The Next Act in the New Hollywood

Pankow Builders completes major mixed-use project

Sunset and Vine, a 716,000-sq.-ft. development includes the first major housing project to be built in Hollywood in 50 years. The $125 million project covers an entire city block, gracefully blending retail, parking and residential space.

By Greg Aragon

There is a new star on the fabled Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Called Sunset and Vine for its prominent location at the northwest corner of the two famous streets, the $125 million mixed-use project was built to bring glitter-and people-back to a once bustling area.

	PHOTO BY GREG ARAGON

The 3-acre, five-story project also included renovation of a 1938-built, Art Deco facade of the former TAV Celebrity Theater, the home of ABC Radio and the Merv Griffin Theater.

"Sunset and Vine will restore its immediate neighborhood in a style that ties back to Hollywood's glory days and heralds the return of a new, cool Hollywood urbanism," said Larry Bond, co-founder of Bond Capital Ltd., one of the project's principal developers. "This modern, urban village also includes the first major housing project to be built in Hollywood in 50 years and will help reposition Hollywood as a livable urban city."

Covering an entire city block, the 716,000-sq.-ft. project consists of three segments: 100,000 sq. ft. (retail), 300,000 sq. ft. (parking) and about 316,000 sq. ft. of residential space.

Designed by Los Angeles-based Nakada + Associates, Sunset and Vine broke ground in July 2002. The retail portion opened in November and the first residents moved in on April 1. The development officially opened in June.

advertisement

"It was a complicated mixed-use project," said Brad Whitaker, project executive with the general contractor, Altadena-based Pankow Builders. "The residential portion of the project did incorporate some fairly new construction methods. We used prefabricated metal wall panels in lieu of wood to support all the walls."

Metal was used instead of wood because of its durability and longevity.

"With wood you have concerns with termites, shrinkage, warping and mold," Whitaker added. "With metal panels, you don't have any of those issues. We also used the metal panels for speed."

He estimated that erection of the panels was probably 50-percent faster than using wood, which allowed subcontractors to erect 20,000 sq. ft. of paneling a day.

Another reason Pankow went with metal instead of wood was because of the large amount of signage used throughout the project. Whitaker said that metal was better suited to support the heavy loads.

A total of 8,000 panels were used on the project, 5,500 of which were different, making placement accuracy a top priority. The panels averaged 10 ft. by 8 ft., and weighed about 200 lbs. each. They were fabricated in Riverside by West Coast Wire and Steel and shipped to the site, where they were hoisted by a fast-track tower crane and manually set into place.

Mastering the Mix

Architect Steve Nakada, principal of Nakada + Associates, also uses the word "complex" when describing Sunset and Vine. He said his toughest task was taking the project's four elements-residential, commercial, parking and the historic façade-and blending them into one cohesive unit.

What's more, Nakada and Associates were faced with the mission of designing a building that fit within the urban fabric of Hollywood--and that also possesses four distinct courtyards for residents and the community.

Vine and Sunset courtyards give residents a serene lifestyle setting with lush landscaping and water elements. Bamboo Court evokes a boutique-hotel feel with a pool and fitness center overlooking street activity. And Retail Alley gives residents and retail patrons an urban feel.

"The design combination of the courtyard districts at the residential levels and architecturally--integrated signage gives Sunset and Vine its distinctly Hollywood character," Nakada said.

The renovated Art Deco facade of the TAV Celebrity Theater serves as the entrance lobby for 300 market-rate units of contemporary loft-style housing that have dramatic, 10-ft.-high ceilings and oversized windows. Building upon the historic facade, street-level retail and restaurant space feature several dazzling neon signs, reminiscent of Hollywood's heyday.

Strong Signage

The most prominent sign is the corner icon at Sunset and Vine. Extending 120 ft. into the air, and topped by klieg lights visible from miles around, the icon includes an electronic video billboard similar to those in New York's Times Square. It is joined by three rooftop signs and four "tall walls" like the ones found on the Sunset Strip and 11 frieze signs positioned above the retail spaces that form a distinctive ring around the entire project.

	Major tenants at Sunset and Vine are Borders Books, Baja Fresh and Kabuki Sushi restaurant. Other stores include a boutique department store, Yoga studio, hair salon, flower shop and cafe/teahouse (photo by Greg Aragon).

Another prominent sign from the past invites customers into Schwab's Pharmacy, a legendary gathering spot of actors and entertainers.

Major tenants at Sunset and Vine include Borders Books, Baja Fresh and Kabuki Sushi restaurant. Other stores include a boutique department store, Yoga studio, hair salon, flower shop and cafe/teahouse.

"Face Time Sculpture," an interactive public-art commission designed by Los Angeles-based artist Steve Appleton, projects digital images of faces onto two glass disks and five laminated panels in the Retail Alley Courtyard.

And below it all, on the now-bustling sidewalk in front of Sunset and Vine, the Hollywood stars of John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, Mel Torme, Alec Guinness and Jack Benny, to name a few, are receiving a lot more attention.