KIA OF DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES
City: Los Angeles
Developer: TADG Real Estate Group
GC: K Milan Construction
Architect: AO
The KIA DTLA project reimagines a nearly 100-year-old, four-story concrete building on South Figueroa Street into a modern, full-service urban automotive dealership. Encompassing approximately 133,000 square feet, the adaptive reuse balances historic preservation with contemporary automotive retail requirements. The program includes a street-facing vehicle display, ground-level service operations with access from adjacent streets, mezzanine sales offices, an upper-level showroom, and vehicle storage on the top floors.
New storefront glazing enhances transparency and street activation while respecting original fenestration and Art Deco-inuenced detailing. A custom exterior vehicular ramp enables ef cient circulation across levels, allowing the dealership to function vertically within a dense urban environment. The result is a flagship dealership that sets a new precedent for automotive retail through innovative design, strategic construction solutions, and respect for historic architecture.
The primary challenges were driven by the building’s age, historic status, and conversion from warehouse use to a full-service automotive dealership. Original internal vehicle ramps had been removed decades earlier, requiring a new circulation strategy to move vehicles ef ciently across four levels. Mechanical lifts and automotive elevators were evaluated but proved cost-prohibitive, leading to the development of a custom exterior ramp that addressed clearance, operational, and structural constraints.
