A developer is turning the former site of the Hughes Aircraft Company--adjacent to the huge new Playa Vista mixed-use development--into an office complex catering to the technology and creative industries.
The article features an interview with the developer, Wayne Ratkovich, and a speech given by the former president of Hughes Aircraft Company, Ken Richardson.
"We like looking for something that is not evident to others or something that is in a state of chaos that we can do something about. In this case, we had eleven buildings and 28 acres of land on the Westside of Los Angeles, with an opportunity to buy them at a very attractive price. We believe we can convert these buildings into the kind of facilities that are in demand today by the creative industries, using what is called creative space (for lack of a better term)."
"We are particularly fortunate that we are on the Westside of Los Angeles, a city in which a very strong part of the economy includes entertainment and entertainment-related industries. As best we can determine (and we put in a lot of effort toward this determination), creative office space, the kind of office space that is available to the industries we appeal to, is relatively modest. Modest, by today's standards, means a ten percent vacancy factor. There is not a surplus of space, and there is growth in the categories of media, entertainment, and technology. That is our target."
Thanks to James Brasuell
FULL STORY: Howard Hughes’ Hercules Campus Revitalized by Ratkovich

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie