Culver City Is Having Its Moment: APPLE AND AMAZON MADE SOME NOISE WHEN THEY MOVED IN. (2024)

If recent developments are any indication, it's CulverCity's time in the Southern California sun. While many agencies andcreative companies have called the area home for years, the buzz aroundit is palpable due, in large part, to the announcements earlier thisyear that both Apple and Amazon are putting their content businessesthere. The former is leasing 128,000 square feet of space in thecity's fashionable art gallery district, and the latter is takingup 75,000 square feet in the epicenter of the area near the historicCulver Hotel.

It's not that the area hasn't seen its fair share ofgrowth over the years, but Culver City has been going through itstransformation relatively quietly. For the longest time, according toRyan Harding, a broker who works with creative companies in the area,Santa Monica was the darling of what's known as L.A.'sWestside until the real estate crash in 2007 and 2008. At that point,companies were looking for someplace new, and nearby Playa Vista was aviable, affordable alternative.

Initially, Microsoft and TMZ were drawn to the area due to itsaffordability. And with the likes of Deutsch, Possible, R/GA,72andSunny, TBWA\Chiat\Day, Team One and YouTube dotting the landscape,Playa Vista became the favorite of the creative industry.

Culver City, among the creative community, has long had a strongreputation--but it's been more under the radar. In part due to thehigher profile of Apple and Amazon arriving, the balance of power--or atleast the conversation--around the area could be shifting.

"Culver City seems to have a little bit more cachet than SantaMonica right now," said Harding.

The rise of the area, at least among advertising and creativepeople, isn't necessarily surprising. Traditionally, Culver Citywas a hotbed of entertainment, production and had a large number ofindustrial spaces, especially in an area known as Hayden Tract.

In 2000, Ogilvy was drawn to one of the warehouses--a formerappliance factory--but has since moved out of the area. From there, overtime, a steady stream of creative companies moved in, includingFramestore, The Mill, Muse, Walton Isaacson, WongDoody and Zambezi.

One of the benefits of Culver City, aside from its relativeaffordability compared to other areas, is that it feels more conducivefor creative work. With its cluster of art galleries and other quirky,artistic businesses, it's a Los Angeles anomaly that has long beena draw.

"I wanted us to be in Culver City because there was a greatcreative vibe and there was a promise of things to come," saidSusan Franceschini, executive director of ThinkLA who moved there in2012. "I thought it was a creative force and you could feelit."

Indeed, the city, as it continues to plan, appears to be morethoughtful in its approach. New services, such as coffee shops andrestaurants, are beginning to arrive in droves. Though thesedevelopments may seem minor to the layperson, it is a big deal,especially in the quest to attract talent.

"People in the creative community want to be surrounded byothers in the creative community," said Aaron Walton, foundingpartner of Walton Isaacson, which has been in the area for seven years."Culver City is starting to own the fact that it would like to bethe heart of the creative community in Los Angeles, and this will begreat for all of us."

"L.A. is so spread out, and no one really has a chance to getto know each other," added Thas Naseemuddeen, chief strategyofficer and managing director of Omelet, which is housed in HaydenTract's quirky Pterodactyl building. "Culver City has remaineda little village unto itself, and it will be a big positive as brands[and other creative companies] continue to move in."

Culver City's proximity to transit and more centralgeographical location are also highly desirable.

"In talking to people in the media and advertising business,they will tell you that they'd rather be in Culver City becausethey can pull talent from more areas like the South Bay, the lower East-and Westside, and maybe even Pasadena and downtown L.A.," saidHarding. "Younger talent and up-and-comers look at that and feellike they can take advantage of and enjoy everything that'sthere."

While it's easy to think that some of the more traditionalcreative areas on the Westside are losing their luster, nothing could befarther from the truth.

"Venice, Santa Monica and Playa Vista will still be greatdraws [because] there are so many companies being built and startedevery single day here," noted Franceschini.

"Because of Apple and Amazon Studios, Culver has received alot more PR," said Harding. "But Playa Vista is still reallycool and continuing to grow ... and that's why we continue to leasebig spaces over there each month."

BY DOUG ZANGER

DOUG ZANGER IS SENIOR EDITOR AT ADWEEK FOCUSING ON CREATIVE. HE ISBASED IN PORTLAND. ORE., AND UNABASHEDLY LOYAL TO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST@ZANGER

Caption: The Culver Hotel in downtown Culver City is the emotionalepicenter of the growing area.

Caption: 1 Omelet occupies the Pterodactyl, one of the most unusualbuildings in Culver City. 2 Platform is a popular gathering point,filled with restaurants, cafes and boutiques. 3 Vespertine, an ambitiousrestaurant located in Hayden Tract.

Please Note: Illustration(s) are not available due to copyrightrestrictions.