FIGat7th

FIGat7th
Name	FIGat7th
Location	Downtown Los Angeles, California, United States
Developer	Douglas Emmett (original), Brookfield Properties (current)
Architect	Johnson Fain (redevelopment)
Floor area	approx. 240000sqft
Opening date	1986 (original), 2012 (redevelopment)
Publictransit	Pershing Square station, 7th Street/Metro Center

FIGat7th is a mixed-use retail and dining center in the Financial District of Los Angeles, California. Positioned between Pershing Square and the US Bank Tower, it serves as an urban retail hub for workers, residents, and visitors to downtown Los Angeles. The center's redevelopment and tenant shifts reflect broader changes in downtown redevelopment, transit-oriented development, and commercial real estate trends in California and the United States.

History

The site traces its commercial lineage to the late 20th century development of downtown Los Angeles that included projects by developers such as Douglas Emmett and Brookfield Properties. The center originally opened in the 1980s amid revitalization efforts that also produced landmarks like Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research (note: example) and the expansion of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority network. During the early 21st century, downtown's resurgence—driven by initiatives connected to figures like former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and policy shifts influenced by organizations such as the Los Angeles Business Council—spurred a major redevelopment completed in 2012 under design firms including Johnson Fain and ownership transitions involving entities related to Brookfield Properties and private investment groups. The redevelopment responded to competition from mixed-use projects like The Bloc and historic adaptive reuse projects such as the Bradbury Building and the Biltmore Hotel (Los Angeles), seeking to capture commuters from corporate towers including the Aon Center (Los Angeles), the Gas Company Tower, and the Wells Fargo Center (Los Angeles).

Architecture and Design

The complex's architecture reflects principles employed by firms like Johnson Fain and other Los Angeles-based practices that worked on downtown revitalization. Design choices echo elements found in contemporary urban malls such as Westfield Century City and older indoor centers like South Coast Plaza, blending glazed facades, open-air promenades, and atrium spaces to connect with adjacent streetscapes. The project incorporated seismic retrofitting standards informed by California building codes and drew on precedents in adaptive reuse exemplified by projects associated with the Los Angeles Conservancy. Exterior treatments and signage were coordinated to respond to the nearby skyline icons including the U.S. Bank Tower and plazas like Pershing Square.

Tenants and Retail Mix

FIGat7th's tenant roster has featured national and regional brands alongside local eateries and service providers. National retailers and foodservice operators akin to Starbucks, Chipotle Mexican Grill, J.Crew, H&M, and Forever 21 have at times anchored the center, while specialty grocers and markets reminiscent of Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe's have influenced downtown retail offerings. Dining tenants have included concepts comparable to Shake Shack, Blue Bottle Coffee, and chef-driven restaurants aligned with Los Angeles culinary figures such as those associated with the James Beard Foundation community. The center's retail mix aimed to serve employees from neighboring corporate towers including One Broadway Plaza and cultural institutions like the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles's visitors and staff.

Events and Public Spaces

Open spaces and programming at the site have been designed to host seasonal activations, popup markets, and civic gatherings similar to events produced by organizations like the Los Angeles Downtown Industrial District association. The center's plazas echo public realm improvements seen at plazas near the Grammy Museum and LA Live, providing stages for performances, art installations, and holiday programming coordinated with city initiatives led by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs and civic partnerships that include entities like the Downtown Center Business Improvement District (DCBID). Event programming historically sought to link with larger downtown festivals such as DineLA and cultural showcases that attract patrons from neighborhoods including Arts District, Los Angeles and Little Tokyo.

Transportation and Accessibility

FIGat7th is proximate to major transit assets of Los Angeles County: the 7th Street/Metro Center station, the Pershing Square station, and multiple Los Angeles Metro Rail and Metro Bus lines serving the Financial District. The center's location targets pedestrians commuting from employers in towers such as the Aon Center (Los Angeles), visitors transferring at hubs like Union Station, and regional travelers arriving via surface arterials including Figueroa Street (from which the center takes its name) and 7th Street (Los Angeles). Bicycle amenities and streetscape improvements align with strategies promoted by the Los Angeles Department of Transportation and advocacy groups like Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition to enhance first-mile/last-mile connections.

Cultural Impact and Criticism

The center has been part of debates about downtown redevelopment, gentrification, and the commercialization of public space, themes also raised in discussions around projects such as LA Live, CityTarget (Los Angeles), and the conversion of historic structures like the Bradbury Building. Critics and advocacy groups including the LA Tenants Union and urbanists inspired by scholarship from institutions like the University of California, Los Angeles have questioned whether retail projects adequately serve lower-income residents and support affordable housing goals tied to downtown policy. Supporters argue the center contributes foot traffic and evening activation similar to outcomes credited to projects supported by the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and redevelopment agencies, while opponents cite impacts on small businesses and rising rents that mirror controversies seen around Arts District, Los Angeles and other revitalized neighborhoods.

Category:Shopping malls in Los Angeles County, California