Location: 3rd Street and Hill Street
Function: Mixed-Use | 330 Units | 10,000 SF Retail
Developer: The Kawada Company
Architect: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (http://www.som.com/)
Completion: 2009

http://www.buildingtradesnews.com/images/stories/07news/07-03.jpg

Kawada Company to Bring ‘Zen’ to Los Angeles (http://www.buildingtradesnews.com/latest/kawada-company-to-bring-zen-to-los-angeles-4.html)

One of Downtown’s Tallest Residential Buildings to Be Built All Union

June 19, 2007

The Kawada Company of America is planning on making downtown Los Angeles a little more “Zen.” This particular “Zen” will take the form of a 330-unit condo tower rising 50 stories at the northeast corner of Third and Hill streets. This multi-million dollar, privately funded project will be built with union labor and will provide jobs for craft union members of the Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building Trades Council for up to three years.

“On a project of this caliber you have to go first-class [for your labor]. You can’t use handy-man operations on this kind of development,” said Beverly Ziegler, the Community Relations representative for Kawada Company of America.

These “soft-loft” and penthouse condominium units will range from 495 to 2,765 square feet in area, with 66 units being dedicated to workforce housing. A parking garage with approximately 700 parking spaces will occupy 10 floors above grade, and will be topped by a two-story, 57,000-square-foot fitness center and indoor pool. The parking structure will not only accommodate the needs of the building’s residents, but will also greatly expand parking for visitors flocking to downtown once the nearby Grand Avenue project and renovated Angels Flight are open for business.

About 10,000 square feet of retail is planned including a high-end convenience store. A slender, Asian-inspired glass-tower structure will feature condos with an outdoor garden or sunroom. A large roof garden or balcony will overlook downtown. When completed, the project will be one of the tallest residential building in downtown. The outdoor garden, pool, and health club will be open to the public.

“This project will be the first great redevelopment project of this caliber in the 14th District,” said Ziegler.

The Kawada Company’s principal, Natsuo “Nat” Kawada, is a long-time property owner in Los Angeles has been active in the downtown business community for many years. Kawada’s companies own or control several successful downtown properties, including the nearby Kawada Hotel.

“Mr. Kawada retains his properties. He is not going to build this project and then sell it as some developers do,” said Ziegler.

“The Zen project will be a tremendous asset in housing and services to the downtown area,” said Richard Slawson, Executive Secretary of the LA/OC BCTC. “The 330 condominium units are sorely needed for the people of Los Angeles. This project with its 66 workforce units assisting young families and employees in the area, along with the 264 market rate units, is a first step in providing new housing in the City.”

The 26,400-square-foot site of the development is currently at Joe’s Parking Lot; it neighbors Grand Central Market and the senior housing complex Angelus Plaza. The project, being touted by Kawada as the first new mixed-use high-rise in the district, is currently under review by the city. The project has received widespread community support including the Central City Association, downtown Neighborhood Council, Weingart Center Association, along with numerous businesses and trade associations.

The project has also received support from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and City Council Members Jose Huizar--whose District the project will be built in--and Jan Perry.

The project is currently in the entitlement process, according to Ziegler. If all goes according to plan, the project will break ground in January of 2008.

I could of swore I read somewhere that this was a dead proposal. I'm glad it's still officially proposed and moving forward which will add density to Downtown. The only thing is the completion date is in 2009. Shouldn't it already be under construction?

no new renders?
thats a shame

what does the "seven" at the top of the building stand for?

I suppose there is nothing on this one also??????

I think this will be a quiet giant. Not long ago, I read that it was still in the design phase. It better be a beautiful tower if it's taking this long to design.

I suppose there is nothing on this one also??????

Well there must be something going on, if completion is in 2009.

I think this will be a quiet giant. Not long ago, I read that it was still in the design phase. It better be a beautiful tower if it's taking this long to design.

If it's SOM that designs it, it will be good, if it comes from the San Fransico office, (with Craig Hartman as principle) it will be spactacular.!!!!!

If anyone cares, I work near the proposed site. So far it's still a parking lot.

