LOS ANGELES—The Downtown L.A. development boom is heading to Skid Row. Statewide Acquisition Corp. is redeveloping the former Catalina Swimwear manufacturing facility into a 78-unit live/work loft building. The Catalina Lofts, as the property is called, is at the edge of Skid Row and adjacent to tents communities. Omgivning is designing the project, and plans to deliver the property late next year.
“This project is actually on the edge of Skid Row and the Toy District,” Karin Liljegren, founder of Omgivning, tells GlobeSt.com. “It's a difficult location because it is on the edge of one neighborhood that has the sidewalks lined with tents and homeless encampments and the other neighborhood has daytime wholesalers and is vacant at night.”
The project requires converting a 93,600-square-foot 1923 manufacturing building into the live/work lofts, which have been popular in the nearby Arts District. “The building itself is strong and beautiful. It is a gorgeous historic concrete building with big steel windows, large round columns and sawtooth skylights,” say Liljegren. “Anyone looking for a historic warehouse to live/work in would kill to live here.”
Because of the Skid Row location, the project requires a design approach that emphasizes safety and has ample onsite amenities and open areas. There will be ground floor retail and a common area on the 7th floor rooftop, which will include private patios and an enclosed gym. “Due to the neighborhood we unfortunately need to create the building to be a safe haven and is more inward that our typical urban projects,” says Liljegren. “The highlight being an incredible roof with lots of places to gather, relax, or enjoy some solitude—an oasis. Our vision is to keep the building simple and clean, exposing and highlighting all the concrete bones while introducing modern and unique “designer” kitchens and baths—a true urban experience.”
The exterior is equally as beautiful. It was originally designed by architect William Douglas Lee and features a Flemish bond pattern and terra cotta pilasters with classical capitals. The conversion of the property will take approximately a year.
LOS ANGELES—The Downtown L.A. development boom is heading to Skid Row. Statewide Acquisition Corp. is redeveloping the former Catalina Swimwear manufacturing facility into a 78-unit live/work loft building. The Catalina Lofts, as the property is called, is at the edge of Skid Row and adjacent to tents communities. Omgivning is designing the project, and plans to deliver the property late next year.
“This project is actually on the edge of Skid Row and the Toy District,” Karin Liljegren, founder of Omgivning, tells GlobeSt.com. “It's a difficult location because it is on the edge of one neighborhood that has the sidewalks lined with tents and homeless encampments and the other neighborhood has daytime wholesalers and is vacant at night.”
The project requires converting a 93,600-square-foot 1923 manufacturing building into the live/work lofts, which have been popular in the nearby Arts District. “The building itself is strong and beautiful. It is a gorgeous historic concrete building with big steel windows, large round columns and sawtooth skylights,” say Liljegren. “Anyone looking for a historic warehouse to live/work in would kill to live here.”
Because of the Skid Row location, the project requires a design approach that emphasizes safety and has ample onsite amenities and open areas. There will be ground floor retail and a common area on the 7th floor rooftop, which will include private patios and an enclosed gym. “Due to the neighborhood we unfortunately need to create the building to be a safe haven and is more inward that our typical urban projects,” says Liljegren. “The highlight being an incredible roof with lots of places to gather, relax, or enjoy some solitude—an oasis. Our vision is to keep the building simple and clean, exposing and highlighting all the concrete bones while introducing modern and unique “designer” kitchens and baths—a true urban experience.”
The exterior is equally as beautiful. It was originally designed by architect William Douglas Lee and features a Flemish bond pattern and terra cotta pilasters with classical capitals. The conversion of the property will take approximately a year.
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