Plant-Wrapped Towers Coming to Beverly Hills

A wealthy enclave in the middle of the Los Angeles basin could soon have a new look on its skyline.

1 minute read

July 9, 2020, 8:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Century City

trekandshoot / Shutterstock

"Alagem Capital Group, in partnership with London-based real estate investor Cain International, has revealed the Foster + Partners-designed master plan for a 17.5-acre mixed-use development that will pack a massive amount of landscaping into the heart of Beverly Hills," reports Matt Hickman. 

The development site is currently home to the Beverly Hilton, the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, a gas station, a parking garage, "and a patch of vacant land where the iconic Robinsons-May department store, opened in 1952 and demolished in 2014, once stood," according to Hickman. The development site is also adjacent to the site of the Los Angeles Country Club, an infamous location for its prominence in the broader landscape and its questionable benefits from the state's tax codes.

"The two existing hotels, both owned by Alagem Capital, will remain and be joined by a third 'ultra-luxury hotel' along with a pair of balcony-wrapped residential high-rises with just north of 300 new residences between them," adds Hickman. "The master plan also calls for a four-story pavilion that will be home to retail and dining. In a central design element that appears more Singaporean than Southern Californian in flavor, the development will be anchored by 10 acres of planted open space, including 4.5 acres of open-to-the-public botanical gardens and sculpture parks with a mile-long network of public footpaths winding through it all."

Tuesday, July 7, 2020 in The Architect's Newspaper

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Bend, Oregon

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing

The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

4 hours ago - Strong Towns

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

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.

5 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive

Green Skid Row mural satirizing city limit sign in downtown Los Angeles, California.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents

The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.

6 hours ago - Los Angeles Public Press