Of course it is. I wouldn't doubt that we'll get news in the summer and it'll start early 2008.

If anyone cares, I work near the proposed site. So far it's still a parking lot.
do you have a camera?
if so, you may just have the opportunity to become my new best friend.
that is if this damn project ever moves along

Here's a picture I took during last week's immigration rally at 3rd and Broadway (one block away from the proposed site.) I noticed this one points towards the parking lot that will be occupied by the Zen Tower. It looks like it's still a parking lot. I can kinda see the signs that say how much the parking is. Well anyway, I'll check the next time I go to work.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v198/louman84/GrandMarch1.jpg

Here is a satellite image of the place. The square is where the proposed building will be and the other mark is where I was standing when I took the above picture.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v198/louman84/ZenTowerSite.jpg

http://www.buildingtradesnews.com/images/stories/07news/07-03.jpg

Kawada Company to Bring ‘Zen’ to Los Angeles

One of Downtown’s Tallest Residential Buildings to Be Built All Union

The Kawada Company of America is planning on making downtown Los Angeles a little more “Zen.” This particular “Zen” will take the form of a 330-unit condo tower rising 50 stories at the northeast corner of Third and Hill streets. This multi-million dollar, privately funded project will be built with union labor and will provide jobs for craft union members of the Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building Trades Council for up to three years.

“On a project of this caliber you have to go first-class [for your labor]. You can’t use handy-man operations on this kind of development,” said Beverly Ziegler, the Community Relations representative for Kawada Company of America.

These “soft-loft” and penthouse condominium units will range from 495 to 2,765 square feet in area, with 66 units being dedicated to workforce housing. A parking garage with approximately 700 parking spaces will occupy 10 floors above grade, and will be topped by a two-story, 57,000-square-foot fitness center and indoor pool. The parking structure will not only accommodate the needs of the building’s residents, but will also greatly expand parking for visitors flocking to downtown once the nearby Grand Avenue project and renovated Angels Flight are open for business.

About 10,000 square feet of retail is planned including a high-end convenience store. A slender, Asian-inspired glass-tower structure will feature condos with an outdoor garden or sunroom. A large roof garden or balcony will overlook downtown. When completed, the project will be one of the tallest residential building in downtown. The outdoor garden, pool, and health club will be open to the public.

“This project will be the first great redevelopment project of this caliber in the 14th District,” said Ziegler.
The Kawada Company’s principal, Natsuo “Nat” Kawada, is a long-time property owner in Los Angeles has been active in the downtown business community for many years. Kawada’s companies own or control several successful downtown properties, including the nearby Kawada Hotel.

“Mr. Kawada retains his properties. He is not going to build this project and then sell it as some developers do,” said Ziegler.
“The Zen project will be a tremendous asset in housing and services to the downtown area,” said Richard Slawson, Executive Secretary of the LA/OC BCTC. “The 330 condominium units are sorely needed for the people of Los Angeles. This project with its 66 workforce units assisting young families and employees in the area, along with the 264 market rate units, is a first step in providing new housing in the City.”

The 26,400-square-foot site of the development is currently at Joe’s Parking Lot; it neighbors Grand Central Market and the senior housing complex Angelus Plaza. The project, being touted by Kawada as the first new mixed-use high-rise in the district, is currently under review by the city. The project has received widespread community support including the Central City Association, downtown Neighborhood Council, Weingart Center Association, along with numerous businesses and trade associations.

The project has also received support from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and City Council Members Jose Huizar--whose District the project will be built in--and Jan Perry.
The project is currently in the entitlement process, according to Ziegler. If all goes according to plan, the project will break ground in January of 2008.

http://www.buildingtradesnews.com/latest/kawada-company-to-bring-zen-to-los-angeles-4.html

Of course it is. I wouldn't doubt that we'll get news in the summer and it'll start early 2008.

Damn..I was right!

:banana:

If anyone cares, I work near the proposed site. So far it's still a parking lot.


^ Alright Louman,

Your hire to be the watchful eye as things progress. Zen is going to be a big project and we want weekly progress reports. We want to see and know everything happening on the site. Bring your handy~dandy camera and post the progress...

