Eight years after announcing plans to redevelop a cold storage facility in the Arts District with a high-rise complex, the finish line is now in sight for the Gallo family and Vella Group.

Aerial view looking eastBjarke Ingels Group / Gruen Associates

The project at 670 Mesquit Street, which would span the west side of the Los Angeles River between the Sixth and Seventh Street Viaducts, calls for the construction of approximately:

  • 676,000 square feet of offices;
  • 894 homes - including 144 for very low- and extremely low-income households;
  • a 271-room hotel;
  • a charter elementary school; and
  • commercial uses including retail, restaurant, and gallery space.

Bjarke Ingels Group is designing 670 Mesquit, with Gruen Associates serving as architect of record and Studio-MLA as landscape architect. Plans call for four interconnecting high-rise buildings, the tallest of which would rise to 34 stories or 388 feet in height. New decks above an adjoining freight rail right-of-way to the east would provide an easier connection to the nearby river.

“Our project draws inspiration from the scale, materials, and details of the warehouses and factories in the arts district, aiming to preserve and integrate their architectural character," said Bjarke Ingels in a statement. "By blending modern amenities with timeless materials and proportions, we honor the artistic identity that defines the district, ensuring its creative spirit endures while welcoming new residents and businesses.”

Street-level view looking eastBjarke Ingels Group / Gruen Associates

Construction of the project is expected to occur in a  single five-year period or in multiple phases over the course of nine years. An exact groundbreaking date for the project has not been announced.

Approval by the City Planning Commission is not the final step for the project. Requirements for a general plan amendment and a zone change require a vote by the Los Angeles City Council.

“670 Mesquit stands as a testament to what thoughtful, community-centered development can achieve," said Michael LoGrande of Logrande & Company, who represented the project before the Commission. "We are excited to move this transformative development forward.”

Aerial view looking northBjarke Ingels Group / Gruen Associates

The project has evolved as a result of changing demands for office space in Los Angeles, as well as other major cities across the country. While other developers such as Tishman Speyer have pulled the plug on plans for new all-office developments in the Arts District, Vella Group has instead pivoted to a residential-heavy project, cutting 300,000 square feet of offices from the original proposal, while more than doubling the amount of housing planned.

The development site sits just south of the recently-finished Sixth Street Viaduct, and would use the planned deck above the Los Angeles River to complement new park space now taking shape below the bridge. The property also abuts what could become the future site of an Arts District Metro station.

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