V
eteran music producer Philip Lawrence and entertainment industry business manager Thomas St. John have revised their vision for the CMNTY Culture mixed-use campus in Hollywood. They have brought Lincoln Properties on board to help shift their focus away from office space and towards residential units in two mid-rise buildings along Sunset Boulevard and Highland Avenue. This change in direction is likely a response to the challenging office market in Los Angeles, where vacancy rates have been in the 30% range this year, ranging from a deep slump in the Downtown L.A. submarket to a vibrant atmosphere in Century City. Hollywood, being at the higher end of this range, has put its pipeline of new office development on hold.

    The new plan for the project involves constructing 743 residential units in two buildings of 34 and 38 stories each, built on top of a five-story above-ground parking garage that can accommodate 834 vehicles. This appears to be a cost-cutting measure by the developers. The ground floor will feature approximately 11,000 square feet of shops and restaurants, while the production studio will take up 10,000 square feet. Unfortunately, there will be no auditorium for live entertainment in this new plan.

    Lawrence and St. John have stated that this new plan allows for flexibility in choosing between two visions for the project. They believe this approach will enable them to deliver a viable project once all necessary approvals have been secured. If everything goes according to plan, the project could join other major developments in the area, including a mixed-use Crossroads Hollywood project with plans for apartments, a hotel, and commercial space across the street, as well as a 42-story planned development nearby. Additionally, there's also the Hollywood Central redevelopment project along the city's Walk of Fame.