Haas Building Kicks Off Leasing with LoftSEVEN Event Space
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — That the long-under-construction Haas Building at 7th and Broadway (formerly the Broadway Exchange) is beginning leasing is a story itself, but it is likely to be the building's upstairs tenant that generates the most attention.
Longtime Downtown resident Josh Gray-Emmer has leased the building's top two floors and roof to create LoftSEVEN, a 25,000 square foot special event and filming space that will also serve as his residence.
The 8,500 square foot penthouse, built out for events, features multiple audio zones, LED lighting that can change colors and a long kitchen area with Viking range, multiple ovens and an espresso machine.
In the center of the space, a marble staircase constructed with materials reclaimed from elsewhere in the building rises to a glass room on the private rooftop above. Also on the roof is a smaller kitchen, a 20-person jacuzzi and a 2-ton crane placed to allow event programmers to place materials without having to transport them through the building.
The event staff should cause plenty of guests to look twice. Gray-Emmer says that he plans to hire only twins and triplets to work the space, and has put out a national call for applicants. The women will wear "Jackie O. style" attire, while the men will wear suits that could have come from the film "Catch Me if You Can."
An official capacity number awaits the Fire Marshall's inspection, but Gray-Emmer plans on being able to host roughly 500 guests. Already, LoftSEVEN has a filling slate of booked events beginning in April. First up: filming for a popular network reality show.
While it is easy to see why those specs would sound enticing to an event organizer, they're likely to sound loud and busy to potential tenants interested in the building. That concern led Gray-Emmer to lease the 11th floor, which he says will act as a buffer zone between guests above and residents below. The floor features six lofts that will be offered as VIP and staging rooms for events above.
The space is the latest step in an action-packed career for Gray-Emmer, who got into entertainment after attending Sundance in 1992 as a guest of Robert Redford. Just over a decade later he founded AirParty, a travel service created to escort guests and celebrities to the film festival on a private party jet. That business is now being renamed AP Consulting to reflect the company's broadened focus.
Along with running the event space and living in the building, Gray-Emmer will also be doing marketing for the Haas Building's residential units. He is working with the building owners to give the building an artistic bent, targeting certain floors for particular interests. Floor four will hold those interested in fashion, while six will target musicians -- Gray-Emmer is investigating whether the building can offer special soundproofing on those units. He plans to host monthly rooftop parties for building residents, and is planning to offer neighborhood-targeted events like cooking classes.
The building's eight residential floors each hold six or seven units, ranging from 550 to 1200 square feet. While the Haas features a metal exterior, inside the units much of the original brick has been revealed. Pricing will run from $1399 - $2800.
Office units on the second floor offer yet another wrinkle in what is truly a mixed-use building. Tenants include a synagogue and a chiropractor.
Leasing for the Haas Building is going on now, and prospective tenants can contact AP Consulting at 213-489-2259 or via email at info@loftseven.com for more info. The building's website is expected to be live by April 1, and move-ins are planned to start by May 1.
Bartleight on March 17, 2009, at 04:26PM – #1
This is great for The Haas but does everyone remember the "Riot Hyatt" on Sunset? Here's hoping this doesn't turn into Downtown's version of the same.
Dtownla on March 17, 2009, at 05:16PM – #2
This has really come out of left field. For those that live in the nearby residential buildings (including the Bartlett and the Spring Tower lofts) ... they should be doing some outreach. I would have some big concerns regarding noise, projectiles, etc.
Ankur on March 17, 2009, at 05:48PM – #3
Wow, the bottom of that building, including Cliftons, is a huge contrast to that top floor.
Dario on March 17, 2009, at 06:02PM – #4
We live in the Bartlett and this is the first we've heard about this. WTF?! Does anyone know when this was approved? Were there public hearings? The article reads like a PR release from Hass Bldg inc. How about some reporting?
nirad on March 17, 2009, at 06:41PM – #5
@Dario
It's a "private event space" so my guess is that there was no public hearing.
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on March 17, 2009, at 07:26PM – #6
Dtownla: It came out of left field for me, too. Josh is a reader and lives in Spring Tower Lofts, so hopefully tenants in that building have gotten to know him.
Ankur: Clifton's is next door, not the same building.
nirad: That's correct. It's private space. Noise ordinances and such would still apply, though, so nearby residents do have recourse if things are out of hand.
