In Chinatown, couple plans to convert office building to brewery

In the latest sign of gentrification in Chinatown, an office building could soon manufacture and sell beer instead.

The owners of a 15,000-square-foot property at 1201 North Main Street have requested to convert the building into a brewery, according to documents published Tuesday.

The property is currently being used as flex office space with rental rates asking about $35 per square foot per year. It’s found near the L.A. State Historic Park, and a few blocks from Metro’s Chinatown station.

Married couple Alise and Rudolph Cicatelli bought the property for an undisclosed amount in 1988, property records show.

Details regarding plans for the brewery remain scant. Architects Orange, based in Orange County, is designing the project, and filed the application on behalf of the owners.

Chinatown has become a hotbed for development in recent years. Late last month, Atlas Capital Group secured approvals from the Planning Commission to build a 725-unit project dubbed College Station. The dense project had been in the pipeline for several years, and drew concerns among locals fearing gentrification in the neighborhood.

Much of the recent development has been fueled by a pro-development rezoning, passed in 2013. The Cornfield Arroyo Seco Specific Plan set guidelines for developing the 660 acres straddling Chinatown and Lincoln Heights, making it easier for developers to secure approvals in those largely undeveloped areas.