Owner plans resi conversion for DTLA’s Carr Building near Clifton’s

The J.E. Carr Building in Downtown Los Angeles is getting a residential makeover.

A representative of the owner, which CoStar lists as an individual named Sarshar Houman, recently told the L.A. Downtown News he plans to extensively revamp the seven-story property on 7th Street between Hill Street and Broadway.

The redevelopment of the office and retail property, dubbed the Brooks Building after a former tenant, calls for an additional floor, 30 new residential units, an automated parking system and the restoration of its original terra cotta façade.

Designed by the Santa Monica-based HLW Architects, the entire infrastructure of the early 20th century building would be overhauled to implement new plumbing, electrical work and an elevator, project consultant Kate Bartolo told Downtown News.

Once complete, the redeveloped building at 646 South Broadway would have 65,000 square feet of space. The apartments would be one- and two-bedroom units and a roughly 2,500-square-foot bar would occupy the ground floor.

The project is now seeking approval from the city, Bartolo said. Once that’s underway, construction is expected to take between two and three years. [LADT News] — Cathaleen Chen