Phase 1 of The Press, an adaptive reuse project that is converting an old Los Angeles Times facility into a modern office campus, was recently completed in Costa Mesa, Calif. The project is retaining most of the existing, 450,000 sf structure, and converting it into an expansive creative campus with contemporary office space.
A strategy of “selective subtraction” was utilized throughout the project to introduce daylight, fresh air, and views, according to a news release from Del Amo Construction, the project’s general contractor. This strategy included removal of roof panels and covering walls to expose the underlying skeletal structure. Elements such as canopies and monolithic concrete walls are a nod to the former production space—an active newsroom and printing plant that operated from 1968 to 2010 and was decommissioned in 2014.
The design by Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects (EYRC) aims to preserve the integrity of the original site while bringing it up to today’s health, safety and building code standards. Challenges included significant remediation from ink and fuel tanks found on site, as well as ensuring the property was compliant with current ADA requirements.
“The Press is a human-scaled, creative campus with a rich history, positioned at the heart of Orange County’s newly energized business corridor,” said EYRC Partner Patricia Rhee, FAIA. “It’s so exciting to see the transformation of The Press and how it’s signaling a new life for this massive industrial complex—its emergence from years of disrepair.”
All aspects of the core and shell revitalization are now completed. Ongoing work will add new structures including a parking garage and R&D building. The remaining structures of the multi-phased project are scheduled to be completed in early 2023.
The Press was recently leased by Anduril Industries, constituting the largest office lease in the last 15 years in Orange County.
Building Team:
Owner and/or developer: SteelWave and 5 Ronin
Design architect: Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney (EYRC)
Architect of record: Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney (EYRC)
MEP engineer: Alvine Engineering
Structural engineer: Saiful Bouquet
General contractor/construction manager: Del Amo Construction
Related Stories
| Jul 18, 2014
Top Construction Management Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Jacobs, Barton Malow, Hill International top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest construction management and project management firms in the United States.
| Jul 18, 2014
Top Contractors [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Turner, Whiting-Turner, Skanska top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest contractors in the United States.
| Jul 18, 2014
Engineering firms look to bolster growth through new services, technology [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Following solid revenue growth in 2013, the majority of U.S.-based engineering and engineering/architecture firms expect more of the same this year, according to BD+C’s 2014 Giants 300 report.
| Jul 18, 2014
Top Engineering/Architecture Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Jacobs, AECOM, Parsons Brinckerhoff top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest engineering/architecture firms in the United States.
| Jul 18, 2014
Top Engineering Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Fluor, Arup, Day & Zimmermann top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest engineering firms in the United States.
| Jul 18, 2014
Top Architecture Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Gensler, Perkins+Will, NBBJ top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest architecture firms in the United States.
| Jul 18, 2014
2014 Giants 300 Report
Building Design+Construction magazine's annual ranking the nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S.
| Jul 17, 2014
A harmful trade-off many U.S. green buildings make
The Urban Green Council addresses a concern that many "green" buildings in the U.S. have: poor insulation.
| Jul 17, 2014
A high-rise with outdoor, vertical community space? It's possible! [slideshow]
Danish design firm C.F. Møller has developed a novel way to increase community space without compromising privacy or indoor space.
| Jul 17, 2014
How the 'pop-up' retail concept can be applied to workplace design
“Pop-up” has rapidly become one of the most pervasive design trends in recent years. It has given us pop-up shops and pop-up restaurants, but can it be applied to the professional work environment?