James Suhr And Associates LLC

JSA developed a 37-unit five-story 54,000sf mixed-use project on a 1⁄2 Ac site in Culver City’s West Washington district. The apartment units sit above 7,250 sf of sidewalk- fronting retail to activate the street and create a prototype for revitalizing commercial corridors. Featuring public off-street parking, subsurface encroachments, and compounded density bonuses, this entitlement is one of the most advanced in the city. Completed 2020, fully leased apartments early 2021.

JSA managed pursuit of entitlements for a revolutionary office project, incorporating cantilevered projections over public ROW, screen-printed glass façade, partial street closure to protect residential neighborhood from cut- through traffic, and an automated parking system. Ultimately unable to secure city support, convinced site owner to retract application.

JSA managed the development of Respara Brentwood, a 54- unit super-luxury apartment enclave. Services included underwriting, proforma, loan packaging, team formation, entitlement processing, tenant relocations, and construction management. Situated on a unique site at the end of a private road, overlooking a lushly wooded ravine at the northern end of the VA property, Respara offers a new level of luxury rental living in a tranquil landscaped environment.

JSA obtained land use approvals in 2018 for The Culver Studios, including five new production office buildings totaling 565Ksf and 1,900 new parking spaces that fully modernize the lot with flexible new media office/digital stage buildings. The plan brings all services underground to create a true studio environment. Approvals included relocating four landmark buildings within the studio lot in a new historic cluster, avoiding significant historic impacts. Amazon Studios has signed on as the anchor tenant.

JSA provided project management services to hotel owner Castle & Cooke on a major renovation of the 269-room Four Seasons Hotel, including updating all rooms, restaurants, and common areas as well as adding a new family pool/wave rider and restaurant pavilion.

JSA provided project management on a new 395-room hotel adjacent to the existing 500-room Hilton Universal City hotel for owner Sun Hill Properties. The new 16- story concrete tower featured new pools at the lobby and rooftop levels, along with upgraded mechanical plant and parking stacker systems.

JSA provided project management services to senior housing developer Sunrise and property owner Black Equities on a 100-unit 6-story new Type I CCRC project in the Beverly Fairfax district. Designed by Belzberg Architects, the innovative plan brings landscaping and light deep into each floor and maximizes the rooftop as amenity space.

JSA provided development management services to mall owner CIM Group on the expansion and reentitlement of Montclair Plaza, a 1.2Msf enclosed regional mall anchored by Nordstrom, Macys, Sears and JC Penney. Retail expansion will remove some mall area and a vacant anchor, replacing with a new lifestyle center anchored by cinema and restaurants; subsequent phase will add new fashion retail space in a Fashion Park district and offer structured parking in lieu of surface.

Primary real estate consultant for State Bar in selection and evaluation of 100Ksf office purchase alternatives in greater LA area. Starting with lease/buy/build analysis, JSA ran proforma analyses, analyzed space program, and managed simultaneous transactions resulting in the $50M acquisition of 845 S. Figueroa building and the $29M sale of a 2.75Ac development site in South Park. Managed selection of brokerage team, space planners, and due diligence team to facilitate very accelerated parallel deals. Engaged architect and general contractor, managed 120,000sf interior buildout.

JSA served from 2009-2015 as POLA economic development consultant for the San Pedro Waterfront, including the existing 150Ksf Ports O’Call Village site, the 75Ksf Cabrillo Marina development site, as well as existing 1944-era warehouses and future waterfront development sites in San Pedro and Wilmington. Guided the Port on feasible strategies and transactional structures, and created RFQs for adaptive reuse of Warehouses 9&10 and Ports O’Call leading to developer selections, ground leases and implemented projects.

Wilshire Vermont Station is a high density, transit-oriented joint development project with MTA. The project includes 450 apartments and 35,000 sf of ground-level retail space over an existing MTA Red Line subway station. JSA successfully obtained $85M in tax-exempt CDLAC affordable housing bonds on an 80-20 mixed -income basis. JSA also secured project entitlements, negotiated the ground lease term sheet with MTA, underwrote the development proforma, and created and implemented the financing strategy.