In the heart of Tinseltown, Legacy Partners Residential’s 1600 Vine at Hollywood & Vine in Hollywood, Calif., wins the 2011 NAA PARAGON Community of the Year award.
It’s home to the likes of Julia Roberts, Michael Jackson, Paul Newman and Elizabeth Taylor. And now, the Hollywood Walk of Fame has added 1600 Vine at Hollywood & Vine to its “Who’s Who” list of residents.
Developed, owned and managed by Legacy Partners Residential and located on
the historic Hollywood Walk of Fame, the 2011 NAA PARAGON Community of
the Year is a star in its own right. With gorgeous views of the Hollywood Hills, cameos in several movies, TV shows and music videos, and the heart of
downtown at its doorstep, the 375-unit mixed-use community is a unique
addition to the Los Angeles skyline.
“It’s hard to find a building that has everything, and 1600 Vine has managed
to bring it all together,” says resident Lisa Maria Cabrera, who lives in one of
1600 Vine’s studio loft apartments.
Conceptualized a decade ago to revitalize a previously neglected neighborhood, the community is home to high-profile musicians, actors and athletes, many of whom use their apartments as a second or third home when traveling back and forth to New York City, or when entertaining clients.
While the community offers such convenience—thanks in large part to 32,000 square feet of retail space on the ground level, over 110 floor plans to choose from and over 500 establishments located within a mile—1600 Vine has an alluring blend of accessibility and exclusivity. It just has that star quality.
Glitz and Glamour
You name it, 1600 Vine has it.
From an underground MTA station to 32,000 square feet of retail space, the 305-room W Hotel and 143 W residences for sale—all of which share the same podium deck as the 12-story community—1600 Vine is the epitome of mixed-use innovation.
“There’s nothing else like this that is integrated—both inside and out—the way our community is,” says Scott Morrison, CPM, Senior Vice President of Legacy Partners Residential. “The exterior of the building has eight very eye-catching, two-story LED electronic Public Art Colonnades that accent the urban street scene and constantly change design. When residents enter the building, they are instantly greeted by a valet who says, ‘Welcome to Hollywood, how can I help you?’ It’s a spectacular entrance.”
Retail on the entry level—known as the podium—features a Trader Joe’s food store, a Wells Fargo bank, Bubbles Dry Cleaners/Tailor and Café Entourage, which provides room service to residents. The lobby of the W Hotel also includes Delphine Restaurant, the W Living Room lobby bar and the famous Bliss Spa—not to mention a Drai’s nightclub on the hotel roof.
Once residents finally tear themselves away from all that the podium has to offer, they can utilize some of the other popular onsite amenities, including a resident lounge with shuffleboard, billiards, a kitchen with a bar and LED TVs, a professional fitness studio with a private yoga and Pilates loft, a massive sixth-floor outdoor terrace with a pool and spa, barbeque grill and fire pit areas, and an 11th-floor rooftop terrace and outdoor fireplace with more TVs, lounging areas and Zen gardens.
Cabrera says the community—a combination of market-rate and affordable units—is the complete package. “Coming from New York, where it’s a concrete jungle, I was looking for a place that offered outdoor living space,” she says. “When I saw the swimming pool area, outdoor barbeques and terraces here, I fell in love! I also love the indoor amenities—such as the conference room, business center and lounge—because they allow me to hold meetings for my productions, as well as entertain.”
For those who don’t want to leave the comfort of their apartment or townhome—all of which allow pets for no additional charge—to get pampered, the salon and spa on the first level provide discounted in-house service to residents.
The wide variety of amenities makes 1600 Vine unique—but it also made the planning stages particularly challenging.
Morrison says his community, the W Hotel and the retailers all had to obtain simultaneous certificates of occupancy and, therefore, open at the same time. “Everything had to come to a crescendo,” he says.
In addition to logistical challenges, 1600 Vine opened in a competitive market saturated with new lease-ups. Fortunately, the community’s impressive amenities, customer service and integrated retail space set it apart from the others. A year after opening, the community was 95 percent occupied.
