If you’ve driven by the 32-story office tower at Olive and 12th streets in downtown L.A.’s South Park neighborhood in the last week or two, you might have noticed there’s a new sign at the top.
On Dec. 21, USC erected its logo on both sides of the tower, replacing the previous AT&T signage. Each letter in the logo weighs 500 pounds and stands 15 feet tall. The whole shield weighs 2,000 pounds and is 20 feet high, according to the university.
In February, the university signed a long-term lease with property owner LBA Realty of downtown that includes the right to put its name on the building.
The lease allowed USC to expand its presence within the two-building, mixed-use complex, providing additional office space for its Marshall School of Business, Price School of Public Policy, School of Social Work, Viterbi School of Engineering and other university departments.
The university’s classical music radio station, KUSC, broadcasts from the basement.
Other tenants in the building at 1150 S. Olive include Transamerica Corp., cable channel Fox Sports and United Way of Greater Los Angeles.
Build Me Up, Buttercup
Eastsiders who get queasy at the thought of crossing La Cienega Boulevard just got a reprieve – particularly those in need of furniture.
H.D. Buttercup, known for its sprawling home furniture emporium in the Helms Bakery building, opened its latest store last month in downtown’s Arts District.
The 30,000-square-foot warehouse at 2118 E. Seventh Place, across the street from popular Italian restaurant Bestia, is also home to H.D. Buttercup’s new headquarters.
“When I moved to H.D. Buttercup, I knew we had to go there,” said Frank Seddigh, the furnisher’s legal counsel and head of operations, who previously worked at nearby manufacturer American Apparel Inc. “The Arts District is an emerging hub of business, art, commerce, food and retail.”
Seddigh noted that the business, which has additional outlets in Santa Monica, San Francisco and Orange County, had outgrown its Culver City digs and needed a place where corporate functions weren’t so separated into different pockets of the building.
The new location consolidates those offices into an open workplace on the third floor, while down below is an art gallery and retail showroom featuring a midcentury modern department and pieces hand-picked from markets in Paris and Berlin. A food and beverage component should be added next year.
Seddigh said that the Arts District location also offers a wider variety of items at more affordable prices. For instance, there’s a greater selection of sofas and dining room sets for around $1,000.
Perhaps the best news of all for downtown denizens fed up with circling for parking? The store has a parking lot.
Market Mania
A large crowd of about 10,000 shoppers descended upon the first-ever Bunker Hill Odd Market arts and crafts fair at the Wells Fargo Center last month, giving the 40 or so mom-and-pop businesses on hand plenty of new customers – and business.
Foot traffic at the event, which ran from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 18, amazed the fair’s organizers, the husband and wife team of Phillip Dane and Shelly Famighetti-Dane. The couple produces similar markets around Los Angeles County and events such as Odd Nights at the Autry in Griffith Park.
The couple was especially pleased with the turnout because they didn’t do any special advertising.
“It was kind of the one we thought would be neglected,” said Phillip Dane. “No one really knows those two towers – so we were really worried that no one would come and support the local artists and crafters. But it turned out to be a hugely successful show.”
Dane said sales generated by all 40 small businesses taking part totaled about $20,000.
It was even more successful than a similar two-day event the couple put on earlier in December called the Figat7th Holiday Odd Mart, which took place at Figueroa and 7th streets on Dec. 11 and 12.
Dane and his wife were hired by the Wells Fargo Center’s property manager and owner, Brookfield Office Properties Inc., to put on the Bunker Hill fair.
Vendors such as Northridge candle maker Objects With Purpose and downtown food maker People’s Choice Beef Jerky paid $195 to $250 for spaces to show their wares, he said.
“I heard that tenants in the buildings were sending emails to management saying this was fabulous,” he added. “There are talks now to do this quarterly at Bunker Hill. I love the idea.”
Staff reporters Marni Usheroff and Carol Lawrence contributed to this column. #DTLA is compiled by Managing Editor Omar Shamout. He can be reached at [email protected].
