As I had blogged yesterday, downtown is an area that I am not overly familiar with. Like I’ve said many times, I am definitely a Westside type of guy (meaning no further east then Hollywood) and typically so are my clients. Yesterday was my first excursion into the world of slick new highrises and urban (but chic) downtown lofts. I have to say, I dug the whole scene much more than I anticipated. A lot of thought and design has been put into these new urban communities that are springing up and if you are willing to try something off the beaten path, there is a whole lot of bang for your buck to be had. Yesterday I tweeted as I went through each property to give you a quick snapshot of what I was looking at, as well as my adventure navigating through downtown. There are two properties in particular that I want to highlight - they are the polar opposites of each other, but each has something unique to offer a buyer:
Ev0-South - This was a property that I was really looking forward to seeing. As most of you know, there are not many full service buildings in Hollywood and West Hollywood that are affordable, nor contemporary in design. Of course you have the uber lux Sierra Towers, Empire West, and Shoreham Towers to name a few, but these buildings are definitely dated and the structures themselves could all use a bit of a face lift. West Hollywood put a moratorium on new construction residential highrises in 1973, so these were the first and last of their kind. Evo South is brand new and is sleek in every sense of the word. Rising 23 stories into the downtown LA skyline, you immediately take notice of this building’s presence. The tower is sculpted of glass and metal, containing 311 units. The lobby has the same kind of chic modern design element similar to that of Nobu in West Hollywood or the new BOA Steakhouse/Lounge in the 9200 building on Sunset. The residences themselves feature floor to ceiling windows with expansive views (depending on location), dark hardwood floors, high end appliances, and designer fixtures. The layouts seem very usable, although I only had time to look at a few of their floor plans. Some examples of pricing would be: 1br/1ba (726 sq ft-1158 sq ft) - $385,000-$709,000 and 2br/2ba (1132 sq ft-2057sq ft) - $630,000-$885,000. The HOA fees which include infinity pool, lounge, fitness center, 24 security, concierge, gas, water, trash will run you $479-$555 for a 1 bedroom and $527-$752 for a 2 bedroom. For all my rich kids going to USC, this would be a great place to call home. Listed by The Mark Company
Barker Block Lofts - I am not going to lie to you, as I was driving to Barker Block I was a little sketched out by the neighborhood. This area reminds me of my raver days of the late 90’s when we would go to parties in these old, abandoned warehouses. I literally remember seeing a corpse of a homeless man lying in the middle of the sidewalk that ended up being removed by LAPD as we were leaving the party. Fast forward ten years and you have a totally different vibe. Where once stood a junkie asking for some spare change and a cigarette now stands the brand new downtown Urth Cafe. Across the street is the Barker Block Lofts. Located in a quiet industrial section of downtown, Barker Block made a fantastic impression on me. Done by the KOR Group who are also responsible for Broadway Lofts and Eastern Columbia (lofts), their signature high quality stamp is everywhere. What’s cool about this area is that while you are in downtown, you are somewhat removed from the highrises, leaving you expansive views of downtown LA from many of the units as well as from the chic pool deck and fitness center. The lofts either have polished concrete floors or dark hardwoods. Hopefully I have the story straight, but Barker was an old industrial warehouse that was converted into these lofts. The developers expanded on the initial building , creating a “block” of live/work spaces. Many of the original features from the warehouse can be seen such as vaulted ceilings with wood beams criss crossing the space. There was just something very relaxed about the building and the residents that I happened to walk by. Again, I was surprised at how well I liked not only the lofts, but the area itself. Maybe not the right fit for some of my BH/WeHo rich kids, but if you are looking to try a bohemian lifestyle with posh amenities, this could be the place for you. Lofts start at $325,900 for 799 sq ft, but you can still get a loft at 1100 sq ft for $399,000! The higher priced units with city views range from $533,900-$749,000. HOA dues range from $355-$554. See photo gallery below of Barker Block.
