Phasing In Santee Lofts

Project is Second Phase of Downtown L.A.'s Santee Village

By David Silva

Swinerton Builders of Los Angeles has set a spring 2007 target date for completion of Santee Lofts, a 474,589-sq.-ft. adaptive reuse loft project in downtown Los Angeles.

The $43 million Santee Lofts is the second phase of a massive, three-phase development built around a block-long promenade courtyard on Santee Street. Phase I, which was completed in May 2004, consisted of 165 loft-style rental units and 40,000 sq. ft. of retail space. The recently completed phase III brought 65 condominiums online.

Under construction since October, phase II calls for the conversion of three vintage commercial buildings into 216 for-sale residential loft units and construction of a 254,000-sq.-ft. parking garage.

Santee Village, as the three phases are collectively called, will upon buildout cover about 8 million sq. ft. of retail, residential and parking lot space at a total cost of approximately $83 million. Phase II's initial December completion date was delayed due to increased construction costs.

Swinerton is the general contractor and Donald Alec Barany of Los Angeles is the architect for phase II. Phoenix Realty Group, LLC of Los Angeles and Santa Monica-based MJW Investments are the developers for the second phase.

"The most challenging aspect of this project has been to build all these sheer walls that are seismically retrofitted and mechanically upgraded," said Shehzad Khan, project manager for Swinerton. "All of our additions have to be interfaced with the existing buildings. We also have to tie in phase I with phase II in terms of fire line safety - we're not there yet, but that's what we're going to do."

Santee Lofts is located in downtown's garment district, and the three 1913-era buildings - declared historic monuments in 2001 by the city of Los Angeles - are former garment manufacturing venues. The buildings are 53,820 sq. ft., 76,209 sq. ft., and 95,401 sq. ft. Floor designs range from studios to two-bedroom, two baths.

Amenities in phase II will include a rooftop pool and patio barbeque area and rooftop golf range, putting green and basketball court; and a fitness center and spa. Units will feature 13-ft. ceilings and oversized windows.

Individual units will be priced between $300,000 and $1 million-plus, and range in floor plans from 656 to 1,576 sq. ft. According to Phoenix Realty Group, 66 percent of Santee Loft's units should sell "at prices affordable by households at or below 150 percent of area median income." No units were presold as of press time, Khan said.

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