Architect David Martin Talks About Designing Downtown’s First New Office Tower in Nearly Two Decades
by Anna Scott
Published: Friday, May 8, 2009 4:34 PM PDT
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES – David Martin, a principal at the Downtown-based architecture firm his grandfather founded in 1906, has his work cut out for him. Specifically, Martin, of AC Martin Partners, is designing Downtown’s first new commercial high rise in 17 years.
The $1 billion hotel/residential/office complex to replace the aging Wilshire Grand hotel at Seventh and Figueroa streets was announced last month by Wilshire Grand owner Korean Air and developer Jim Thomas. The project is slated to include a 40-story hotel and residential tower, a 60-story office building and ground-floor retail space. They will be designed to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification standards and, despite the economic downturn, Thomas expects to break ground by 2011.
Martin spoke with Los Angeles Downtown News about the project, sustainable design and the challenges ahead.
- DT News: Korean Air Plans $1B Downtown Project
- DT News: Office Tower is Wild Card in $1 Billion Plan
- LA Times: High-rises Dwarf Options for Downtown LA
- DT News: On The FAST Track
- DT News: Figueroa Tower Project Gets CPC Approvals
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