March 11, 2013 -- Los Angeles, CA — The Gateway at City Center in Carson, California received the Silver Award for Best Mixed-Use Community at the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) 50+ Housing Council Gala in late January 2013. On February 20, Unical Aviation, Inc. was named “Best Industrial Project” at the Los Angeles Business Journal’s annual Commercial Real Estate Awards program.
The Gateway
Although the two projects serve very different markets — The Gateway for senior affordable housing and Unical for office/warehouse both were honored for their innovative approach to their building typology and for the contribution that they make to their communities.
The respected NAHB 50+ awards reward projects that exemplify innovative design for the active adult and service-enriched markets. The Gateway, designed by Withee Malcolm Architects for Thomas Safran and Associates (TSA), is the first of two projects that are redefining one of the most prominent corners in the City of Carson. Located across the street from city hall and the community’s senior center, the development combines 86 units of senior affordable housing over ground floor retail with a distinctive, urban architecture.
Unical Aviation
“The Gateway is an important addition in the ongoing revitalization of downtown Carson.“ said Dan Withee, founding partner of the architecture firm. “The project and its companion development, Renaissance, which will open this spring with 150 units of workforce housing and expanded commercial space at the city’s central intersection, are catalyst projects that reimagine the city’s civic core as a desirable place to live, shop, and invest.”
Withee Malcolm has been working with the City of Carson and the development community for several years to help realize the city’s vision for transforming the once blighted Carson Street Corridor site into a vibrant, mixed-use community that encourages walkability, commerce, and neighborhood activity. Other developments designed by the firm in the redevelopment district include Villagio, a mixed-use and affordable housing community for TSA and the recently completed VIA 425 for The Related Companies, which includes 65 units of affordable family housing with live/work options.
The Los Angeles Business Journals’ Commercial Real estate awards celebrate the biggest, best and most notable commercial real estate projects throughout Los Angeles by honoring the developers, architects and general contractors for each project. Withee Malcolm took the honors in the industrial category with their renovation of non-descript distribution warehouse for Unical Aviation, a fast-growing aviation parts supplier located in The City of Industry. Unical Aviation and Oltmans Construction were also honored with the LABJ award.
“Unical’s owner, Han Tan, had a clear vision of the workplace he wanted to create for his employees, one that was radically different than the average office warehouse,” says founding partner Dale Malcolm. “We worked closely with Han and his team to transform the bare bones warehouse into a colorful, inviting and efficient work environment that reflects the Unical culture.”
The adapted facility includes new executive office space, warehouse, shop areas, laboratories and testing operations as well as lunch, exercise, and game rooms, and even a quiet space for yoga. Introducing distinctive architectural elements, quality materials and a lively color palette the design creates a strong sense of place and identity that stands out from its neighbors in this hard-working industrial community.
Withee Malcolm Architects serves clients in the residential and commercial industrial markets throughout the West from their offices in Torrance, California. For more information on the firm, visit www.witheemalcolm.com
CONTACT:
Nancy Egan
New Voodou
egan@newvoodou.com
310.943.7194