Business Specialties Development
L.A. Live Conference Center Topped Out
Aug 29, 2008
By: Judy Feldman, Contributing Correspondent

Schuff Steel Co. has topped out the new conference center that is part of the L.A. Live development in Los Angeles. The 27-acre development (pictured) began with the construction of the Staples Center where the Lakers play, in 2002.

L.A. Live is a sprawling mix-use development that also includes a Regal Cinema movie theatre complex, the Nokia Theater, restaurants and retail, condominium and apartments, sports, entertainment centers, and hotel venues.

“L.A. Live is a tremendous project for Schuff Steel Company. As the largest development in Los Angeles, the project will not only invigorate downtown, but position the city as a major convention market,” said Ryan Schuff, president & CEO of Schuff Steel Company.

What makes this massive development so important is that it is anticipated to be to be a focal point for Los Angeles, like Times Square is for New York City. Greg LeBon, director of design and an architect with AEG, the developer for L.A. Live, told CPN, “L.A. Live is a $12.5 billion and 4 million square feet enterprise. And while the convention business in L.A. does well, it will now do much better, as well as revitalize downtown Los Angeles. The bookings for 2010 and beyond are way up. The conference center has the largest ballroom by volume in the downtown L.A….and (together with) the conference rooms make this a conference center that will allow Los Angeles to compete with places like San Diego and San Francisco, and even chisel out a bit of what goes on in Vegas.”

The center and the movie theater complex comprise 550,000 square feet. Schuff Steel is responsible for the detailing, the fabrication and the erection of the both. The company used 4,600 tons of structural steel which were fabricated in the Schuff plants located in Phoenix and Flagstaff, Ariz. The general contractor involved in the recent project was PCL Construction Services Inc.

 
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