Signs directing motorist to alternative parking lots were installed this week as Onni Group’s 32-story 888 Olive tower readies for groundbreaking at 9th/Olive
Earlier this year in March, news came that Vancouver-based Onni Group was planning to develop a new 32-story luxury rental-apartment tower (on a surface parking lot) at the intersection of 9th and Olive adjacent to the historic 1926 Coast Savings Building. Plans were to break ground by the summer, but delays are pretty much expected for significant projects of this size. Nevertheless, groundbreaking is expected soon for the new tower, currently named “888 Olive,” as a new construction sign was installed this week to direct drivers to another parking lot around the corner. According to an onsite source, groundbreaking was “supposed to be on December 1, 2012.” So we could see construction fencing and equipment move in by the next week or so.
When completed in 2015, 888 Olive will be a significant boost to the area near 9th/Olive, which is currently surrounded by surface parking lots (aka “dead zones”) and a lack of commercial activity. The project entails 283 units (according to the DT News) and 11,000 square feet of commercial retail space. When the new tower is completed, the intersection will be activated and only a stone’s throw from the future Empire Hotel a block away.
A rendering of 888 Olive shows a gleaming glass tower at 9th/Olive adjacent to the historic 1926 Coast Savings Building (Photo: Onni Group)
The new 32-story 888 Olive tower will rise at this intersection at 9th/Olive in Downtown LA
And Omgivning is the Interior Designer for this project! We are very excited!
Hard to tell from the picture, but will the base be built up against the Coast Savings Building or will there be an alley between them?
Glad another dead zone is gone; the tower itself does not complement the surroundings.
Right. This is completely out of character with the immediate surroundings. It would be nicer to see a style that complemented the historic core, instead of the spreading of the “LA Live” style further east.
There is so much going on below 7th down that way right now. It’s going to be a different neighborhood in 3 years. I’m so psyched, I just hope they aren’t all super high end in terms of rent.
I think the building does make a strong statement. It clearly states you are leaving the more historic area of Hill Street and the eastern section of 9th. Particularly since Olive to the south (and the very immediate, adjacent north) will be almost all newer buildings and 9th to the west will be mostly very late 20th Century and early 21st Century buildings Hopefully, the base of the podium will have appropriate pedestrian scaled retail and restaurants.
Agreed. I think it will be so interesting to see how downtown develops over the coming decade. With so many vacant lots and loads of crappier older buildings, it seems like South Park and the area below 10th is ripe for development. And as that develops what happens to the historic core in terms of desirability?
See, this is what I love, actual towers, not six story structures.
The new and the old live beside each other and compliment each others style and energy. That is the synergy of real urban areas. The historic cores desirability will only be enhanced by modern apartment towers in South Park and vice versa. And Broadway in between will hopefully be the re-energized core with retail, restaurants, business, theaters and a streetcar weaving it all together. DTLA UNBOUND!
This looks like a tower you would see on the Upper Eastside, something you would see alot of celebs buying a unit in. Its just a matter of time, I’ve always said that one of the biggest advantages that DTLA has over other downtowns is close proximity to HOLLYWOOD! Like it or not, When you start seeing more celebs & industry types buying units in DTLA that will be when it has fully arrived because then it becomes ingrained in pop culture & trendy circles as well as the avg Joe, that “Its cool & hip to have a rental or condo in DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES!”
Wish the huge Orpheum rooftop sign could be lit. Is Urban outfitters still on track to set up shop in the Rialto theatre?
As any longtime Angeleno knows, the Coast Savings Building is at 9th and Hill, not Olive. Coast’s iconic jingle: “9th and Hill, on the ground floor, Coast Federal Savings”.