RIOS to Envision Botanical Gardens at One Beverly Hills

BEVERLY HILLS (June 29, 2020) – Alagem Capital Group, in partnership with Cain International, present One Beverly Hills, a unifying vision for Beverly Hills’ western gateway. The 17.5-acre site, which includes the iconic Beverly Hilton and Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, the former Robinsons-May department store, and a Unocal gas station, is poised to become a striking and dynamic mixed-use project. Designed by Foster + Partners, the award-winning architectural practice led by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Lord Norman Foster, and nationally renowned landscape architect Mark Rios, the plan proposes two residential buildings, a new ultra-luxury hotel, a casual dining and retail pavilion, and expansive publicly accessible botanical gardens.

“The development of One Beverly Hills has been my vision since I became the owner of the Beverly Hilton in 2003. Combining our property with the Robinsons-May property will be transformative for our community,” states Beny Alagem, CEO of Alagem Capital Group. “In Beverly Hills, we dream big. We have residents and a City Council whose vision for the future allows us to present architecture, landscaping, and technology that results in a breathtaking development. Wellness drives our design for the residential buildings and ultra-luxury hotel which integrate the most advanced technologies for healthy living. The eight acres of gardens include more than 300 different species of plants and trees. There will be more than two miles of walking paths, and the 4.5 acres of publicly accessible botanical gardens will be directed by a Beverly Hills-based conservancy. One Beverly Hills will provide $1.2 billion in new revenue for local government and schools over the next 30 years and will create 1,500 construction jobs and 900 full-time jobs when we are built out. This is exactly what our economy needs. One Beverly Hills will be the residence of choice for local empty-nesters and for people nationally and internationally who also want a home in Beverly Hills. I am also excited that we will be making a significant contribution to the City’s affordable housing fund and will work closely with the City on this effort.”

“Cain International is proud to partner with Alagem Capital Group on this landmark development that will take the iconic Beverly Hills image to a new level,” said Jonathan Goldstein, Cain International’s CEO, “Sitting at the heart of one of the most coveted postal codes in the world, this project reflects our commitment to creating forward-thinking spaces in global gateway cities. The successful addition of the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills further demonstrates the tremendous potential of this property. One Beverly Hills will seamlessly bridge commercial, social and residential life to create an environment that gives back to its community.” One Beverly Hills is a bold commitment to the City’s future and its residents and provides the region with a significant source of jobs, taxes, and revenue. CBRE Hotels, a leader in the field of real estate economics, concluded that when completed, One Beverly Hills will unlock the economic potential of these combined properties. Projected estimates include $27 billion in local spending over 30 years, resulting in $2.3 billion in taxes, in addition to the newly created construction and permanent jobs. Over 30 years, the development will provide $79 million in new revenue to Beverly Hills Unified School District. “One Beverly Hills is exactly what we need to help kickstart our economic recovery. It provides thousands of new, well-paying jobs, and will bring both millions in short-term economic benefits and billions in long-term financial benefits to local government and our schools. It also demonstrates true commitment to California as a premier destination,” said former Governors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gray Davis, advisors to Governor Newsom’s Economic Recovery Taskforce. “While travel and tourism industries battle the crippling effects of the pandemic, this development will shine brightly for the near future and this vital part of the economy.” “The One Beverly Hills development is unprecedented in its scope, scale and possibility,” said Ron Miller, Executive Secretary at Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building & Construction Trades Council. “Alagem Capital Group continues to be a true leader for positive change and economic development in Beverly Hills and Southern California. The working men and women in the construction and hospitality industries, who have been the hardest hit during this unprecedented pandemic, look to this project as a catalyst to help return California’s economy to the strong position it has maintained for years.” For nearly 65 years, the two main lots had been under separate ownership, with the Beverly Hills City Council previously approving development of residences and hotels on both properties. In 2018, Alagem Capital Group and Cain International purchased the neighboring parcels, allowing for the unified development of the 17.5 acres. 

The mixed-use project will seamlessly integrate the existing two hotels with a new, 42 all-suite ultra-luxury hotel with 37 residences, two residential buildings with 303 residences, a four-story pavilion with boutiques and casual dining replacing the garage along Santa Monica Boulevard, 10 acres of open space, of which 4.5 acres will be publicly accessible botanical gardens and sculpture gardens including 1 mile of pathways, and 3.5 acres of gardens and 1 mile of pathways will be for One Beverly Hills residents and hotel guests, and also includes enhancements to the Beverly Hilton entrance, pool, and conference facilities. 

Foster + Partners is leading the One Beverly Hills masterplan. This award-winning, integrated design studio has established an international reputation with buildings such as the Hearst Headquarters in New York, 30 St Mary Axe (popularly known as The Gherkin) in London, Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach and Apple’s headquarters in California. This project reflects a commitment to recovering an authentic Southern Californian landscape at the gateway to Beverly Hills. The buildings have been carefully designed to complement the landscape, with well-being as a central focus. Their curving and receding forms, soft edges and slender white balconies mediate between private living and garden greenery, breaking down boundaries between inside and outside.

Norman Foster, Founder and Executive Chairman, Foster + Partners, said, “In its beginnings, Beverly Hills was agricultural flat land – a green oasis that fed a growing urbanity. A century later, we have seized on this inspiration to create an organic architecture that merges with landscape, a large part of which is publicly accessible, creating a shared resource for the City. The richness of Californian culture owes much to its diversity of influences, which comes together with the urgent need for sustainability – particularly conservation and recycling of water for the greenery. We welcome the opportunity to create a holistic masterplan based on a green approach across the entire site.”

Mark Rios and his award-winning Los Angeles-based design firm RIOS are recognized for redesigning Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles. His team also recently completed an ambitious master plan for Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge. For One Beverly Hills, RIOS has envisioned nine distinct botanical gardens, water features, and winding paths to provide cohesiveness to the site. The individual gardens will reflect the diverse landscape of Southern California. To ensure sustainability, most of the selected species will be water smart and create a natural cooling system.