Live/Work Lofts Downtown LA vs. Residential Studio Apartments

Many who are looking to move to Downtown Los Angeles have a hard time figuring out the confusing array of choices when it comes to Downtown Los Angeles Live-Work Lofts, Studios, Apartments, Industrial Lofts, Commercial Buildings and Residential Buildings.

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This L.A. Loft Blog post will attempt to help clear it up so that those who want to live, work or live and work in the same place can find the right loft, condo or apartment space for them. Then we will list the buildings with lofts for sale and for lease.  |  VIDEO

Live/Work Lofts Downtown LA vs. Residential Studio Apartments Blog Video

Apartments vs Condos

In New York, an apartment is any condominium, co-op or building with several residential units.  In Los Angeles, the word “apartment” usually refers to managed rental buildings and their units that have one owner per building.  Because Southern California has very few co-ops, most units are only called “apartments” if it is a single owner of the entire building, and the units are all rentals.  The building and its units are called condos if they are individually owned.

Studio vs Loft

Size matters. When it comes to a place where we live or work all day, or sometimes work all night, we need to find the right fit for our use and for our budget. In most residential units in Southern California, when someone says “studio,” it usually refers to a studio apartment, which is a very small rental apartment or condo unit without a separate bedroom. The architecture is very small and open, with the bedroom and living room one in the same.  In Downtown, small lofts are not usually called a “studio” because Downtown is home to many photographers and other artists who are using their live-work loft as a professional photography studio or art studio, and because most lofts are open lofts.  Most lofts do not have separate bedrooms.  Small lofts are usually referred to as a “small loft”.  For lofts in Downtown Los Angeles, small is usually around 500 to 700 sq ft, medium is around 700 to 900 sq ft, large is around 900 to 1,100 and very large would be around 1,200 or more.  These are all subject to interpretation of course, but these are the common numbers for many renters and buyers of Downtown L.A. lofts.

Live/Work vs Residential

Live-work lofts are all the rage because of their popular open architecture, industrial style and character that are considered hip and modern when the kitchen and bathrooms are updated with stainless appliances and granite countertops. Many renters and buyers of lofts use live work lofts almost exclusively for residential purposes. Many others are using lofts for creative work such as photography, painting, graphic arts or music. Musicians need know that live music cannot be played loudly in any residential or live-work buildings in Downtown Los Angeles. Heavy industrial, construction and other loud noisy work is also generally not acceptable in any Downtown Los Angeles live/work building.  |  COMMENT

In Downtown Los Angeles, there are exceptions to many of the rules. All buildings will vary on what type of work they will allow, how many customers may visit etc. None of the live/work lofts will let you have a cash register in your unit with a line coming out of the door.  But even the residential properties will let you have a business client or two come every day for consultations etc. Here is a complete list of live work buildings around Downtown L.A. for sale and for lease:

51 LOFTS & CONDOS FOR SALE AND FOR LEASE   [Alphabetical]  [Neighborhoods]  [Map]

Live/work Loft Condominiums:
Alta Lofts –  200 San Fernando Rd, 90031     AltaLoft.com
Barker Block – 510 S Hewitt St & 530 S Hewitt St, 90013    BarkerBlockLA.com
Bartlett Building – 215 W 7th St, 90014     BarlettLoft.com
Barn Lofts – 940 E 2nd St, 90012     BarnLoftsLA.com
Beacon Lofts – 825 E 4th St, 90013     BeaconLoft.com
Biscuit Company – 1850 Industrial St, 90021    BiscuitLoft.com
Cornell Building – 746 S Los Angeles St, 90014    CornellBuilding.com
Douglas Building – 257 S Spring St, 90012    DouglasLofts.com
Eastern Columbia – 849 S Broadway, 90014    EasternColumbiaLoft.com
Eckardt Building – 738 S Los Angeles St, 90014    EckardtLoft.com
El Dorado Lofts – 416 S Spring St, 90015     ElDoradoLoft.com
Flower Street Lofts – 1130 S Flower St, 90015     FlowerStreetLoft.com
Gallery Lofts – 120 S Hewitt St & 130 S Hewitt St, 90013    GalleryLoftLA.com
Grand Avenue Lofts – 1100 S Grand Ave & 330 W 11th St,  90015     GrandAvenueLoft.com
Higgins Building – 108 E 2nd St, 90012     HigginsLA.com
Little Tokyo Lofts – 420 S San Pedro St, 90013     LittleTokyoLoftsLosAngeles.com
Molino Lofts – 500 Molino & 530 Molino St,  90013    MolinoLoft.com
Ostrich Farm Lofts – 1010 Sycamore Ave, 91030     OstrichFarmLoft.com
Pan American Building – 253 S Broadway, 90012     PanAmericanLoft.com
Puerta Del Sol (first floor lofts) – 360 W Avenue 26, 90031    PuertaDelSolLA.com
Rowan Lofts – 460 S. Spring St, 90013       RowanLoft.com
Santee Village – (See EckardtCornell and Textile)
SB Grand (Shybary Grand or Shy Barry Grand) – 312 W. 5th St, 90013   SBGrand.com
Textile Building – 315 E 8th St, 90014    TextileLoftLA.com
Toy Factory – 1855 Industrial St, 90015    ToyFactoryLoft.net