Good to hear that this puppy is still on track. Heck, until recently many in this forum gave it up for dead or at the very best on life support.

Good to hear that this puppy is still on track. Heck, until recently many in this forum gave it up for dead or at the very best on life support.


...speak for yourself!

Time for an update, guys.:bash:

Update what? It isn't 2008 yet.

Don't turn into Ferny please.

Update what? It isn't 2008 yet.

Don't turn into Ferny please.


Hey what's the supposed to mean, eh?

Besides you spelled my name wrong***

Figure it out.

Ferney

Update what? It isn't 2008 yet.

Don't turn into Ferny please.

Hey, I'm up here in Vegas. I depend on all you fag lashes to feed me information. I want to see a hole- and I mean a hole for The Zen! :)

Well...hold your breath until January.

:):)

It says your message was edited....so i hope you had/have some news???

Nope, I think he's just being a putz.

I don't want this gratuitous bump up for the Zen thread to be as useless as milquetoast's double smiley-face emoticons. Can someone at least put a picture up of whatever exists at Zen's future location?

I just ran into some information on LA Downtown's list of projects that are currently in the works, but the recent news of the general slowdown had me thinking better of posting updates here. They refresh their information weekly, but I don't believe they are on top of things over there. If they were, I would have kept everything I posted and wouldn't have had to go back and edit everything. To them, Zen's still alive. We're all going to have to wait until about at least 18 months from now until the market is stronger, or until the current projects sell out and show up the skittish investers that have chosen to sit out for now.

This is from LA Downtown News, you tell me if I should have posted it. :)

ZEN
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/07-03.jpg

The mega-tower from developer Kawada Company of America is set to break ground in January 2009, according to a spokesperson for the project. The 50-story high-rise, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, is planned for the northeast corner of Second and Hill streets. The slender tower atop a parking podium would feature Asian influences and 302 soft-loft and penthouse condos (66 would be workforce housing) ranging from 502 square feet to 2,420 square feet. The project would include about 10,000 square feet of retail space, possibly with an upscale convenience store and a sports-themed restaurant. The Zen Tower would include a 10-story podium level with 700 parking spots and would be topped by a two-level, 52,000-square-foot fitness center and pool.

cool!

Kawada Company of America is in the entitlement stage for a mega-tower at the northeast corner of Second and Hill streets. The development had previously been delayed, and a new groundbreaking date has been set for June or July 2009, said Beverly Zeigler, a spokeswoman for the company. She said funding is secure for the 50-story high-rise, being designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. The tower would feature Asian influences and 302 lofts and penthouses (66 would be priced as workforce housing) ranging from 502-2,420 square feet. There are plans for 10,000 square feet of retail space, and possibly an upscale convenience store and a sports-themed restaurant. The Zen Tower would include 700 parking spots and a two-level, 52,000-square-foot fitness center and pool.

They say that they actually have all the funding? Hmm, well then I'm very interested in this one. Remember when they said that they would be done in 2009? :)

It's actually more plausable for this to break ground this time next year due to the ease in the credit market. No one would want to see a building start construction then halted. Medallian dodged a bullet.

Of all the projects planned, this one has seen the most delays. I'll believe it when I see it.

co-sign soup, i figured this time next year as well...

Looks like nothings changed except for the date being pushed back again. At least they still have the financing in place.

Update from downtown news:

ZEN

Groundbreaking for the 50-story Zen condominium tower, proposed for the corner of Third and Hill streets by developer Kawada Company of America, has been pushed back to 2011, said Beverly Zeigler, a spokeswoman for the project. She said financing is in place and the Historic Core project is in the entitlement process and is undergoing an environmental impact report, which should be complete in six months. The skyscraper is being designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. It would be taller than any current residential building in Downtown and would feature 302 lofts and penthouse condominiums, with 66 of them reserved for workforce housing. Residences would range from 502-2,420 square feet and plans call for about 10,000 square feet of retail or restaurant space.

