After 25 years in Culver City, Sony Pictures Animation is on the move.
View of the Wilshire Courtyard complex as it stands todayCity of Los Angeles
In an email to staff, Craig Schwartz, executive vice president of global real estate at Sony Pictures, announced that in April 2024, Sony Pictures Animation, Imageworks and Crunchyroll would move into a 225,000 square foot space at the resort. Wilshire Courtyard on the Miracle Mile. Sony organizations will occupy four floors of the property, with space including a central dining room, cafe bar, theater and outdoor areas.
Rios has been brought in to design the new office, while LPC West will manage the project.
The move follows Sony Pictures Entertainment’s acquisition of Crunchyroll, which moved to Sony Pictures Animation’s current offices within the Culver Studios complex at 9050 Washington Boulevard.
View of proposed towers facing WilshireSCB
Onni Group, the new owner of the three SPE companies, is currently seeking the rights to redevelop Wilshire Court with a pair of high-rise buildings that would add more than 1.8 million square feet of office space to the property.
Hackman Capital, the current owner, has also invested heavily in expanding the Culver Studios campus, which now houses Amazon Studios and associated entities.
Rendering of 1800 Avenue des StarsAnderson Real Estate
In Century City, Anderson Real Estate announced last month that Ares Management had signed a 12-year lease for 206,000 square feet of office space at 1800 Avenue of the Stars. The tower, part of a larger complex that includes a second building at 1900 Avenue of the Stars, is currently undergoing a $100 million renovation.
Montalba Architects and OJB Landscape Architecture are designing the new space, according to a press release.
Ares Management, based in Los Angeles since its launch in 1997, currently occupies space in another Century City property at 2000 Avenue of the Stars.
Here’s what we’re reading this week:
Metro is hosting a community event to identify walkable and bikeable improvements near Sepulveda station on the G line “Recommendations focus on nearby streets such as Sepulveda Boulevard, Victory Blvd., Oxnard Street and more. Proposed improvements include the addition of streetlights and trees, as well as possible street design changes – such as bike lanes, crosswalks and sidewalk improvements” (The Source)
Free Rides on Metro System February 4 Mark Transit Equity Day”Metro is offering free rides on its bus, train and bike system on Saturday, Feb. 4, to honor Transit Fairness Day and the birthday of civil rights icon Rosa Parks, who in 1955 refused to give up his seat on the bus when told a white passenger wanted one.” (Pasadena Now)
Echo Park Lake fence will be taken down, Councilor Hugo Soto-Martinez announcesThe fence was installed following the removal of approximately 200 people living in encampments in the park in March 2021. Parts of it have since been knocked down several times, including earlier this week.” ( Eastsider)
City Council Seeks Strategies to Revitalize 3rd Street Promenade “The strategy, requested by Pro Tempore Mayor Lana Negrete, Councilor Christine Parra and Councilor Oscar de la Torre, should include, but not be limited to, the creating an arts and entertainment district in the 1200 block of the 3rd Street Promenade, expanding outdoor dining options, promoting available space and development opportunities, zoning code changes to expand permitted uses and partnership opportunities with DTSM on Street Artists (SMDP)
LA could see nearly 100 new digital signs. Anti-poster groups plan to retaliate “The program was touted as a way to keep traffic flowing by giving drivers public safety alerts and information about bottlenecks. It has the potential to generate 300 to 500 million in ad revenue over a 20-year period, Metro officials said. (LA Times)
