712
Olive
Los Angeles, California
Constructed
in 1917 as the showplace Villa de Paris Department Store originally,
this 6 story concrete frame 100,000 square foot structure housed
the sales floors and offices for LA’s premier retail facilities.
Over the past 92 years the uses have changed and the neighborhood
has become known for jewelry sales and fabrication. The owners,
realizing the need for increased residential capacity in the
Historic Core engaged M2A to convert the upper floors for live/work
lofts while maintaining the ground floor retail uses. A Central
light well is to be cut into the building to create a central
community accessed from all floors and the interior residences.
At the perimeter of the building the units are arranged to take
maximum advantage of the large windows and views into the adjacent
Historic District. New rooftop duplex penthouses incorporate
existing and new construction and create a central rooftop garden
in addition to the 6 story central court.
The new construction responds to the historic brick and cornice
patterns without replicating them, clearly maintaining the historic
identity of the original building not only from within, but
also from the street. High end interior finishes of marble,
woodwork, glass tile, and widow systems will maintain the “spacious
elegance” noted by the LA Times at the buildings opening.