Thanks for the Downtown News updates, S OC. Every now and then they put out their list and we sit back and wonder. Last year about this time I entered information from their update and found some of it questionable. I'd like to know where they get their information :)

I would venture to guess that the veracity of the development blips really depends on whether the company is publicly traded or not. Kawada for instance, is probably a closely held company, so they can say whatever the hell they want, e.g. "we've got financing in place" - bullshit, no you don't, if you did you'd be building it right now because in 3 years when its done it will be selling like hotcakes.

Now Muerelo Maddux can't just lie, because it would be securities fraud. Investors would rely on that information and invest heavily in something that seems like a sure thing, and there stock would skyrocket from 20 cents in a day to 40 cents, and this spike would not be an accurate reflection of the market because its based on an lie.

I would venture to guess that the veracity of the development blips really depends on whether the company is publicly traded or not. Kawada for instance, is probably a closely held company, so they can say whatever the hell they want, e.g. "we've got financing in place" - bullshit, no you don't, if you did you'd be building it right now because in 3 years when its done it will be selling like hotcakes.

Now Muerelo Maddux can't just lie, because it would be securities fraud. Investors would rely on that information and invest heavily in something that seems like a sure thing, and there stock would skyrocket from 20 cents in a day to 40 cents, and this spike would not be an accurate reflection of the market because its based on an lie.


Cy You are one.... S M A R T ..MuThA...FuKa:guns1::dj::dj:

This building looks like that re-cladded glassy building on Sunset in Hollywood

except much, much larger

so is this tower dead or still proposed?

Oh come on.....

Floyd, give him credit, weirder things have happened. Westfield goes back to 2006 and it came back to life!

I'd love for this tower to be built, but the last post here was in 2009, which should be an indication that there's no activity for this proposal. It's a dead project, at least for now.

Soups?

so is this tower dead or still proposed?

bobp5OHVsWY

:ohno:

Soups?

I have received information regarding Zen: it is both dead and not dead; both here and not here; one with the universe and separate and apart from it.

S**t, my bad, I should have looked at the date, that was very stupid of me, sorry, I guess it's ok for you guys to laugh, once again my bad. I got exited with the Westfield project coming to life after so long that I was wondering if this tower too would be built or not, but I deserved it. :ohno:

^ That's a big pet peeve on this forum for a lot of people. Especially me. When someone hasn't posted any info on a project in 3 years, then that should be a sign that no one knows the status of it. Like it's been said many many times before regarding a project: When news breaks..ANY news breaks on a project, you and everyone else here will be the first to know.

^ That's a big pet peeve on this forum for a lot of people. Especially me. When someone hasn't posted any info on a project in 3 years, then that should be a sign that no one knows the status of it. Like it's been said many many times before regarding a project: When news breaks..ANY news breaks on a project, you and everyone else here will be the first to know.

thanks soups, got to pay more attention to those things. :bash:

Though, in Jorges defence, I do keep hearing rumors about this tower. So... anything is possible.

This is from LA Downtown News, you tell me if I should have posted it. :)

ZEN
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/07-03.jpg

The mega-tower from developer Kawada Company of America is set to break ground in January 2009, according to a spokesperson for the project. The 50-story high-rise, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, is planned for the northeast corner of Second and Hill streets. The slender tower atop a parking podium would feature Asian influences and 302 soft-loft and penthouse condos (66 would be workforce housing) ranging from 502 square feet to 2,420 square feet. The project would include about 10,000 square feet of retail space, possibly with an upscale convenience store and a sports-themed restaurant. The Zen Tower would include a 10-story podium level with 700 parking spots and would be topped by a two-level, 52,000-square-foot fitness center and pool.

Very tall tower for LA...is it gonna get built?

SOM 's W HOTEL project in Kuala Lumpur City Center (KLCC) has recently started...

-->http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1357277&page=2

SOM also plans for KL Metroplis project.
--> http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=94266806#post94266806

http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee192/trolltoast/album%203/66876d1422ba58033f46b8f24929164663a32ffc_m.jpg . Awwww, Smart guy, huhhhh? Well, wait'll our economy comes roarin' back! We're gonna be hittin' on all cylinders, see? And when we do woild - WATCH OUT!

Proof that knuckleheads are born that way.