Historic Hollywood

❖
Left: When Hollywood and Highland
Center opened in November 2001, it
was hampered by the impact of 9/11.
Tourism was down and expensive
parking kept the locals away.
Eventually, Councilman Eric Garcetti
got the city, which owned the 3,000-
car, 6-level underground parking lot,
to validate parking, as was the
original agreement. But the damage
was done. A previously confusing
marketing plan was replaced with one
promoting affordable parking. The
highlight of the project’s “modern
architecture” became the themed
elements based on Babylon in 547
B.C., which were built at a cost of less
than $3 million and are the project’s
best promotional bargain.
Below: Though hardly a retail success
so far, TrizecHahn had the project for
sale several months before opening as it
closed out its retail center division. CIM
Investments bought the project in early
2004, less than two and a half years
after opening, for approximately $230
million while the project’s cost was over
$615 million. Revamping of the tenant
mix and some redesign of the Center
are ongoing in an attempt to improve
business. Adding more landscaping,
more Babylonian design elements, and
less off-site billboard advertising signage
would all help to make the project more
user and tourist friendly and less like a
promotional item for the movie Blade
Runner (1982).
COURTESY OF HOLLYWOOD & HIGHLAND/
TRIZEC R&E, INC.
Chapter X ✦ 47