Target at 8th and Broadway? Not Quite, but It Would be Cool

By Eric Richardson
Published: Wednesday, May 16, 2007, at 04:17PM

Eric Richardson

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.

Comments

fridayinla writes:

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.

# on May.16.2007 AT 07:18 PM

Eric Richardson writes:

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.

# on May.17.2007 AT 06:31 AM

Bert Green writes:

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.

# on May.17.2007 AT 01:28 PM

Jason writes:

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.

# on May.17.2007 AT 02:19 PM

lauren writes:

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.

# on May.19.2007 AT 03:21 PM

brady westwater writes:

The Gold's Gym was built into the some of the other storefronts - not the old department store.

# on May.20.2007 AT 12:48 AM

downtowner writes:

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.

# on May.21.2007 AT 07:10 AM

urbanica writes:

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

# on Jun.27.2007 AT 11:17 AM