The four-block area in the Bunker Hill district of downtown Los Angeles on which The Grand project construction has commenced has been the site of much envisioning, planning, and development over the past 17 years. Once fully completed, the multi-part redevelopment initiative seeks to create a cultural corridor with residences, arts complexes, and retail space. Those involved in the ambitious project, from the city mayor to the architect Frank Gehry to the Los Angeles commercial concrete contractors who built these project, all with the hope to create a cultural hub that invites Los Angeles residents to live, linger, and take in all the downtown neighborhood has to offer.
The Capstone of a Cultural Corridor
The Grand project began construction in May 2019 and will be the capstone in a years-long revitalization and redevelopment initiative for the Bunker Hill district, a joint effort led by private developers and the City and County of Los Angeles. The initiative has already seen several components completed, including the Emerson apartment tower and Grand Park, as well as multiple important cultural institutions such as the Broad Museum, the Grand Avenue branch of the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Disney Concert Hall. Like the Disney Concert Hall, The Grand is designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry who conceived of the two structures complementing and “talk[ing] to each other” while artfully interacting with the surrounding skyline. As the final component in the redevelopment initiative, The Grand will bring more residences, the Equinox hotel, retail space, and public open space.
The Grand’s Scale
The Grand will feature two immense towers: a 39 story residential tower and a 20 story Equinox Hotel. The vertical surfaces of the towers are broken up and staggered to create a multi-tiered appearance to the towers, which will also be composed of different materials at different levels, such as metallic cladding and vast expanses of glass. The residential tower will have over 400 units with over 80 units set aside for low-income residents, while the Equinox hotel boasts 309 guest rooms. The two towers will be connected by a large central courtyard where public art will be displayed and this outdoor public area will be ringed with 176,000 square feet of retail space that also connects to the sidewalk. After years of anticipation for the commencement of construction, The Grand project has a fast schedule and is relying on contractors that can keep pace while delivering quality outcomes that match the ambitious vision of the project. The Conco Companies was contracted to provide concrete services including structural concrete forming, placement, and finishing, concrete pumping, and shotcrete services. To begin, they’ll be providing three significant mat pours of 14,000 cubic yards, 10,000 cubic yards, and 1,500 cubic yards of concrete.