Downtown L.A. Tower Set for Office-to-Residential Conversion
Jamison Properties, a Los Angeles-based developer known for converting older office buildings into residential spaces, is planning to transform the 32-story L.A. Care tower at 1055 W. 7th Street into 686 apartments. The project marks a shift in how adaptive reuse developments are approached, with the company aiming to avoid the extensive structural retrofitting often required for such conversions.
The L.A. Care tower, built in 1987, will undergo a conversion that Jamison describes as a “game changer.” Unlike previous projects, the building will not require a full seismic retrofit, saving an estimated 10% in construction costs and significantly reducing project timelines, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
By skipping a full retrofit, Jamison can leave rent-paying office tenants in place while converting vacant floors into apartments. “You can skip a floor or go around them,” said Garrett Lee, Jamison’s president. “That really opens things up for converting 30-year-old buildings.”
Why Is This Tower Ideal for Conversion?
Modern office towers like 1055 W. 7th Street have several advantages as conversion candidates. According to Lee, “the bones are so much better” in these buildings compared to older structures. The tower boasts floor-to-ceiling windows with panoramic views, and much of its mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems are still up to today’s standards, reducing the need for costly replacements.
The building will undergo a floor-by-floor transformation, with office interiors stripped down to concrete before being rebuilt as apartments. This approach allows Jamison to work around existing tenants and avoid fully vacating the building.
Broader Plans and City Support
Jamison is close to obtaining city approval for the L.A. Care tower conversion and expects work to begin later this year. The company is also considering a similar project at the World Trade Center building, located at Figueroa and Third streets, which dates back to 1975.
Los Angeles is preparing to amend its building codes to streamline the permitting process for converting office buildings constructed after 1975 into residential housing. This policy change could pave the way for more large-scale adaptive reuse projects across the city.
A Market Ripe for Adaptive Reuse
Downtown Los Angeles faces a dual challenge of high office vacancy rates and a housing crisis. At the end of 2024, the downtown office market had a vacancy rate of 33.3%, with an availability rate of 36.8%, according to CBRE. The area also recorded negative net absorption of 296,000 square feet in Q4 and 1.5 million square feet for the year, further highlighting the oversupply of office space.
The combination of high office availability and an urgent need for housing is expected to drive momentum for adaptive reuse projects like the L.A. Care tower conversion. As Jamison’s project moves forward, it could serve as a blueprint for addressing both challenges in downtown Los Angeles.
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