Residential Condominiums:
1100 Wilshire – 1100 Wilshire Blvd, 90017      1100Lofts.com
630 N Grand – 630 N Grand Ave, 90012
655 Hope  – 655 Hope St, 90017     655HopeLofts.com
Bunker Hill Tower – 800 W 1st St, 90012    BunkerHillTowerLA.com
Concerto Lofts – 901 Flower St, 90015    ConcertoLoft.com
Elleven Lofts – 1111 S Grand Ave, 90015     EllevenLoft.com
Evo – 1155 S Grand Ave, 90015     EvoLoftsLA.com
Glen Donald Building – 2121 James M Wood Bl, 90006     GlenDonaldCondo.com
Library Court – 630 W 6th St, 90017    LibraryCourtLoft.com
Luma – 1100 S Hope St, 90015     LumaLoft.com
Market Lofts – 645 W 9th St, 90015     MarketLoftLA.com
Metropolis Los Angeles – 8th Street and Francisco    LosAngelesMetropolis.com
Mura Condominiums – 629 Traction Ave, 90013     MuraLosAngeles.com
Oceanwide Plaza – 1100 S Figueroa St, 90015     OceanwideDTLA.com
Promenade Condominiums – 121 S Hope St, 90012    CondoPromenade.com
Promenade West – 880 W. 1st St, 90012     PromenadeW.com
Puerta Del Sol – 360 W Avenue 26, 90031    PuertaDelSolLA.com
Ritz Carlton Residences – 710 W Olympic Blvd, 90015   RitzyLofts.com
Savoy Condominiums – 100 S Alameda, 90012    SavoyLosAngeles.com
Skyline Condominiums – 600 W 9th St, 90015    SkylineCondoLA.com
Sky Lofts – 801 S. Grand Ave, 90017    SkyLoftsLosAngeles.com
SL70 – 2220 Duane Street, 90039    SL70.info
TEN50 – 1050 South Grand Ave, 90015    LATen50.com
Teramachi Homes Senior Condos – 267 S. San Pedro St, 90012   TeramachiHome.com
Tokyo Villa Condominiums – 222 S Central Ave, 90012  LittleTokyoVilla.com
Toy Warehouse – 215 S Santa Fe Ave, 90012   ToyWarehouseLoft.com
Vero – 1234 Wilshire, Los Angeles CA    VeroLoft.com

62 RENTAL LOFTS AND APARTMENTS  (213) 880-9910  LAloftTour.com  |  COMMENT

Live/work Rental Loft Apartments:
American Cement Building Lofts – 2404 Wilshire Blvd, 90057
Art House – 1200 S Santa Fe Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90021
Binford Lofts – 837 Traction Ave, 90013
Brick Lofts – 652 Mateo St, 90021
Broadway Lofts – 430 S Broadway, 90013
Brockman Lofts – 530 W 7th St, 90014
Chapman Flats – 756 S. Broadway, 90014
Chester Williams – 215 W 5th Street, 90013
Continental Lofts – 408 S Spring St, 90013
Emil Brown Building – 308 East 9th St, 90015
Factory Place Lofts – 1308 Factory Place, 90013
Great Republic Lofts – 756 S Spring St, 90014
Hellman – 411 S Main St, 90013
Jeffries Lofts – 117 Winston St, 90013
L.A. Loft Tour – (213) 478-0499  http://www.LAloftTour.com
Lacy Studio Lofts – 2664 Lacy St, 90031
Long Beach Avenue Lofts – 1250 Long Beach Ave, 90021
Mercantile Lofts – 620 S Main St, 90013
Milano Lofts – 609 S Grand Ave, 90017
NCT Lofts National City Tower Building – 810 S Spring St, 90014
Newberry Lofts – 900 E 1st St, 90012
Pacific Electric Lofts – 610 S Main St, 90014
Packard Lofts – 1000 S Hope St, 90015
Peterson and Tansey Lofts – 1250 Long Beach Ave, 90021
Piano Lofts – 932 S Hill St, 90015
Roosevelt Lofts – 727 W. 7th St, 90017
San Fernando – 400 S Main St., 90013
Santee Court – 716 S Los Angeles St, 90014
SB Grand – 312 W. 5th St, 90013
Union Lofts – 325 W 8th St, 90014