1600 Vine has played a major role in the revitalization of Hollywood—an area that didn’t have the best reputation 10 years ago—ushering in a new era for the entertainment capital of the world.
Fit For a Star
There’s never a dull moment on Hollywood Boulevard.
With a unique clientele in the entertainment business—including contestants for Season 10 of “American Idol”—Lease-Up Manager Andrea Clare says she never
knows who might walk through the door.
“1600 Vine is definitely an entertaining place that keeps you on your toes,” she says. “With rents ranging from $2,000 to $8,000 per month, we have high-end residents who expect a high level of service to match the rent.”
Although many residents rent on a temporary basis, Clare says most are very social and active, attending events such as wine and cheese, karaoke and sports playoff parties. The eclectic group also interacts through an internal communication service similar to Facebook that the community recently launched.
Cabrera, who has lived at 1600 Vine since it opened in January 2010, says such resident events have fostered a sense of camaraderie that is rare among many professionals.
“My girlfriend came to visit me from New York City and she was shocked how friendly everyone was in the building,” Cabrera says. “She laughed and said it was like a dorm for adults—and there’s some truth to that. While everything is luxurious and upscale, there is a community within the building that you don’t readily see at other places. I have neighbors stop by to say hello or ask to grab a bite to eat around the corner. We get together to watch award shows or go to the pool.”
While Business Manager Augustine Um says it’s been a “joy” to interact with residents like Cabrera every single day, he admits the clientele is on a much faster pace than those at his four previous lease-ups. To cater to the active, Blackberry and Android-savvy community, Um says 1600 Vine has become more digital in its interactions with residents by frequently sending texts and e-mails rather than letters.
Marketing strategies are also unique. Um says his community utilizes 12,000 square feet of advertising space on the sides of the building that was grandfathered in when the project began—a tremendous source of income and publicity for 1600 Vine.
When prospective residents walk by the community, they can’t help but notice the six-story billboards that boast of rave reviews and industry awards. It’s over-the-top—and for 1600 Vine, it fits.
“This is Hollywood at it’s finest,” Um says.
And the Award Goes To...
Consider 1600 Vine the Natalie Portman of the multifamily housing industry. It earned a slew of awards this year for its performance in Hollywood and even garnered national attention.
With 15 awards—including three Pacific Coast Builders Conference (PCBC) Gold Nugget Awards and a NAA PARAGON for Best Community, Less Than 5 Years, Over 150 Units—the community had already made a name for itself.
Still, Morrison says NAA’s PARAGON Community of the Year award means the most.
“It’s national recognition, not just the West Coast,” he says. “I’ve been working on this community for 10 years. Seeing the project start with a building that was torn down to the re-birth it’s since experienced—and to be recognized for it—is wonderful. It’s excellent exposure for our company.”
“It means everything to us. It’s a significant award,” adds Um. “This is the highest honor you can receive in the industry. It makes all the extra hours spent on this project worthwhile.”
Although the awards speak for themselves, the community has also received publicity thanks to brief appearances in Michael Jackson’s music video “Hollywood Tonight,” the film “Burlesque” starring Cher and Christina Aguilera, and the TV shows “American Idol” and “Million Dollar Listing.”
“We’re nationally recognized by our location, which has given us exposure through all of these vehicles,” Clare says. “Residents get enjoyment knowing they live at a prestigious community.”
In addition to the prestige, residents love being in the middle of the Hollywood hustle and bustle. 1600 Vine received a “walkability” score of 94 out of 100, making the community a walker’s paradise. With over 500 establishments within one mile of the building—including boutiques, five-star restaurants, libraries and the Hollywood Farmer’s Market—Cabrera says everything is at her fingertips.
“Most people complain about having to drive all the time in Los Angeles, which is something I feared coming from New York City,” she says. “But living at 1600 Vine has enabled me to walk to everything I could possible need. Whether it’s everyday needs, dining or dancing, I have it all within a few short blocks. The community offers the best of New York and Los Angeles.”
It offers the best in the country, for that matter.
At least until another star is born.
Lauren Boston is NAA’s Staff Writer. She can be reached at 703/797-0678.