Details of transformative LA Convention Center expansion emerge

Details have emerged of the long-proposed expansion of the Los Angeles Convention Center.

The project would be designed by Populous and add roughly 250,000 square feet to the facility, according to Urbanize.

A presentation for a Downtown L.A. Neighborhood Council committee revealed renderings and other details.

The expansion would include 193,000 square feet of new exhibit space, around 60,000 square feet of meeting rooms and a 100,000-square-foot multipurpose hall at the convention center’s top level, according to Urbanize.

That includes connecting the West Hall and the South Hall with a structure over Pico Boulevard.

Gilbert Lindsay Plaza, a mostly concrete vehicle drop-off area, would be turned into a public park and pedestrian area with a café and amphitheater.

A J.W. Marriott expansion is also planned just north of the convention center. The proposed 38-story hotel would have 861 rooms, adding to the roughly 1,800 rooms at the existing J.W. Marriott.

The expansion would be a partnership between the city, property owner Anschutz Entertainment Group and Plenary Group.

AEG and Plenary proposed the expansion in mid-2018. The project was estimated then at $1.2 billion.

AEG requested the city contribute roughly $100 million toward the development in exchange for a share of revenues and fees.

Convention events resumed earlier this month after a hiatus of more than a year and a half.

[Urbanize] — Dennis Lynch