Adaptive Reuse Breathes New Life Into 3700 Wilshire
A prominent Koreatown commercial landmark is officially preparing for a major residential second act. Jamison Services, the most prolific real estate developer in Los Angeles, has submitted an application to the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) to convert the iconic Wilshire Park Place office tower into a 370-unit live/work apartment complex.
According to the official adaptive reuse blueprints, Jamison will thoroughly remodel the interior of the existing 11-story mid-rise structure into modern residential units. Additionally, portions of the building’s current parking infrastructure are slated to be repurposed into luxury indoor and outdoor tenant amenities.
Preserving a Historic Gathering Space for the Community
Located at 3700 Wilshire Boulevard, the architectural complex was originally constructed in the late 1960s. Designed by the renowned architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the tower originally served as the corporate headquarters for the Beneficial Standard Life Insurance Company, earning its initial monikers “Beneficial Plaza” and “Liberty Park.”
Despite being a privately owned commercial parcel, the site holds a uniquely sentimental place in the hearts of local residents. It is celebrated for its expansive, sweeping front lawn running parallel to Wilshire Boulevard. Over the decades, this open green space has functioned as Koreatown’s de facto town square, hosting massive community cultural gatherings, political rallies, and most recently, packed outdoor watch parties for the World Cup.
A Strategic Pivot After a Decade-Long Battle
This newly filed conversion plan marks the resolution of a high-stakes, decade-long urban planning dispute. Jamison Services, which has owned the 3.2-acre property for nearly 30 years, aggressively pushed a development proposal in 2016 to build a massive 36-story, 506-unit luxury residential skyscraper directly on top of the front lawn.
That high-rise proposal triggered intense pushback from community organizers and historic preservationists who launched a campaign to designate the park-like property as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. Faced with intense regulatory hurdles and local opposition, Jamison ultimately shelved the skyscraper plans.
By utilizing the City of Los Angeles’s highly popular Adaptive Reuse Ordinance, Jamison has found a compromise that injects hundreds of much-needed housing units into the dense Mid-Wilshire corridor while keeping the beloved, historic front lawn entirely intact.
