Historic Herald Examiner building marks latest revival in DTLA development boom

The next tenant at the former home of the Herald Examiner newspaper is more likely to produce prime rib than it is Pulitzers.

Restaurateurs Walter and Margarita Manzke, owners of popular La Brea bistro Republique, have inked a deal to open a bistro at the under-renovation property, set to open in two years, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The restoration joins adaptive reuse projects in the surrounding area, including Hudson Pacific Properties’ historic Maxwell Coffee Building in the Arts District, the Ace Hotel at 929 S. Broadway and the three-story Jordan Brand in the same Broadway Corridor.

It’s unclear what type of eatery the restaurateurs will launch in the 1914 building, but considering the scope of the renovation, it’s likely to be more high-end than its other locations.

Designed by architect Julia Morgan, the landmarked building features an elaborate lobby and grandiose arched windows facing Broadway. The site, built by newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst, has remained largely inactive except for film shoots since the newspaper shut down in 1989.

Like several other historic sites in Downtown, the property is coming back to life with the help of a $50 million renovation and a new landlord.

After purchasing the building in 2015, New York-based Georgetown Co. and its minority partner Hearst announced plans to restore the building into leasable offices featuring restaurants and shops on the ground floor. “The idea is to activate the street,” Georgetown executive Michael Fischer told LAT.

The renovation — set to begin next year — will include stripping the interiors, opening up the windows and restoring the property’s skylights. [LAT] – Natalie Hoberman