Expect to get updates about this building! Awesome location on the southern corner of the intersection at Spring Street and 2nd Street. Basically, this building borders Little Tokyo, Historic Core, Civic Center, and Bunker Hill in Downtown LA. This building certainly has an interesting history. It was actually built in 1896 and was originally four stories.

As you can see, it’s only one story now. At the time when the government was requiring buildings to be seismically reinforced, some owners opted just to get rid of their upper floors and just keep the ground level. I know, crazy, huh? This building looks like only one building but it’s actually two buildings made to look like one. And the spaces this building has, particularly the one currently being used as an antique shop, are quite impressive.

The space features soaring ceilings that can be brought down to the original wood and brick. The antique shop has two immense sky-lights that flood the space with natural light. Other tenants in the building are Southland Credit Union (which is basically a bank), a publishing company, and a cafe.

As it lays out now, there is a small retail space on the 2nd street side, but behind that space is a large area being leased by the bank that they do not use. So the plan would be to lease the retail space and open it up to the back of the space currently being used by the bank, and sub-divide it into one big space approximately 3450 square feet. Sounds a bit complicated, doesn’t it?

So aside from the antique shop, which is on the Spring Street side of the building, and the retail space I mentioned being partly used by the bank, there is indeed another vacant space. This space features the traditional office style and also has really high ceilings. There is commercial carpeting as well. I believe it was actually a real estate office previously.

So, ironically, the spaces with the most “improvements” (one that looks like a bank and one that looks like an office space) will probably be the most difficult to rent. But this is one thing I love about commercial real estate in Downtown Los Angeles. Makes my job interesting and gives me the opportunity to be creative and think outside the box. I can help a business be successful at a new location and I can help make the owner’s investment property produce a greater return. In the end, everyone benefits. For more commercial real estate in Downtown LA and to rent creative office space, ground floor retail, or warehouse space call me, Donegan McCuaig, at (213) 304-4727!