High above the world famous Sunset Strip, four construction cranes are hard at work on a transformative mixed-use complex from Los Angeles-based CIM Group.
The Sunset La Cienega development - designed by a team consisting of SOM, LOHA and Mia Lehrer + Associates - will create four mid-rise buildings with condominiums, hotel rooms and ground-floor commercial space. Work on the $300 million project began in earnest nearly two years ago, with the clearing of several vacant structures at the intersection of Sunset and La Cienega Boulevards.
The mid-rise buildings, which will occupy two corners of the intersection, faced numerous hurdles prior to breaking ground in mid-2013. Originally approved in 1999 under the name of Sunset Millennium, the project remained stalled for nearly fifteen amidst litigation and weak market conditions. CIM Group purchased the roughly five-acre property and its development rights in 2011.
The 2.48-acre East Parcel, located at the southeast corner of the intersection, will birth twin 10-story hotel towers, consisting of a 286-room James Hotel with ground-level commercial space and an parking garage. Designs from SOM also feature a central open-air plaza, preserving sight lines to the south. The hotel towers are strategically positioned to take advantage of an unobstructed view of the Downtown Los Angeles skyline.
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| Image: CIM Group |
The 2.06-acre Middle Parcel, located directly across La Cienega Boulevard, will feature two eight-story residential buildings designed by LOHA and Mia Lehrer + Associates. When complete, the buildings will contain a cumulative 190 dwelling units above street-level retail and restaurant space and a surface parking garage.
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| Image: CIM Group |
Sunset La Cienega is scheduled for delivery in 2016, at which point in may be joined by several other hotel developments along the Strip. This includes a proposed West Coast flagship location for Marriott's Edition chain and the potential redevelopment of the House of Blues nightclub.
- Sunset La Cienega (Official Website)
- Sunset Strip Development Revs Up as Long-Delayed Project Gets Going (Los Angeles Times)