With a unanimous vote by the City Council on December 5, the Combined Properties, Inc./Hudson Pacific Properties, Inc./Ehrlich Architects team was awarded the 9300 Culver Boulevard (Parcel B) Development Project in Culver City, California. More images and complete press release after the break.
Regarding the Council’s vote, Councilman Scott Malsin said, “A wide variety of considerations were taken into account, among them: architectural design, respect for the urban context, the financial strength of the development team, the track record of the leasing team, and the financial return to the City and Redevelopment Agency.” Malsin continues, “Steven Ehrlich is a world-renowned architect based in Culver City. Not surprisingly, his firm’s design is visually striking. While it has a modern edge, it uses warm materials like brick and wood. design is extroverted and open.”
The proposed 115,000 gsf project is located in the heart of downtown Culver City adjacent to multiple historic and iconic structures including the Culver Hotel, Culver Studios, and the Kirk Douglas Theatre (adaptive re-use completed in 2004 by Ehrlich Architects and Center Theatre Group). The proposed program includes ground-level retail, a four-story office building, and a Grand Stair that leads pedestrians up to a restaurant pavilion and landscaped Elevated Plaza perched above the existing Town Square. The project weaves into the urban fabric by sensitively scaling the building elements and relating to the surrounding brick and beige material palette. Retail shops are strategically located to energize the existing sidewalks and streets.
“The development showcases the adjacent historic landmarks while enhancing the lively pedestrian activity surrounding the site. We hope that the confluence of art, food, retail and culture will make the Grand Stair and Elevated Plaza a rich and engaging urban experience for the community,” explains Ehrlich Architects’ Associate Patricia Rhee, AIA.
The project incorporates architectural elements that are instantly recognizable and build on the City’s identity as a place of entertainment, history, and pedestrian-centered activity. The Grand Stair serves the dual purpose of drawing people to the Elevated Plaza as well as providing amphitheater seating for the Summer Series concerts, performances and outdoor screenings. Another recognizable element specific to the project is the use of the historic Culver sign at the busy corner of Culver and Washington Boulevards. This intersection is the symbolic gateway to downtown Culver City and the dramatic corner announces it as such.
