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Wilshire Grand to be Torn Down; Replaced with Office, Hotel Towers

By Eric Richardson
Published: Thursday, April 02, 2009, at 07:59PM
Statler Hotel USC Digital Archives / Dick Whittington Studio []

A 1950's photo of the Statler Hotel, now the Wilshire Grand.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Multiple sources confirmed tonight that the Wilshire Grand hotel is slated to be torn down, replaced by a new development featuring office space and a smaller hotel. The giant hotel opened in 1952 as the Statler, and has been showing its age despite recent renovations. It is currently owned by Korean Airlines.

Sources say that Downtown developer Thomas Properties Group will be a partner on the development, said to consist of a pair of towers: one office and one hotel.

The Downtown News sent out an email this afternoon teasing the story and saying that the project would cost $1 billion and break ground in 2011. Their email, which , said the paper's story would run at midnight.

The Downtown office market hasn't seen any additions since the building boom of the 1980s. Maguire Properties proposed a tower on 8th street, but plans for that project have not moved forward and the company has experienced financial troubles.

Before becoming the Wilshire Grand, the structure was the Statler, the Statler Hilton and the Omni Hotel. Sources say that the hotel will continue to operate for up to two years.

The hotel, at 930 Wilshire, occupies the block bounded by 7th, Figueroa, Wilshire and Francisco streets.

Korean Air's CEO was in town this week, . The firm committed a donation of $160,000 over four years to the program.

Update (9:40pm): A Bloomberg story says it's a 60-story tower and a 40-story tower. The larger would be the office tower, with 1.15 million square feet. Thomas and Korean Air hope that financing will be available by the time the project's ready to break ground in 2011.

The Syracuse Post-Standard, of all places, seems to be first to run a , which also ties in the Grand Avenue Project, homelessness, the Nickel Diner and a Joel Kotkin quote. That article says the larger tower will be 80 stories, and have a "slanted profile resembling a ship's sail."

Update (8am): More stories posted overnight. 60 stories is the consensus. Here's Downtown News . LA Times and a (Downtown News has them as well, but these are higher resolution). Also, .

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  • http://la.curbed.com/archives/2009...d_hotel_office_project_coming.php


Conversation

Guest 1

D on April 02, 2009, at 10:55PM – #1

Holy Sh!&! I hope they get financing for this by that time! way to improve the corner!


Scott Mercer on April 03, 2009, at 04:45AM – #2

Belaurgh.

This is stupid. I hope their financing falls through.

That building is perfectly servicable and has a lot of life left in it. It's only 60 years old.

I will stipulate that it is not architecturally distinguished, and I'd lose 100 Hotel Statlers just to get back the old Richfield Oil building, but, having said that, tearing this down is a massive waste of resources.

There are plenty of vacant lots in the area, including two that are 1/2 block away from that corner of 7th/Fig. While I would love another 80 story tower, why do it gotta be at the expense of some pre-existing structure?


Guest 2

kwok on April 03, 2009, at 07:05AM – #3

This is great news. Ive always found the Grand to be dull and uninspiring, and with the new LA live, that corner could use some redevelopment. Wouldnt an 80 story tower be (one of?) the biggest/ tallest tower in all of Los Angeles? USBank is 73? The syracuse article states: '"I think downtown Los Angeles is going to do quite well when this economy recovers," said Christopher B. Leinberger, a land use strategist and visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington.' It also states there will be an 18,000 sq foot public park - Nice!


Guest 3

nanorich on April 03, 2009, at 08:26AM – #4

Yeah well, expect it around the time the Grand Avenue project opens...

and sells out their condos.


Guest 4

tornadoes28 on April 03, 2009, at 08:51AM – #5

Belaurgh.

This is damn cool. I hope that they are able to obtain financing as soon as they can in this economy. I think it is a great idea.

I wish the surface lots and two crappy parking structure across the street from 7th and Fig would also be redeveloped someday as well.

Why this pre-existing structure you ask. Because Korean Airlines owns THIS building and NOT the empty lots across from 7th/Fig. AND, this hotel is fairly old and the location is extremely valuable and can be better utilized. That's why.


Susana Benavidez on April 03, 2009, at 09:29AM – #6

I think this is a great idea. WHat better location than directly across the street from the Metro station. The renderings are really cool. This will truly make the Figueroa corridor the street to be. Awesome. I'm glad that there are people out there that understand that the market has a pattern and they are planning out their phases accordingly. There's too many developers out there that think you can get plans approved overnight. 18 months to get approval from the city might be optimistic but not overly ambitious. Great news!


Jeffrey Chao on April 03, 2009, at 09:47AM – #7

Fantastic! I now realize why the hotel is giving great deals for holding events at it's current venue. They're prepping to tear it down! Brilliant!


Guest 5

Dana Gabbard on April 03, 2009, at 11:49AM – #8

I find it odd in the midst of a major renovation for the building that has been dragging on over the past few years that they'd announce plans to tear it down. Is this seen as needed to be competitive with the new Convention Center hotel?


Guest 6

Tim on April 03, 2009, at 01:31PM – #9

I agree with Scott that the building has plenty of life left in it. But I think the city hurt the building when it widened Figueroa. Both the Fig and the 7th Street sides are very pedestrian unfriendly. Though that might not have been the case when the building opened, it is the case now. The new structure will be set further back from the street (like all the other new towers on Fig) and allow for a much more comfortable pedestrian experience.


Guest 7

Juanito on April 04, 2009, at 12:29AM – #10

They oughta tear down the WTC instead; it's the ugliest building - bar none - in L.A.


Guest 8

Downtowner on April 04, 2009, at 10:27AM – #11

Are there any historic elements related to a 60-year old hotel? I'm sure a lot of important stuff happened there over the years. Have the preservationists said what they think? Hopefully this won't become Ambassador Hotel Part II. This probably isn;t as special a the Ambassador though.


Guest 9

Purple Haze on April 04, 2009, at 01:55PM – #12

Some preservationists would rather preserve a 60 year old crack in a sidewalk!


Guest 6

Tim on April 04, 2009, at 02:23PM – #13

Linda Dishman of the LA Conservancy was quoted in today's LA Times as saying that the building has no historical value as it has been altered so many times since it was built.


Guest 10

JDRCRASHER on April 04, 2009, at 04:29PM – #14

DOWNTOWNER, according to what I read in the Times today, the Preservationists like Dishman view this as an unneeded structure and would lose little sleep if it was replaced.


Guest 8

Downtowner on April 04, 2009, at 05:49PM – #15

Cool, thanks. I hadn't gotten to the LA Times yet when I wrote that this morning. I guess that says something about where the Times is on my priority list these days. I hope they build something great!


Guest 11

David Kennedy on April 08, 2009, at 01:08AM – #16

This project is about the maturing of the Korean immigrant community. Clearly, they are staking their claim to a piece of downtown. They have come a long way from the image of the '92 riots as beleaguered owners of convenience stores. Their ambition is to be applauded, admired and welcomed.

On a minor note, hopefully, they will improve the retail streetscape. Figueroa can use all the help it can get.



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