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An updated set of renderings for the proposed W Hotel Los Angeles development reveal the addition of what a massive wrap-around LED screen that will envelop the lower perimeter of all three towers central to the Gensler-designed project. Brought forward earlier this week by Chinese developer Shenzen Hazens, the latest addition will most certainly bring a flashier, more international element to the project, as the architectural video screen treatment has long been a staple in Asian metropolises, with an increasing presence beginning to take root in North America and elsewhere.
The three-tower project will be broken into two phases, with the first comprised of the 34-storey, 300-room W Hotel located at 11th and Figueroa, along with a 32-storey, 290-unit residential condo tower located next door at 11th and Flower. Phase Two will involve the demolition of the former Luxe Hotel, and the construction of a 38-storey, 360-unit residential condo tower, including 14 live/work units, which will be located at the corner of Figueroa and Olympic.
Making use of a large surface parking lot, along with the redevelopment of the Luxe Hotel, the W Hotel Los Angeles project will represent a much savvier use of space. The prime downtown location, right across from the Staples Center, has long under-utilized. For those interested in heritage preservation, the 1925-built Petroleum Building designed by Meyer & Holler will not be affected by the project, and its presence in the renderings has likely a relief to LA's heritage boosters.
While Phase One is set to begin in mid-2017 with completion projected for mid-2020, construction for Phase Two will not begin until afterwards, with a completion date set for early 2023. Seen in the images above and below, the project's signature 60,000-square-foot video screen will dominate the development's street presence, ensconcing the podium and retail levels of all three structures, making for a bold public statement.
Once complete, the project will dramatically transform this rapidly intensifying corner of downtown Los Angeles, bringing nearly a thousand new people (650 residents and up to 300 hotel guests) into the neighbourhood, while making the most of the site's prime downtown real estate.
SkyriseCities will be sure to return to this project as progress continues. For more information, check out the associated Database file and Forum thread, and as always, feel free to join the conversation in the comments section below.
