Movin' On Up

Our city gets vertical with a crop of new high-rise condos

Comments (0) By Michelle Paster Wednesday, Dec 6 2006

...continued from page 1

If all that comfort doesn’t impress you, the rooftop retreat called 23 will. Panoramic views of downtown, the ocean, and even the Hollywood sign surround this Greek-style getaway an elevator ride away. Plush amenities include a pool, sleek chaise longues, a fire pit, a workout facility and even a central plot of grass. You may never leave.

With a unit on the 18th floor selling for half a million, this price is hard to find anywhere else. 740 to 1,500 square feet: low $400,000s to more than $1 million; 3810 Wilshire Blvd., L.A.

The Azzurra

More About

Lullaby of Broadway

A world of artists, members of the Hollywood film elite and business professionals cook, eat and sleep in the Broadway Hollywood dual-building condo complex, like a microcosm of L.A. itself. The building at Hollywood and Vine, originally built in 1931, was home to the B.H. Dyas Department Store and the subsequent Broadway Department Store. The original 1927 tower, designed by architect Frederick Rice Dorn, adjoins a second building constructed in 1938 by Parkinson & Parkinson. The stores eventually closed, and after more than a decade as office space, the buildings were bought by the Kor Group, which again hired Kelly Wearstler Interior Design and Killefer Flammang Architects to work their transformative magic.

The Pantages Theater — and views of the famous Capitol Records building, the Hollywood sign and Griffith Park — all attract residents. But interior designer and HGTV host Kenneth Brown says looking inside is as good as looking out. “The hallways and public spaces of a building are usually done really cheaply,” he says. “But I am confident in the aesthetics and beautiful finishes of the interior.” And the roof’s luxurious pool and spa, workout facility, cabanas and fireplace bring together these “hip, young, mover-shaker-type” residents.

The amazing aspect about an adaptive-reuse project is the utmost care taken to reveal what lies underneath. Layers of white paint were power washed and scraped to proudly exhibit the original, glazed red brick and Corinthian columns. The ninth floor’s northeast side boasts Juliet balconies. Kimberly Lucero, Kor Group vice president of sales and marketing, explains, “These buildings are vacant and neglected, and we are repurposing them, providing housing in a much needed market.” Move-ins start March 2007. 931 to more than 2,000 square feet: mid $500,000s to under $3 million; 1645 Vine St., Hlywd., (213) 488-0600 or www.broadwayhollywood.com

Home Is Where the Art Is

Now here’s a haven for an art lover, a professional athlete and a dog walker. The Azzurra, located just off Lincoln Boulevard, this 3-year-old glass building with 19 floors is not an adaptive-reuse project but a pristine 450-unit purchased by Colony Capital. The company started renting out the units as apartments, but then decided to make them available for purchase.

The residence doubles as an art gallery, housing more than 150 pieces by 50 artists. The collection is estimated at $2 million. The lobby’s 1961 Double Standard billboard by actor-artist Dennis Hopper is visible from outside the building. Each floor exhibits a different artist from the 1960s L.A. art scene: Ed Ruscha is on the fourth floor, Richard Diebenkorn on the 11th, Robert Rauschenberg on the 14th and Andy Warhol on the penthouse level.

Who is moving here? Sales manager Chuck Sigmon says, “It is an absolute photograph of people who live in L.A., from 22-year-old buyers to 80-year-olds.” One such buyer, Dexter Hutchingson, 29, moved from a single-family residence in the Hollywood Hills to the Azzurra. Having grown up in L.A., Hutchingson knows the benefits of a “resort lifestyle” and networking at resident mixers.

Residents also benefit from the third floor’s Nerida Joy Spa for facials, massages and manicures. There are dog runs in front of the building with direct access to the bike path. Residents get 40 percent off the Marina Yacht Club’s initiation fees. The fitness center has a room for yoga, Pilates and aerobics. You can lift weights in the outdoor facility with an ocean breeze; swim in the rooftop pool or soak in the jacuzzi; host movies or presentations in the media room; and socialize in the Meet Me on Two Bar. The list goes on. One-, two- and three-bedrooms from 811 to 3,571 square feet: $700,000 to $4.5 million penthouse; 13700 Marina Pointe Dr., Marina del Rey, (310) 577- 0101 or www.azzurra ?delrey.com.