9301 Wilshire

The building built in the 1960s is of reinforced concrete structure clad in a glass and aluminum curtain wall. The outdated exterior design was to be changed to a pre-cast concrete and glass system. Building was partially occupied and was to remain occupied during renovation. In the 1960s, the 9301 Wilshire Boulevard building was constructed with far fewer restrictions than were enforced when Taslimi Construction was awarded the project of its renovation two decades later. Most challenging was the city’s ruling that a large crane could not be used on the street. Two small cranes had to be placed on the reinforced roof and a unique work staging area was established high above the street level. Since the building was also occupied, tenant safety and comfort were prime considerations.
Precast concrete panels and glass were fastened onto a new structural steel system attached to the existing structure, creating a new façade. Once the building was made completely watertight, the existing glass and aluminum curtain wall was removed from within. The public areas of the upper floors were completely renovated with new restrooms, elevator lobbies and public corridors. New elevators were installed and building was retrofitted with a new fire sprinkler system. In addition, over 45,000 square feet of tenant improvements were also completed.
On the ground floor, a new elevator lobby was created along with additional retail space. Huge sections from fourteen-inch thick concrete walls were removed to accommodate a new glass storefront system enhancing the existing retail spaces. The entire ground level, inside and out, was then covered in granite slabs.