Conditional Use Permit on March 17, 2009, at 07:41PM – #7
A conditional use permit will be needed for use of this space for anything more than a residence or office. Where is there a similar sized rooftop space approved for 500 people?
The Haas Building on March 17, 2009, at 09:42PM – #8
For clarification LoftSEVEN will NOT serve as Josh's residence.
Josh Gray-Emmer on March 18, 2009, at 12:11AM – #9
To all concerned residents in nearby buildings. We are talking to the President of the HOA board of The Bartlett to address concerns and will be interfacing with ALL tenants before anything starts at the building. I have been a resident of Historic Downtown for 7 years now in The Spring Towers, and having lived through the filming nightmares we will NOT be putting neighbors through the same things. People who want to interface with us directly should NOT hesitate to call me directly at 213-489-2259.
Cheers,
Josh
Bert Green on March 18, 2009, at 10:58PM – #10
This might seem like fun and profit to you Josh, but do you really expect anyone else to want to live in a building that gets 500 people coming and going via common elevators, corridors, etc.? That's a security nightmare and a hellish liability for the building. That's not even considering the noise issue. Good luck, but I doubt you will get the OK from the fire marshall and the city.
Mattson on March 18, 2009, at 11:35PM – #11
What a shame that Broadway, and the east side of downtown in general, no longer has the problems it faced, if not still today, than only a few years ago. Problems like largely abandoned buildings, sidewalks that rolled up after 6:00 pm, junk-and-dump retailers galore, winos, junkies and a variety of bad odors drifting all over the place.
Sort of a sunnier, smoggier version of Detroit (sorry, Mr. Blogdowntown, because I know that's your hometown, or at least in your home state) or St. Louis, or a somewhat larger version of Calexico or Fresno.
Caryn Ho on March 19, 2009, at 11:13AM – #12
GREAT! EXCITING! FABULOUS! More and more for our beautiful downtown turning back to it's glory days. More opportunities for local business I hope such as caterers,etc. I hope I have the opportunity to attend an event there. It would be nice if they offered an invitational open house to the surrounding tenants of buildings. Sort of welcome to the neighborhood. I'm at SB Main and I know we'd love to come. Good luck and wishing you all the best. It will all work out fine. Peace and Blessings.
Michael on March 19, 2009, at 11:18AM – #13
The Hass building has been cleaned up nicely on three sides, but the side facing the Bartlett building is filthy--grime encrusted from decades. Does anyone know if the Hass building plans to clean the side facing the Bartlett building? Or are they going to lease without cleaning this side?
Scott Mercer on March 19, 2009, at 01:02PM – #14
Bert has a very good point. I live in the Pacific Electric building. A couple years ago they were frequently holding "events" on the rooftop and/or ballroom. It might have to do with the bad economy, but these have basically gone away. I'd like to hope it was the management responding to tenants complaining what a flipping nightmare it was to have unknown people wandering through the building.
Even the episodes of filming in the building have pretty much dried up compared to two years ago, but, I have to say, the filming was not TOO bad, since they always provided on-site security and they only did their work during the day.
Just saying, people who lease in that building should be well informed that "events" will be going on in their building on a frequent basis.
Bartlette on March 19, 2009, at 09:29PM – #15
It's funny, Caryn, that as someone who often complains about the noise surrounding her building, you would be so welcoming of this business. Try thinking of the people like me who live in the Bartlett and how we would be affected by the noise this event space would generate.
This space is about 30 feet away from my loft. You have complained about "10 people hanging out and dealing, throwing garbage everywhere, talking loudly and playing music. A regular party." (see: http://blogdowntown.com/2009/02/4094-lapd-central-division-awards-ceremony-scene)
Can you imagine having a party of 500 people 30 feet from your bedroom going on until 4 A.M.? Or is that okay with you, since these are rich people who might invite you to one of their fancy parties and not people who live in affordable housing on Main Street?
loft pimp on March 23, 2009, at 12:06AM – #16
Kudos to the Hass building! The space is very sexy! I used to live in PE also. The filming never bothered me, it's LA what do you expect? If you have a nice space, people will want to shoot there. I still can't get over the fact that people moved downtown for peace and quiet. At PE, all residents were welcome to parties both in the ballroom and at the pool. I hosted several small gatherings at the pool, and attended many others that my neighbors hosted. It was for the most part very open and respectful. Only a hand full of times were there parties that were out of control, and that had more to do with the quality of people in the building than anything. I am a professional. I work, and I appreciate the investment and vision that these developers are taking to make downtown LA fun and sexy. They can have an event space and be respectful of neighbors. Some of you people need to move back to the Valley or the Westside. Most times it's the same 4 or 5 people who complain. This was the case at PE. a handful of residents that complained or called the cops no matter what.
