Mangrove Plans Unvelied
By GWEN MURANAKA
RAFU ENGLISH EDITOR IN CHIEF
Friday, Mar. 14, 2008

Little Tokyo Community Hears Three Proposals for Development at Mangrove Site

Photos by MARIO G. REYES/Rafu Shimpo
Councilmember Jan Perry welcomes the gathering.
In the foreground is a 3D rendering of a proposal by
First and Alameda Partners LLC.

Rev. George Matsubayashi of Nishi Hongwanji Buddhist Temple listens to the presentations.

The public got a chance on Wednesday to see three competing visions for the site at First and Alameda streets, known as Mangrove. In an informational meeting organized by Councilmember Jan Perry and the Chief Legislative Analyst office, the three groups were each given 30 minutes to answer questions and explain how they would develop what is one of the last open parcels of property in Little Tokyo.

The Mangrove site, on the northeast corner of First and Alameda, is currently a city parking lot. The finalists were decided following a request for proposals issued by the city last year. All three proposals would build a mixed use development of retail, office space and residential housing.

“We looked at the economy here in Little Tokyo and we looked at the needs of Little Tokyo and the Artists District and the design guidelines from the community,” said Jonathan Kaji of Kaji and Associates, representing Nikkei Center. “What we did was to take all this and come up with the plan that we have tonight.”

The Nikkei Center team, led by Kaji and Associates, Little Tokyo Service Center, Urban Partners LLC, Jerde Partnership, L.A. Care Health Plan and Ted Tokio Tanaka Architects, is proposing a complex that would create a Japanese center of retail and restaurants, as well as office space and residential housing. Nikkei Center would also feature a Los Angeles-Nagoya Friendship Garden on the eastern edge of the property next to Nishi Hongwanji Buddhist Temple. The group made a similar presentation before the Little Tokyo Community Council last fall. Bill Watanabe, LTSC executive director, said that their ties to Little Tokyo would mean the community would have greater input and accountability.

“We are part of this community ... we are not going to be going away. We actively want to be part of all the discussions, all the meetings, I think there’s going to be a partnership,” said Watanabe.

First and Alameda Partners, LLC, the second group to make a presentation, displayed a three dimensional mock up of their proposed development, which took inspiration from the meandering city streets of Tokyo, according to Mark Rothenberg of the architectural firm RSA.

Other partners on the First and Alameda team include Neimann Properties, Inc., Woolim Pacific Bridge Holdings, Inc. of Seoul, Korea, Lockton Brokers, LLC, Phoenix Realty and Ernest Doizaki. Rothenberg noted that their offices in the Arts District are near the Mangrove site. RSA, according to Rothenberg, has also be hired to work on renovations on Japanese Village Plaza.

“For 20 years we’ve seen what’s gone on in this community,” said Rothenberg, a board member of the Historic Cultural Neighborhood Council. “What happens here is extremely important to us, whether we’re selected or not we will take a very active role in what shapes our community. We’re passionate about it, this is an important development to us, and we know it’s an important development to you.”

The First and Alameda proposal would create an open plaza where the new Gold Line Metro rail station will be built, art galleries, two levels of retail space and 300,000 square feet of office space. The insurance firm Lockton Brokers, LLC has committed to moving into the planned development, said Dan Neimann of Neimann Properties.

When asked how Japanese themes will be incorporated into the final design, Rothenberg said they would be welcoming Japanese artists and motifs into the complex.

“The landscaping which should be Japanese will do that, you can do that with street scaping, lights, lanterns, you can do it with building architecture, we seek your feedback on that,” Rothenberg said.

Tokyo ArtPark Crossing, LLC, the final group to make a presentation, characterized their vision as focusing on building vibrant urban neighborhoods. Team members include Williams and Dame Development of Portland, Ore., Concerto Development, Inc., headquartered in Los Angeles, City View and Johnson Fain.

Homer Williams of Williams and Dame noted that their firm is working on redeveloping Japantown in San Jose and the experience had given them some insights.

“Very few Japanese live there, but there is a visceral connection within the JA community with Japantown. The thing we really have found as we worked with the community, they didn’t want it to be thematic, they didn’t want it to be like Disneyland, but they wanted it to be respectful,” said Williams.

The Tokyo ArtPark group presented two possible design renderings, each including retail, housing and park space. Lapchih Fan of Concerto Development, Inc., said the group would try and attract high end retail such as Uniqlo and Gucci, citing as inspiration Omotesando Hills in Little Tokyo. Other proposals include a 12,000 square foot grocery and open space to host Tofu Festival or VC Filmfest.

“Our goal is to attract Japanese businesses, families, urban professionals and the youth, who may have left for Sawtelle and Torrance, back to the community,” said Fan.

A recommendation on the bidder will be made by the CLA by May or June, according to the CLA’s office. Purchase price and design concept are 40 percent of the criteria. The final approval will be made by the City Council. The other factors that will be considered are financial feasibility of the proposal (20 percent), community employment, expanded living wage and other community benefits (20 percent) and development team qualifications (20 percent).