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New renderings reveal a snazzy new rooftop destination planned for the historic H.W. Hellman Building in downtown's Historic Core.
Located at the corner of 4th and Spring streets, the 102-year-old, 10-story structure—also known as the Banco Popular building—is currently being renovated to include 188 luxury live/work lofts. And according to new renderings shared by Urbanize LA, the revamp will likely also include a rooftop restaurant, as well as some sweet additions for residents like a pool, gym, private cabanas and more. Plans also look to include commercial space on the ground floor and a basement bar, which sounds particularly promising for those of us who might not get invited up to the pool party. Either way, the building is likely to become a prime downtown rooftop destination.
The project is being helmed by Omgivning, a Downtown-based architecture firm, which is known for renovating historic buildings. They're also heading up two other big downtown efforts, including the massive Broadway Trade Center renovation and the Case Hotel building's conversion into the Proper, a boutique hotel that is also expected to have a rooftop pool.
The H.W. Hellman building was built in 1903 and designed in the Beaux Arts style by Alfred F. Rosenheim, who also designed the American Horror Story mansion. The building was commissioned by Herman W. Hellman, a Hungarian-born banker, who wished to have a luxury office block on the site of his former one-story cottage, which at the time was on the outskirts of downtown, according to the L.A. Times. The structure is considered to be one of the first steel-framed high-rises in the city, and many of the historic elements will be preserved, including the original stained Tiffany glass in the marble covered lobby and grand staircase, and the carvings of Hellman's initials in many of the interior and exterior ornaments, according to Downtown News.
And as an added bonus, here's what the corner of 4th and Spring looked like before the H.W. Hellman building was built:
