Last month, we officially welcomed the first Starbucks in South Park to the ground floor retail space at Elleven, on the corner of 11th & Grand. Their doors are now open and serving both South residents and neighbors alike.
As the first retail tenant at South, Starbucks will soon be joined by an entire streetscape of retail spaces wrapping the sidewalk from Luma to Elleven to Evo. This vibrant collection of retail is destined to become the new center of this growing neighborhood, providing another great amenity for South residents as well as a destination for neighbors throughout South Park and downtown.
So, we’re excited to announce that you can now grab a Venti mocha and a newspaper just downstairs from your new home. We’ll see you soon over a coffee.
The South Soiree recently brought current and future South residents together to celebrate the ongoing evolution of this vibrant new neighborhood.
The South Group hosted the gathering at Grand Hope Park, which also offered an opportunity to participate in the premiere of Annette Green’s Fashion Makes Scents museum display at FIDM. The meet and mingle brought everyone together in a beautiful city setting with live music, drinks and food. Just two blocks from Elleven and Luma, Grand Hope Park is an easy retreat and one of the largest expanses of grass in downtown.
The fashionable evening was a brilliant success and great time that was shared by future friends and neighbors.
Click here to view images from the soiree
Hard to believe it’s winter already, but if you need a reminder Pershing Square's outdoor ice-skating rink is now open. Blue sky, palms trees, skyscrapers and ice skating. What else says winter in Los Angeles?
The officially renamed LA Kings Downtown on Ice rink is open Mon.-Thurs. from noon to 10 p.m. and Fri.-Sun. from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. This season, special events include hockey clinics on select Sundays from 9 to 10 a.m. and live concerts on Tuesdays and Thursdays at noon and Fridays from 8 to 10 p.m.
The rink is located at 532 S. Olive Street. For more information, call (213) 847-4970 or visit laparks.com.
Starbucks has officially opened at Elleven and everyone from the neighborhood is really embracing the newest addition to South Park.
The construction team is awaiting the final streetscape permits from the City of Los Angeles for the permanent sidewalks, street trees, lights and planters that will surround Elleven. All of this work is scheduled to begin after the first of January 2007.
At Luma, the concrete and forming has been completed all the way to the 17th floor. The installation of precast column covers is complete up to the 13th floor, and the glass and aluminum windows through the 10th floor. The elevators have been finished and are up and running for the first time. The final “topping out” of the structure is on schedule for the end of the year.
Concrete and more concrete is the story over at Grand and 12th. The concrete pouring at Evo has now reached the 6th floor deck. The structural columns are being formed for the 6th floor and excavation has restarted for the north part of the parking garage. After this, more concrete.
As the second retail tenant at Elleven, Greg is preparing for the grand opening of Salon Eleven. Two doors down from the new Starbucks, Salon Eleven will further the expansion the retail streetscape at South and provide an exciting service to residents here and throughout South Park. We’re very excited to the see the corner of 11th & Grand quickly becoming South Park's social hub. So here are some details from Greg himself.
South: Tell us about Salon Eleven.
Greg: Salon Eleven was created to service the residents of South Park. We envision the salon as a hip and vibrant place where clients can expect professional and personalized hair and nail care services from talented and creative artists. Fashion-oriented video-playing flat screen TVs accompanied by upbeat background music and complimentary beverages will lay the foundation for an inviting atmosphere for our clients.
South: What services will you offer?
Greg: Our artists offer cutting-edge hair care services ranging from cuts, colors, permanents, chemical and conditioning treatments and special occasion styling as well as nail care services ranging from spa manicures, pedicures and acrylics.
South: When do you plan to open?
Greg: Ahh, the million dollar question. We are currently in the planning phase but expect to be open sometime in January 2007. Our goal in the meantime is to build a strong management and personnel organization by the time we open.
South: What is your background?
Greg: Our management team is three partners with diverse backgrounds. Jared Dean is an experienced stylist, educator and previous salon owner. Christiana, my wife, has a legal and small business management background and is currently a real estate broker. As for me, I have a sales and marketing background and am currently a real estate agent as well.
South: Where do you and your wife live now?
Greg: Christiana and I work and live in South Park at the Grand Lofts. We eat, sleep and breathe South Park! We have invested our future on the belief that South Park is going to become a healthy, thriving urban community that needs the convenience of a hair and nail salon.
South: What inspired you to open here at Elleven?
Greg: Christiana and I are from the Seattle/Portland area and are very familiar with this developers’ reputation and work in the Pearl District. If you haven’t been to the Pearl District, it’s an amazing urban transformation of a section of downtown Portland complete with shops, bars, restaurants, etc. After Christiana and I moved into the Grand Lofts last year, we experienced the excitement that the construction of Elleven across the street was bringing to the neighborhood. Furthermore, as news spread of Luma and Evo coming onto the scene to form a vibrant community, we knew there was a need for small retail businesses, such as a hair salon, to serve local residents and businesses.
South: What do you think the retail scene will look like here in a year or two when Luma and Evo are done?
Greg: I can easily see the neighborhood being filled with many convenience-type stores and shops. The area will demand it; just look around, it has already started! More than 700 residential units on one block flex a lot of power, not to mention the additional residential units in the immediate area.
South: The new Starbucks at Elleven must be great neighbor. How nice is that to have instant coffee access?
Greg: Starbucks is great! I can smell the coffee each morning when I wake up. My northwest view faces the entrance. Everyday from our window we marvel at the number of people heading to Starbucks throughout the day. These people are coming from every direction! I’ve never seen so much energy in the immediate area before. Starbucks is a great reminder that we are in the beginning stage of something great, and we are very excited to be a part of this experience.
South: Sounds like the future is here. Thanks for your time and we’ll all see you in January.