Residential Rental Apartments:
630 N Grand, 90012
717 Olympic
 – 717 W Olympic Blvd, 90015
8th and Hope – 801 S. Hope St, 90017
Apex – 900 S Figueroa St, 90015
Ava Little Tokyo – 236 S. Los Angeles St, 90012
Avant South Park – 1360 S. Figueroa St, 90015  AVANTdowntown.com
Artisan on 2nd – 601 E 2nd St, 90012
Blackstone – 901 S Broadway, 90015
Canvas L.A. – 138 N Beaudry Ave, 90012
City Lights on Fig – 1300 S Figueroa St, 90015
Eighth and Grand – Grand Ave, 90017
Elysian – 1115 Sunset Blvd,  90012
Emerson – 225 S Grand Ave, 90012
Garey Building – 905 E 2nd St, 90012     GareyBuilding.com
Grand Central Square – 306 W 3rd St, 90013
Gas Company Lofts – 810 S Flower St, 90017
LEVEL DTLA – 888 Olive St, 90015  http://www.LEVELDTLA.com
Medallion – 334 S Main St, 90013
Medici – 725 S Bixel St, 90017
Met Lofts – 1050 S Flower St, 90015
Metro 417 – 417 South Hill Street, 90013
Metropolitan – 315 West 5th Street, 90013
Mozaic at Union Station – 888 N Alameda St, 90012
Museum Tower – 225 S Olive St, 90012
One Santa Fe – 1 Santa Fe, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Orsini Apartments – 550 N Figueroa St, 90012
Pegasus – 612 S Flower St, 90017
Piero – 312 E 12th St, 90015
Promenade Tower – 123 S Figueroa St, 90012
South Park Lofts – 818 South Grand Ave, 90017
Spring Arcade – 541 S Spring St, 90013
Visconti – 1221 W 3rd St, 90017
Watermarke Tower – 705 W 9th St, 90015

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Copyright © This free information provided courtesy L.A. Loft Blog and LAcondoInfo.com with information provided by Corey Chambers, Broker  DRE#01889449  Not associated with the homeowner’s association, seller or developer. For more information, contact (213) 880-9910 or visit LAcondoInfo.com  Licensed in California. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Properties subject to prior sale or rental. This is not a solicitation if buyer or seller is already under contract with another broker.  |  COMMENT

825 E 4th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013, USA

9 Replies to “Live/Work Lofts Downtown LA vs. Residential Studio Apartments”

  1. A studio may be all I need right now. Nothing crazy. I think privacy would be nice, but something with a great view sounds nice. Is that even possible? Fingers crossed you can help me find something spectacular. I’m so excited to start looking.

  2. I live a rather simple lifestyle, so a studio is really much more my style. Thanks for showcasing the best of them here. I appreciate it so much. –AA

  3. Some of these lofts are really incredible. I can’t believe the pricing on some. Like I don’t think they’re that bad at all. Very cool.

  4. Barranca studios may seem nice at first! The manager fools you ! It’s very dirty ! Hallway floors are never clean! Dog poop all over and I see no trash cans anywhere to throw away the dog poop! Manager is very lazy this is why these apartments are becoming a sh** hole ! The pool looks yellow and filthy (might get an infection ) going in the pool! Tenants can invite 20 plus people a chill in the grill area every weekend with tvs outside ! Living here feels like you’re living in the projects !

    1. Sorry to hear a less-than-success story in the new apartments. Barranca Apartments has received negative reviews due to poor cleanliness and maintenance. The hallways and pool are described as dirty, with dog waste not being managed properly. The building reportedly has a strong smell of dog dander and a flea infestation. However, the manager is praised as responsive and approachable. The overall living experience has been compared to living in the projects, with concerns about the condition of the pool and common areas. One reviewer praised the nice city view. Would love to see more feedback from other neighbors to see if they have a better experience.

      Some good news is that the new TG Thai Food restaurant downstairs is open for business. Address 2020 Barranca. Hours 10 AM to 11 PM. Delicious Thai and Chinese menu selection. Currently, must order online. Pick up or eat in the food court https://tgexpressthaifood.com

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