KAA Design
Manhattan Beach, California
When the Los Angeles developer Bryn Stroyke of Stroyke Properties acquired a prime corner location in downtown Manhattan Beach, he planned to replace the site's existing restaurant with a mixed-use office building'but not a standard box with street-level retail. Instead, he and his investors wanted to build a boutique office complex to attract individual proprietors whose small size excluded them from the community's competitive market. The opportunity for an interior designer or a solo real estate broker, for instance, to acquire centrally located office space was unprecedented, says Grant Kirkpatrick of KAA Design, 'especially in Manhattan Beach, where downtown development is extremely limited and property rarely changes hands.' Stroyke saw a chance to serve a small market willing to pay for ocean views, understated loftlike spaces, and the work-play lifestyle the location affords. And because prices per square foot increase as the space an occupant buys or leases shrinks, Stroyke's concept allowed his company to maximize the property's earning potential.
Imagining 1300 Highland as an urban village, the architects distributed its 34 units among five small buildings linked by outdoor circulation. An exposed steel structure, bleached cedar cladding, and a glazed ground level suggest a series of modern beach houses. A 10,000-square-foot basement with a spa, locker rooms, and surfboard and bike storage allows owners and tenants to include trips to the beach into their routine. 'It's a much different setup than you'd traditionally find,' says Stroyke. 'You have a freedom you don't have in a more traditional office building.'
To open the units'ranging between 320 and 350 square feet'to daylight and breezes, the architects gave the buildings butterfly roofs with transoms. Each has a balcony or patio.
Though Stroyke Properties built the condos for sale, the company is leasing them to weather the economic downturn. The sold units have gone for upwards of $2,000 per square foot'a record, says Stroyke'and leased spaces rent for $6 to $9 per square foot. 'People will pay more because of the location and the facility than they ordinarily would,' says Kirkpatrick. 'Yet they still get a return on their investment, and the developers and investment partners get a tremendous return on their original investment by maximizing the property and leveraging a unique idea.'
Architect:
KAA Design
4201 Redwood Avenue
Los Angeles, CA
T (310) 821-1400
F (310) 821-1440
Completion Date: July 2009
Total construction cost: $7 million
Gross square footage: 23,141 sq.ft.
PeopleOwner: KBS Real Estate Investment Trust, Newport Beach, California Architect: Personnel in architect's firm who should receive special credit: Engineer(s): Consultant(s): General contractor: Photographer(s): CAD system, project management, or other software used: PowerCADD, SketchUp |
ProductsStructural system Exterior cladding Roofing Windows Doors Interior finishes Demountable partitions: Cabinetwork and custom woodwork: Paints and stains: Wall coverings: Special surfacing: Lighting Axis Lighting, “Cubic”, (2) 32W T8 Linear Fluorescent 30005, 82CR1 Exterior: Conveyance |
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