Hotel-like Amenities Translate to All High-Rises

McLarand: “In L.A., you might have a 20,000-square-foot site and need to put a large number of units on a small footprint—you don’t get that without going vertical.”

IRVINE, CA—People are used to having almost instant gratification, so providing a downstairs gym and a doorman goes far with tenants in both commercial and residential settings, MVE + Partners principal Matt McLarand tells GlobeSt.com. McLarand was recently promoted to principal, having taken a lead in the designs for several of MVE’s recent high-rise residential and commercial projects in the US and China. One of the projects he’s led was recently granted entitlements in Los Angeles and will be the second high-rise mixed-use tower he’s designed for Holland Partner Group in Downtown L.A. We spoke exclusively with McLarand on his new appointment and trends in designing today’s high-rise projects. GlobeSt.com: What are your goals in your new role with MVE? McLarand: My goals are to take advantage of the opportunity to expand my role as a leader within our firm and, on the design side, to be able to promote and expand our firm as a design leader. Also, on the internal side, it gives me an opportunity to be involved in the management of the firm and to understand how we function as an organization. GlobeSt.com: What emerging trends are you noticing with high-rise projects? McLarand: There is a series of trends that depend on the marketplace and location. On the West Coast, more people are desiring to live within high-rise buildings. Some of them are empty-nesters who want the ability to travel or have multiple homes and want the ability to walk away from their home and not have to worry about it while elsewhere. Also, people desire to live in urban environments like Downtown L.A. There’s a shift in older and younger people embracing the urban lifestyle. There’s been huge growth in Downtown L.A., for instance, and there are many reasons for it. Millennials watched their parents commute huge distances from suburban locations, and they want to work and play where their home is. Also, in many cases, high-rises are determined by the plots of land left in dense cities. In L.A., you might have a 20,000-square-foot site and need to put a large number of units on a small footprint—you don’t get that without going vertical.

MVE is beginning construction on 732 Spring St. in Downtown L.A., one of two 24-story towers across the street from each other for Holland Partner Group.

GlobeSt.com: Which design elements are necessary to make today’s high-rise projects a success? McLarand: Location is always important, but in a lot of buildings it’s about the amenities—what you can walk to, from a marketing standpoint. From a construction standpoint, being able to design a building that functions efficiently, yet has aesthetics or ideas that make it an attractive structure, is desirable. People desire more hotel-like amenities in high-rises. They are used to having almost instant gratification, and technology allows us to get what we wish for quicker than ever before. People are wanting the same type of services in their living environment—where they can walk downstairs to a gym and have a doorman. The level of service is increasing in these projects. GlobeSt.com: What else should our readers know about MVE? McLarand: We just started construction on a new office space on the corner of 8 ^th and Figueroa in Downtown L.A. that should be open in early June. There is an emerging segment of opportunity within that area of L.A. that we find exciting. We have a bunch of cool new projects breaking ground, including two buildings on 8 ^th and Spring St. in Downtown L.A., each 24-story towers with Holland Partner Group. We’re about to get final approvals hopefully for entitlements on a pair of towers that will be the tallest buildings in Milpitas, CA—450 units of for-sale condos with mixed-use space within it. There are many exciting projects we’re involved with in the Silicon Valley, including a project with Irvine Co. and one at 150 Newport Center . Urban mixed-use projects are exciting because we get to blend the many resources we’ve developed in office , retail and residential buildings and turn them into great urban-infill projects. Also, we’re moving up a few more people in the company, so internally we’re looking at what that means in terms of individuals within the organization and how the education of individuals and the growth of employees can take place. We are developing the talent of the company; this last round of promotions was one of the largest in the history of the firm. We are a 40-year-old company that my father started, and we have a lot of momentum going for us.