New La Brea Reclamation Project Could Bring a Brewery to the Heart of the City

Things keep heating up along La Brea, Los Angeles’ most consistent restaurant corridor. Next up is a proposed reimagining of the longstanding Firestone Building just south of Wilshire, which was build in the 1930’s but has been dormant for years. According to Curbed LA, submitted plans for the place could include three restaurants, a coffee kiosk, retail space, some patio seating, and an on-site craft beer brewery.

The historically significant building has been rumored around as a prime spot for rehab work, but the addition of three full restaurants and some craft beer would certainly be an eye-opener for that stretch. Those blocks don’t exactly make up the core of LA’s new restaurant row, but the buzzy new Commerson is just across the street and within eyesight you’ve got Mo Better Burgers, Top Round, a gastropub, some ramen shops, and more. Pushing in three more concepts and beer would certainly drive up the dining density.

That said, it would be awfully nice to return the 1937 streamline moderne Firestone building to something approaching its original greatness. A great indoor-outdoor casual dining option to look at as a potential model for the place would be the food court at Westfield Santa Anita, which offers standalone businesses with shared seating space. And the model — packing different concepts onto one property — is all the rage right now, even as up the street there are possible plans for a food hall.

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