$1-billion Television City makeover clears a key hurdle

After a marathon hearing, the Los Angeles City Planning Commission has endorsed a $1-billion proposal from Hackman Capital Partners that would revamp and expand the Television City complex in Fairfax.

The project, when first unveiled in 2021, had called for 1.1 million square feet of new construction to complement the original William Pereira-designed structures at 7600 Beverly Boulevard, where programs such as All in the Family and American Idol have been filmed. A revised plan designed by Foster + Partners, revealed earlier this year, cuts that expansion by dropping one of the 15-story office towers originally planned for the 25-acre property.

Those changes were followed today by additional revisions, made at the request of City Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, including the removal of 38,000 square feet of general offices space, the reallocation of 12,000 feet of general office space to production offices, and a height reduction to buildings along Fairfax Avenue. The result will be a maximum of 500,000 square feet of general office space and 712,000 square feet of production offices.

“We are grateful to the Planning Commission for their vote of approval, which will help to improve the Beverly/Fairfax neighborhood while keeping and creating thousands of good entertainment industry and ancillary jobs in Los Angeles,” said Hackman Capital Partners chief executive officer Michael Hackman in a news release. “We are especially grateful to Councilmember Yaroslavsky for her direction and support, helping to guide refinements to the Project in response to feedback raised by residents and stakeholders.” 

Designed by a team that also includes Adamson Associates, Inc. and landscape design firm Rios, the makeover is expected to add commercial uses and other habitable spaces along the perimeter of the property facing Fairfax Avenue to the west and Beverly Boulevard to the north. The updated project includes shorter buildings than originally proposed, maintaining view of historic buildings at the interior of the site.

While Hackman reportedly expects to complete work on the project by 2028, challenges remain on the path to City Council approval. In addition to considering requests for a general plan amendment and a zone change to complete the project, the City Planning Commission was also tasked with reviewing nine appeals seeking to either alter or block construction of the project.

Chief among those opponents are perhaps the property's two immediate neighbors - A.F. Gilmore Company and Caruso, which own the Original Farmers Market and The Grove shopping mall. Both groups argued that the project violates local zoning rules, and urged further review of the proposed plan under the California Environmental Quality Act.

Hackman countered with support from other local organizations and business advocacy groups, including the LA Conservancy, Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Holocaust Museum.

A staff report disagreed with the assertions raised in all nine appeals, and recommended that a staff level approval of the project tract map should be upheld.

The proposed project would also be accompanied by an approximately $6.4 million public benefits package, include funds for a traffic management plan, cycling infrastructure near the site, streetscape imrpovements, upgrades to nearby Pan Pacific Park, and affordable housing in Council District 5.

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• TVC 2050 (Urbanize LA)