West Adams is getting a Whole Foods.
The grocer has signed a lease for 50,000 square feet at Carmel Partners Inc.’s Cumulus development at 3321 La Cienega Blvd. When complete, the Cumulus will have 1,210 apartments, a public park and 100,000 square feet of retail space.
The Whole Foods is slated to open in 2021. The project as a whole will be complete in 2022, opening in phases beginning next year.
“This vibrant neighborhood needs a health-oriented grocery store as well as a variety of restaurant and retail options,” said Neils Cotter, a partner at Carmel Partners, in a statement.
Josef Siroky, a West Adams Neighborhood Council board member, said people in West Adams have complained for a long time about a lack of variety when it comes to grocery options. “With Cumulus coming in … it’s going to completely change the aesthetics and the way the market seems to people who don’t live here,” he said.
Janice Cimbalo, a senior vice president at Jones Lang LaSalle Inc., said there was a “dearth of grocery stores” and more are needed in the area, especially as more people move in.
Development in the area has taken off in recent years. CIM Group Inc. is developing projects that include residential spaces and hotels. 4D Development & Investments is working on E. On Adams, a $40 million, 115 apartment development.
Luxury consignment company the RealReal Inc., sneaker seller 1661 Inc. and restaurant chain Sweetgreen Inc. have all recently signed leases in West Adams and the surrounding area as well. Experts attribute the recent development in the area to its location between Culver City and downtown, close proximity to the Expo Line and the upcoming Crenshaw Line.
“It makes a lot of sense from a work force perspective and a cost perspective,” Cimbalo said. “The rents are cheaper than they are in Culver City and in the Arts District. … There is a lot of developer interest that is coming in. It’s right along the Expo Line and will be served by the Crenshaw Line.”
Commercial real estate reporter Hannah Madans can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @HannahMadans.
