Bernards Finishes Construction on BRE’s Wilshire La Brea in Los Angeles

Bernards has announced the completion of the $105 million Wilshire La Brea mixed-use development located in Los Angeles’ Mid-City neighborhood. The property was developed by San Francisco Based BRE Properties, which will also manage the rental community.

By Joshua Ayers, Senior Editor

BRE-Wilshire-La-Brea---Jeff-M_newLos Angeles—Los Angeles-based commercial builder Bernards has announced the completion of the $105 million Wilshire La Brea mixed-use development located at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and La Brea Avenue  in Los Angeles’ Mid-City neighborhood. The property was developed by San Francisco-based BRE Properties, which will also manage the rental community.

Standing at six stories, Wilshire La Brea is comprised of 478 residential units, 39,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space dubbed The Square at Wilshire La Brea and two-and-a-half levels of subterranean parking that features 997 spaces. The Los Angeles Metro is currently constructing a new station for its Purple Line extension. That station, Wilshire/La Brea, will be located diagonally across the intersection from the community.

“This was a complex project and Bernards, an early adopter of building information technology (BIM), used BIM extensively to coordinate structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing elements, which resulted in efficient, error-free production by tradesman,” says Carl Vizcarra, Bernards senior construction manager. “We were able to bring the project in on time and under budget.”

Los Angeles-based TCA Architects provided the design for the building and in 2011 won Gold Nugget Grand Award for “Best On-The-Boards Mixed Use Project,” at the Pacific Coast Home Builders-sponsored awards ceremony.

The community’s 478 units feature a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom floor plans with modern finishes including Caesarstone and quartz countertops in the kitchens and bathrooms, custom paint finishes and hardwood-style flooring, with porcelain flooring in the bathrooms. Accent lighting is also included as is full-size washer and dryer, walk-in closets, ceiling fans, oversized windows with MechoShades and patios or balconies that offer exceptional views of the Los Angeles cityscape.

The amenities package includes two fitness centers with professional-grade equipment, a Pilates Reformer and spin bikes, as well as a mezzanine with a wet bar and deck and two swimming pools that each include a massage spa. The club room features a seating booth and 75-inch television, and the sundeck and rooftop skydeck include fireplaces and barbecue grills. Wilshire La Brea also offers its residents access to The Joint, which is a game room with televisions, poker tables and shuffleboard. Other outdoor spaces include a pocket park and courtyards. Wi-Fi and computers are located throughout the community.

“Bordering both commercial and residential areas, the Wilshire La Brea site provided both a challenge and an opportunity to utilize a distinctive architectural style for each of the four facades to better integrate the development into its unique location,” says Thomas Cox, CEO and managing principal of TCA Architects. “Depending upon your approach to the project, the diverse facades give the appearance of four different structures that mix well with the architecture in their corresponding streetscape, including a lower height along Sycamore Avenue to better harmonize with the low lying apartment and townhome complexes across the street.”

Wilshire La Brea, which is one of the first projects to get underway in Los Angeles following the 2008 economic downturn, is the first six-story wood framed structures to be built in Los Angeles. The site’s location is 3.38 acres and was formerly the location of an abandoned bank that had later been converted into a Korean church.

Project developers are targeting LEED Silver certification for the project.

“We continue to enjoy working with BRE, which, like Bernards, is committed to the highest quality and sustainability standards,” says Jeff M. Bernards, senior vice president and project executive for Wilshire La Brea.