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LACMA and Metro have plans for a museum/hotel/condo tower potentially designed by Frank Gehry on top of the future Purple Line station across from LACMA. The proposed skyscraper would contain art galleries, hotel rooms, condos, apartments and possibly Gehry's archives, L.A. Times reports. LACMA already has big plans to remake that intersection, including plans for an arch that would span Wilshire. LACMA Director Michael Govan told the Times, "There's good reason to build a major development there. You've got subway access and density on Wilshire. My dream is some beautiful piece of architecture with an architecture and design museum at the base, which would add to Museum Row."
The current Architecture and Design Museum will have to move regardless, as that building is being demolished to make way for the station. They are reportedly looking to move downtown, and the A&D museum of Govan's plans may just be one of LACMA's own curation.
Gehry, who designed downtown's Walt Disney Concert Hall, told the Times he's "open" to this possibility of designing this potential skyscraper. Additionally, Govan hopes to host Gehry's archives there.
LACMA owns a third of the 80,000-square-foot parcel already and is using it as a parking lot, but will be working with Metro to talk to other property owners as the idea develops. Everyone involved, including Metro and Gehry, acknowledge that these plans are only preliminary.
