Transit-Oriented

Next Noho Commons phase complements North Hollywood

By Greg Aragon

Construction on the third and final phase of the $375 million NoHo Commons project in North Hollywood is underway, heading for a 2010 opening.

At the project’s groundbreaking in March, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Mayor Villaraigosa described the project as the “best in smart, transit-oriented growth and will play a leading role in North Hollywood’s resurgence and the Valley’s revitalization.”

The $79.4 million phase will include an 182,000-sq-ft office building with 10,000 sq ft of retail and restaurant space; a 30,000-sq-ft, seven-screen Laemmle Theater; and a 700-space parking garage. The construction team will also move an historic, railroad car-styled, 1920s Phil’s Diner from a spot a few miles away and relocate it within project boundaries.

Located on about four acres at the corner of Lankershim and Weddington in North Hollywood, the third phase, like the entire NoHo Commons project, was designed to take advantage of nearby mass transit. The development is across the street from the North Hollywood Metro Red Line subway station and a block from the Orange Line bus system.

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“The whole idea of the all three phases is transit-oriented,” says Tammy McKerrow, design principal for Los Angeles-based Jerde Partnership, designers of Phases 2 and 3.

Jerry Snyder, senior partner with Los Angeles-based J.H. Snyder Co., agrees. “I think the real impetus for this project is the subway, especially now with gasoline prices where they are,” he says.

Snyder, whose company is serving as general contractor and is co-developing the entire 1.1 million sq ft NoHo Commons along with the Community Redevelopment Agency of the city of Los Angeles, says the project is a “shot in the arm” to the district.

“When we took over the area four or five years ago, it was pretty blighted,” he says. “We then built 700 residential units and a 60,000-sq-ft shopping center and now and it’s a whole new neighborhood.”

Phase 1 of NoHo Commons was completed in 2006 and contains a 438-unit mixed-income apartment project. Phase 2, completed in 2007, features 292 units of loft and live/work rentals; 60,000 sq ft of retail/commercial space; and 200,000 sq ft of office and cinema space.

Besides being close to public transit, Phase 3 will exceed California Title 24 by 24% and attain LEED certification, says McKerrow. “It is for sure going to be LEED gold, but our goal is platinum.”

To achieve the rating, she says the design will utilize green features such as landscape shading and extensive use of high-performance Viracon Vision Glass on the nine-story office building, and a potential “green roof” with drought-resistant plants and wild flowers on top of the 1,100-seat theater.

“There are two office buildings looking down on the theater, so we want to make [the roof] visually appealing and also help reduce the heat gain into the theater,” says McKerrow.

And to make the entire project fit in with North Hollywood’s eclectic Art District, McKerrow says the office building will boast a two-toned glass theme. There will be a lighted orange band of glass at the ninth-story balcony level and grayish tones at the base.