Century City Ca Development And Redevelopment

The ABC Entertainment Center and the Shubert Theatre, since 1972 the home of many of the longest-running theatrical productions in Los Angeles, will be razed as part of plans to construct a striking 15-story office building on the site, officials said Monday. Dallas-based Trammell Crow has been operating the ABC complex and adjacent 44-story Century Plaza towers for more than four years.

The aging ABC Entertainment Center--home of the Shubert Theatre--is archaic, unprofitable and doesn't justify renovation, said developers who plan to raze the Century City properties to make way for an office building. Officials at Trammell Crow Co.

Fox Inc. announced plans Monday to move the company's KTTV television station operation from Hollywood to the historic 20th Century Fox studio in Century City as part of a $200-million renovation and expansion of the property, which had previously been targeted for condominium development. The turnabout reflects an effort to build a state-of-the art film and television production company in one place, Fox Chairman Barry Diller said in a telephone interview.

The ABC Entertainment Center and the Shubert Theatre, since 1972 the home of many of the longest-running theatrical productions in Los Angeles, will be razed as part of plans to construct a striking 15-story office building on the site, officials said Monday. Dallas-based Trammell Crow has been operating the ABC complex and adjacent 44-story Century Plaza towers for more than four years.

A group of homeowners near the site of a proposed high-rise office building have vowed to continue fighting the project despite a vote of approval by the city Planning Commission. The commission last week approved the Constellation Place development as well as the developers' plan to use a new traffic mitigation measure on 73 intersections surrounding the project.

The Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday to oppose a state bill designed to bar homeowner groups from suing to stop the proposed $200-million expansion of Fox Studio in Century City. "While I have every confidence that the city's actions are eminently defensible and airtight, the notion of denying somebody, frustrating somebody's right to petition the court to redress their grievances, is alien to me," Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky said.

In a surprise move, 20th Century Fox Studio appealed to the Legislature and won initial approval Tuesday of a bill specially crafted to allow its $200-million expansion in Century City to proceed. With the help of Sen. Herschel Rosenthal (D-Los Angeles), Fox pulled off the legislative maneuver in an effort to avert any last-minute lawsuits from homeowners groups in Los Angeles. The project won final city approval last month.

In his last official act in office, Mayor Tom Bradley signed an ordinance Wednesday that gives the green light to the $200-million expansion of Fox Studio in Century City. Bradley appeared in a jovial mood when he entered the mayor's press room for his last official news conference. "Hello. Goodby," Bradley said, with a smile and a wave at the crowd. City Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky, who shepherded the measure through the council, watched as Bradley signed the ordinance.

The Los Angeles Planning Commission has postponed until April 1 a decision on whether to give its blessing to Fox Studio's planned $200-million expansion. A spokeswoman for the commission said the commission staff asked for the delay to allow it more time to review the matter. The commission, which conducted a lengthy public hearing on the issue last month, had been expected to announce a decision today.

Opponents of a proposed 38-story office building are gearing up to present their concerns to the city Planning Commission, neighbors of the development site said Tuesday. The Planning Commission will hear comments from the public Thursday on Constellation Place, a 791,000-square-foot development proposed for the corner of Century Park West and Constellation Boulevard.

A groundbreaking ceremony will be held this morning in Century City to kick off work on the 24-story MGM Tower. The $150-million project near the Century Plaza Hotel is the tallest building to be constructed in Los Angeles in nearly a decade. The building--scheduled to be completed by spring 2003--will serve as headquarters for entertainment firm Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., which will occupy about 60% of the 700,000-square-foot structure. The project owner, Chicago-based JMB Realty Corp.

Owners of the Westin Century Plaza Hotel expect to pump new life into an aging landmark next month when they split the hostelry in two and open the doors to an up-market St. Regis hotel in the high-rise portion of the Century City property. It will become one of the few joint operations of four- and five-star hotels in the country.

When some people think of Century City, they think of high-rises. City Councilman Mike Feuer thinks of traffic. So much traffic, in fact, that Feuer, whose district includes the small urban island of Century City, attempted to stop a developer Wednesday from building a $250-million, 38-story skyscraper there until more traffic surveys could be conducted. That was despite the developer's appeasement of several major concerns of homeowners groups, the firm's offer to spend $6.

A group of homeowners near the site of a proposed high-rise office building have vowed to continue fighting the project despite a vote of approval by the city Planning Commission. The commission last week approved the Constellation Place development as well as the developers' plan to use a new traffic mitigation measure on 73 intersections surrounding the project.

Opponents of a proposed 38-story office building are gearing up to present their concerns to the city Planning Commission, neighbors of the development site said Tuesday. The Planning Commission will hear comments from the public Thursday on Constellation Place, a 791,000-square-foot development proposed for the corner of Century Park West and Constellation Boulevard.

Plans for a proposed 38-story skyscraper in Century City are on hold after Los Angeles City Councilman Michael Feuer voiced his opposition to the project, which he said would have a disastrous effect on Westside traffic. "The project would have had a negative impact on 43 intersections, 31 of which could not be mitigated," Feuer said.

Fox Studios in Century City has agreed to a traffic monitoring system that could halt its proposed expansion plan in midstream if it brings more traffic to the studio than predicted. Monetary penalties are also a part of the agreement, which is intended to protect nearby residents affected by traffic from the new development. The studio's proposal for the traffic-limitation plan was contained in an application to Los Angeles for a change in the Century City South Master Zoning Plan.

The Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday to oppose a state bill designed to bar homeowner groups from suing to stop the proposed $200-million expansion of Fox Studio in Century City. "While I have every confidence that the city's actions are eminently defensible and airtight, the notion of denying somebody, frustrating somebody's right to petition the court to redress their grievances, is alien to me," Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky said.

In a surprise move, 20th Century Fox Studio appealed to the Legislature and won initial approval Tuesday of a bill specially crafted to allow its $200-million expansion in Century City to proceed. With the help of Sen. Herschel Rosenthal (D-Los Angeles), Fox pulled off the legislative maneuver in an effort to avert any last-minute lawsuits from homeowners groups in Los Angeles. The project won final city approval last month.