Historic Reuse in L.A.

By Daniel Gehman, AIA

The historic Subway Terminal Building in downtown Los Angeles is coming back to life as luxury apartments. Empty for much of the last decade except for occasional filming, the new community neighbors other restoration successes, such as the Biltmore Hotel, Bradbury Building and Angel’s Flight.

Constructed in 1925, the 12-story, 500,000-square-foot Subway Terminal Building is a historic monument by many accords. (It’s recognized on city, state and national lists of historic monuments.) It is now one of the largest historic/adaptive reuse projects in the Los Angeles area.

Over the years, the Subway Terminal building has suffered from neglect. However, it’s a wonderful example of 1920s Los Angeles art, architecture and craftsmanship. The architect’s integration of classic urban architectural motifs with requirements for light and air in a downtown high-rise gave the building its unique character.

This character is still evident today, albeit somewhat time-worn and tarnished. All of these features are being restored within the historic context of the building. The developer, Forest City Residential West, is investing $60 million to convert this long-vacant structure into offices and apartments for people who are attracted to city life.

This building is a classic example of adaptive reuse and the challenges that face redevelopers. Although environmental contamination was not a defining element of the project, it demonstrates the traditional issues that may be encountered during the construction process along with the incentives that can help may a project of this scale possible.

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