Coming Summer 2009. The best summer EVER for downtown LA!
Caryn Ho on March 24, 2009, at 08:52AM – #17
Dear Bartlette - wow, I see your point. I guess I was thinking it was "okay" noise because it wasn't generated from drug dealers. But your right - noise is noise and you've given me a different perspective. But I still think it's good for downtown anything that offers more entertainment and brings more positive activities into the area. And that was a little below the belt about okay for rich people and not affordable housing people on Main street. I have nothing against the people living in affordable housing on Main street. I have never mentioned anything negative about that only the drug dealers. Crime, illegal activities, that's my issue. If anything, I support affordable housing and am an advocate for the homeless as well and am getting involved with the community to do what I can do. Captain Chow is forming committees from the CCPAB (Central Community Police Advisory Board) which I have already received my application for and attended their monthly meeting last week. This is a way we can be involved in helping our community besides just blogging about it. That only lets the steam out but doesn't help put out the fires. And I can't imagine that their events will be so out of control that they will be partying until 4am on a week night. Give them a little more credit than that. See you at the next CCPAB meeting in April?
Tory on April 29, 2009, at 09:38PM – #18
Come on now. It is GREAT for downtown to have this kind of activity. I'm excited for what they're going to be doing. And I'm excited for more business coming downtown. How about we don't hope for more business failure, starting with complaints, and look forward to another downtown venture succeeding with respect for its neighbors?
DT4ever on May 22, 2009, at 02:15PM – #19
I was just reading all the comments about the Haas building, which I'm glad is finally finished. It's always exciting to see new venues open DT. It's also interesting to read the different perspectives on the LoftSeven group and their ideas for the top two floors. I'd like to point out that some in favor are in rental buildings; PE, Spring Tower, SB Main. If you don't like the building or neighbors, you can move. Take now, the perspective of a homeowner who has invested a half million, and then has to deal with noisy neighbors, parties, traffic control, etc. For example; the Edison in the Higgins building. Some of those homeowners paid upwards of $800,000 for the units on the westside of the building, before the Edison ever existed. When the Edison finally opened with promises of being a good neighbor, the value of the units in the west, north and south sides of the building plummeted. In addition to the Edison noise, those in the front had to deal with the valet guys yelling till 3:00 in the morning and those on the south side have to deal with drunk patrons exiting the parking lot at 3:00 in the morning. You might say, hey, if you don't like the noise, go back to the Valley, but it's quite a different story if you own. Now it's not only your sleep that's affected, but your pocket. You can't even sell because you have to disclose neighborhood nusances, and believe me, no one wants to buy a unit that sits over a club. You can't lease your unit for the same reason. So, someone who spent $800,000 is suppose to quit complaining and just put up with it because it's a hot new club DT? I think not and for all the developers transforming their DT buildings, live in the building before leasing your commercial spaces. Ask yourself if this is the quality of life you'd pay a million bucks for?
Rich Alossi on May 22, 2009, at 03:01PM – #20
DT4Ever: I'm only directing my comment toward your rent vs. own argument - I really have no opinion about the programming the Haas Bldg has planned for LoftSeven.
But to draw a distinction that people who own deserve more consideration - more rights to enjoy a decent standard of living and quality of life - is absurd. Yes, someone who pays $1400 a month for renting a loft has more mobility than someone who's paying $3000 a month in a condo.
However, somebody DOES own that rental unit: the property owner. And the property owner has the same rights as the tenants to a reasonable quality of life with reasonable accommodation for nearby residents so that he can rent that unit out for fair market value.
Still, that doesn't hit the basic point that all residents have a reasonable expectation to live among respectful neighbors, ESPECIALLY if said neighbors are recent arrivals.
If that weren't the case, Downtown would be a lot worse off today.
In this case, there's probably some mitigating measures that can be applied in order to allow the property owner at LoftSeven to operate while maintaining the rights of stakeholders, be they renters or owners, in the community.