to be consistently rebutted with arguments that there wasn't a substantial residential community yet to support the opening of a TJ.
If downtown advocates want certain corporations to open shop in Downtown, they may very well have to organize campaigns to persuade these corporations that they can indeed prosper in the 21st Century version of downtown Los Angeles.