One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
LACMA Wants To Build A Frank Gehry-Designed Skyscraper Over The New Purple Line Station
(Photo by Shabdro Photo via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr)
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.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
