Annlee Ellingson – Staff Reporter, L.A. Biz
July 7, 2021
Beyond Meat Inc. and L’Oréal USA are one step closer to being able to move into their new headquarters.
Construction has been completed on 888 N. Douglas St. in El Segundo, California, where the two companies have signed deals to move in.
The 25-acre campus, a former aerospace manufacturing site, has undergone a $100 million makeover by L.A.-based Hackman Capital Partners. Gensler was the designer on the project and KPRS Construction served as the general contractor, with Cumming Group handling project management, cost management and scheduling analysis.
Earlier this year, Beyond Meat inked a nearly $200 million deal for a 12-year lease for about 280,000 square feet at the property. The plant-based meat-substitute company said in January that it planned to open its new headquarters in three stages starting in the fall.
L’Oréal USA signed a lease for more than 100,000 square feet for a second company headquarters to complement its main location in Manhattan. The beauty company said in April that it will launch its El Segundo location in early 2022.
The 888 N. Douglas campus consists of four separate buildings totaling approximately 590,000 square feet plus extensive landscaping with pathways and courtyards that offer an open-air environment as workforces return to the office during the coronavirus crisis.
At the center of the project is the transformation of a 390,000-square-foot former aerospace manufacturing facility into sustainable office space while maintaining the structure’s 45-foot ceilings, sawtooth skylights, original brick and wood materials, and other original design features. Meanwhile, the building’s exterior corridors now make for interconnected open-air runways.
“As modern workplace expectations have evolved for the post-pandemic return to the office, making sure the 888 N. Douglas campus provided an environment that focused on wellness, while still being aesthetically exciting for its future tenants, meant paying special attention to preserving its irreplaceable architectural features,” said PJ Cleary, associate director at Cumming, in a statement.
Located across from the Los Angeles Lakers’ practice facility and the new Los Angeles Times headquarters, 888 N. Douglas lies within walking distance from the Metro Green Line and a few minutes from LAX. The campus also features plentiful natural light, open floor plans, property-wide Wi-Fi, ample parking, bicycle lockers, and outdoor and patio spaces, with more than 75 dining options nearby.