Phase 1 of The Press, an adaptive reuse project that is converting an old Los Angeles Times facility into a modern office campus, was recently completed in Costa Mesa, Calif. The project is retaining most of the existing, 450,000 sf structure, and converting it into an expansive creative campus with contemporary office space.
A strategy of “selective subtraction” was utilized throughout the project to introduce daylight, fresh air, and views, according to a news release from Del Amo Construction, the project’s general contractor. This strategy included removal of roof panels and covering walls to expose the underlying skeletal structure. Elements such as canopies and monolithic concrete walls are a nod to the former production space—an active newsroom and printing plant that operated from 1968 to 2010 and was decommissioned in 2014.
The design by Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects (EYRC) aims to preserve the integrity of the original site while bringing it up to today’s health, safety and building code standards. Challenges included significant remediation from ink and fuel tanks found on site, as well as ensuring the property was compliant with current ADA requirements.
“The Press is a human-scaled, creative campus with a rich history, positioned at the heart of Orange County’s newly energized business corridor,” said EYRC Partner Patricia Rhee, FAIA. “It’s so exciting to see the transformation of The Press and how it’s signaling a new life for this massive industrial complex—its emergence from years of disrepair.”
All aspects of the core and shell revitalization are now completed. Ongoing work will add new structures including a parking garage and R&D building. The remaining structures of the multi-phased project are scheduled to be completed in early 2023.
The Press was recently leased by Anduril Industries, constituting the largest office lease in the last 15 years in Orange County.
Building Team:
Owner and/or developer: SteelWave and 5 Ronin
Design architect: Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney (EYRC)
Architect of record: Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney (EYRC)
MEP engineer: Alvine Engineering
Structural engineer: Saiful Bouquet
General contractor/construction manager: Del Amo Construction
Related Stories
| Sep 5, 2014
First Look: Zaha Hadid's Grace on Coronation towers in Australia
Zaha Hadid's latest project in Australia is a complex of three, tapered residential high-rises that have expansive grounds to provide the surrounding community unobstructed views and access to the town's waterfront.
| Sep 3, 2014
Ranked: Top local government sector AEC firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
STV, HOK, and Turner top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest local government design and construction firms, as reported in the 2014 Giants 300 Report.
| Sep 3, 2014
New designation launched to streamline LEED review process
The LEED Proven Provider designation is designed to minimize the need for additional work during the project review process.
| Sep 2, 2014
Ranked: Top green building sector AEC firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
AECOM, Gensler, and Turner top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest green design and construction firms.
| Sep 1, 2014
Ranked: Top federal government sector AEC firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Clark Group, Fluor, and HOK top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest federal government design and construction firms, as reported in the 2014 Giants 300 Report.
| Aug 29, 2014
China Syndrome: How long will U.S. firms keep milking the Middle Kingdom?
U.S. architecture and engineering firms like Goettsch Partners have been enjoying full employment in China. But will there come a point when Chinese officials—and Chinese designers—say, We can handle this? BD+C's Robert Cassidy digs into this issue.
| Aug 28, 2014
Stantec releases design for Edmonton's tallest tower
At 227 meters, Stantec Tower will be the tallest building in the city, dwarfing the two next-tallest: Epcor Tower and Manulife Tower.
| Aug 27, 2014
Designs for community-based workspace in Carlsbad unveiled
Cruzan announced make, a 175,000-square-foot office redevelopment project on the coast of Carlsbad, Calif. Cruzan will usher this next generation of community-based, integrated workspace into existence in fall 2014.
| Aug 25, 2014
Tall wood buildings: Surveying the early innovators
Timber has been largely abandoned as a structural solution in taller buildings during the last century, in favor of concrete and steel. Perkins+Will's Rebecca Holt writes about the firm's work in surveying the burgeoning tall wood buildings sector.
| Aug 25, 2014
'Vanity space' makes up large percentage of world's tallest buildings [infographic]
Large portions of some skyscrapers are useless space used to artificially enhance their height, according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
