Skanska Updates Purple Office Tower Plan in Arts District

Skanska USA has unveiled new details about its purple office tower proposed in the Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles, among the city’s first office buildings designed for net zero carbon.

The New York-based unit of Sweden-based Skanska has revealed its plans for the 15-story building at 1727-1829 East Sacramento Street, just north of Interstate 10, Urbanize Los Angeles reported, citing an initial study published by city planners.

The 290,900-square-foot building, to replace three industrial warehouses, would be wrapped from top to bottom in Slinky-like purple and magenta bands.

Plans call for 277,700 square feet of offices above 13,200 square feet of ground-floor shops and restaurants. Parking would serve 582 cars, with an undetermined amount of open space.

The 1811 Sacramento Street development, as it’s known, would be built on 1.84 acres a block east of Alameda Street

In 2020, Skanska bought two of the warehouses at 1811 and 1825 East Sacramento Street for $18.9 million, according to CoStar. It’s not known when it picked up the third.

Skanska initially planned to build a 13-story tower with 5,000 square feet of retail space.

The latest project, designed by Chicago-based Perkins&Will, would feature a contemporary high-rise with interior courtyards and terrace decks — with an uncontemporary look for L.A.’s artsy neighborhood.

The 232-foot building would include floor-to-ceiling glass windows with large industrial-style frames, encased in a swirling cage of brightly colored aluminum bands.

The project, announced last fall, is designed as one of the city’s first net zero office buildings for operational and embodied carbon, employing natural ventilation and exterior shading to minimize energy use, according to the study. Some 20 percent of the offices, or 45,200 square feet, would be in outdoor covered areas.

If approved, the tower’s construction is expected to take 31 months.

While the overall office market in Los Angeles has struggled since the pandemic, the Arts District has become a hub for new entertainment and media offices for such companies as Warner Music Group and Spotify.

In August last year, New York-based East End Capital announced a $1 billion production studio. Developers of soundstages and production facilities have planned three projects along Alameda Street at 6th, 7th, and 8th Streets, according to Urbanize.

Despite the uncertainty in the office sector, tower developments are in the works by Onni Group, Jade Enterprises, Tishman Speyer Hines and Legendary Group.

Skanska USA is building a four-story office building at 9000 Wilshire Boulevard and plans to construct a three-story office building at 8633 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills.

— Dana Bartholomew