Urbanize LA: 2024 in review

We've come to the final week of 2024, which means it's once again time for a look back at the stories which shaped the year (at least for Urbanize).

In a year that had a noticeable lack of groundbreakings in the mixed-use, high-rise category, a notable exception was the $5-billion One Beverly Hills development, which commenced work between Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevards in February. The exact contents of the project seem to be evolving, although it will include a blend of condominiums, an ultra-luxury Aman hotel, and commercial uses.  The design comes from Norman Foster, Rios, and Kerry Hill Architects, and will include 26- and 32-story towers(the tallest structures in Beverly Hills when completed) emerging from 8.5 acres of botanical gardens at ground level.

Likewise, construction commenced in early 2024 for Apple's new office campus at the intersection of Venice and National Boulevards. The two-building, 500,000-square-foot development sits just east of Metro's Culver City Station, and is part of a push by the Cupertino-based tech giant to grow its local office to 3,000 employees by the year 2026.

And although it was a largely ceremonial groundbreaking, it does seem to be worth giving mention to the Thrive Living's new Costco-anchored apartment complex at 5035 W. Coliseum Street. The 800-unit apartment building, in addition to bringing bulk items and cheap hot dogs to Baldwin Hills, also demonstrates the power of state housing legislation. The project is the first in Los Angeles (though not the last) to make use of AB 2011 to expedite the entitlement process, which could have otherwise taken years.

This year also saw major milestones for transportation projects across the region.

In April, Metro announced the completion of tunneling for the Purple Line (D) extension, the $9.5-billion subway line under Wilshire Boulevard that has the capacity to reshape transportation across the region. Just don't look for a second entrance to the forthcoming Wilshire/Rodeo Station in Beverly Hills, which was set aside in May due to ballooning cost estimates.

February saw the Metro Board of Directors sign off on the controversial Dodger Stadium gondola, which would link the home of the 2024 World Series champions to Union Station through an aerial structure cutting through Chinatown. That project, backed by former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, has run into staunch opposition from Los Angeles City Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez, which has put a hold on permits for construction pending a study of transportation options to Dodger Stadium and other major venues in the region.

Hollywood Burbank Airport started off 2024 with a bang, breaking ground on its $1.3-billion replacement terminal, which replaces an original 1920s structure with a 21st century terminal designed with a Mid-Century Modern aesthetic. However, don't hold your breath waiting for another expansion terminal across town at LAX, where the proposed Concourse 0 and Terminal 9 have reportedly been put on hold as passenger traffic still remains below pre-pandemic levels. LAX will still get an expansion of its West Gates complex in the form of the under-construction Midfield Satellite Concourse South.

Outside of the LAX central terminal area, the multi-billion dollar landside access modernization program has been beset by delays and cost overruns. A budget increase has gotten the airport's new people mover back on track, but it is now expected to debut in 2026. In addition to providing a car-free trip to your terminal, the people mover will connect with ground transportation hubs the LAX/Metro Transit Center Station when complete.

Plans for a second people mover system in the City of Inglewood were dashed this year, when after securing more than $1-billion in funding, it lost the support of Congresswoman Maxine Waters, and about $200 million in federal money int he process. That blow was followed by the loss of support from the owners of Sofi Stadium and Intuit Dome, and then an apparent mortal wound when members of the South Bay Council of Governments declined to backfill the project’s budget shortfall with more local transportation money.

Rising costs have also forced changes to the planned overhaul of Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles, where Metro faces the challenge of building a project with a price tag that is close to double what was originally expected. The agency has addressed the issue by trimming the number of run-through tracks from earlier plans, and is slated to begin work on early components in 2025.  Those upgrades are a key component of Metrolink's plans to augment its schedule and provide through-running service in the future, as well as plans to one day bring California High Speed Rail into the Los Angeles area.

This year was also one where many developers finally pulled the plug on speculative projects from before the pandemic. That includes a long-planned tower complex next to the Capitol Records Building in Hollywood, as well as a Tishman Speyer office complex in the Arts District. Others have opted to pivot rather than walk away, including Onni Group, which has cut offices in favor of housing at a site in the Arts District, and CMNTY Culture, which has done the same for a project at Sunset and Highland in Hollywood.

As the calendar turns to 2025, the return of the Olympics - which once seemed part of the distant future - is suddenly on the horizon. Following Paris is no easy task, but Los Angeles faces the daunting challenge of "cleaning up" while also grappling with a very visible homelessness crisis. Further, the city has other concerns as it looks to a Summer 2028 deadline, including the completion of a Convention Center overhaul before the games begin, as well as uncertainty over what help the new administration will provide (if any) in regards to transportation for the games.

At the very least, the State of California has been willing to step up to the plate and help Los Angeles put its best foot forward at a key location for the Olympics. In August, Exposition Park announced that the state budget would include nearly $352 million in the coming fiscal year to underground six acres of parking at the southeast corner of the park to create new green space.

Anyway - those are my thoughts on the year that was. What do you think, comment section? Anything else you think should be included? If so, let us know below.

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