Beacon Arts Building 4th Floor - "Open Capital" Columns (photo credit: Renée Fox)

For Immediate Release:  April 7, 2011

Highwood Properties Announces Completion Of
Beacon Arts Building Renovations
Transforming Iconic 1950s Storage Facility
Into Loft-Style Art Community Workspaces
Now Available for Lease in Flourishing Inglewood Arts District

Open Houses: Thu. 4/28, Sat. 5/7, & Sun. 5/15

INGLEWOOD, CA – Highwood Properties announces completion of renovations at Beacon Arts Building, an artists community with warehouse-style studio spaces available for lease to working art professionals. The Modernist cast concrete building, which features stunning 11’6” ceilings and “open capital” columns, first opened its doors to the local art community in October 2010 with the Beacon Arts contemporary art gallery on the ground floor of the facility. Open house events, when studio spaces will be open for viewing, will be held on Thursday April 28, Saturday May 7, and Sunday May 15, 2011 from 1:00 to 4:00pm.  Studios may also be viewed by appointment. The Beacon Arts Building is located at 808 N. La Brea Ave., Inglewood, CA 90302. The property sits prominently on La Brea Avenue, located just 11 minutes south of the 10 Freeway (I-10). Ample on-site parking is available as well as on the adjacent streets. For additional information, please visit http://www.beaconartsbuilding.com.

“Our goal is to serve as a catalyst for compelling experiences that engage the hearts and minds of Los Angeles art audiences,” says Beacon Arts Creative Director Renée Fox, “With that objective in mind, we are embracing smart, risk-taking curators and artists with new perspectives and fresh ideas.”

Beacon Arts Building 2nd Floor Studios (photo credit: David Teel Photography)

Beacon Arts Building –
The Beacon Arts Building, owned and operated by Highwood Properties, is an iconic, four-story, solid reinforced concrete monolith representative of classic 1950s architecture. Cast in-place, the structure is as much a singular sculpture as an inhabitable building. Outside and inside of the building, signs of its creation are evident — from the wood grain impression made by the plywood that was used to build the forms to the air bubbles in the poured concrete. The massive 32,400 square foot structure is self-supporting by design, with strong, “open capital” columns — a modern reference to the columns found in early Egyptian ceremonial temples.

The one-time Bekins Moving and Storage facility is located in the heart of the burgeoning Arts District in North Inglewood. Having stored inanimate items for close to sixty years, this dramatic 1951 edifice is now transforming into a springboard for artistic expression.  In addition to ground floor gallery and retail spaces, the building provides a gorgeous New York warehouse-style environment for professional artists, with spaces in various sizes up to 8,000 square feet with high ceilings and polished concrete floors. Remodel efforts have entailed reusing existing materials and structural elements, as much as possible, in order to highlight its inherent beauty.

Beacon Arts Building Remodel (architectural renderings by Rees Associates)

Beacon Arts Building Amenities –
The Beacon Arts Building provides:

• Private studios in sizes from 425 to 8,000 square feet
• 24/7 access
• Gated parking
• Wi-Fi
• Common area with kitchenette, washer/dryer, eating area, wash sink, men’s and women’s bathrooms
• Shared outside work area
• Flexible lease options at competitive prices (month-to-month or yearly)

Highwood Properties is in the process of curating new tenants for the Beacon Arts Building.  Occupants must be productive fine art professionals who will contribute to the “life force” of the building.   Additional info on building amenities, photos, a floor plan, and application process details are available at http://beaconartsbuilding.com/studios.  For further information about availabilities in the Beacon Arts Building, please contact Scott Lane at 310-576-3543 or scottlaneco@yahoo.com.

Beacon Arts Building Open House Schedule –

• Thu. Apr. 28, 1:00 – 4:00pm
• Sat. May 7, 1:00 – 4:00pm
• Sun. May 15, 1:00 – 4:00pm

Studios may also be viewed by appointment by contacting Scott Lane at 310-576-3543 or scottlaneco@yahoo.com.

Beacon Arts –
A brand-new, risk-taking fine arts enterprise, housed within the iconic Beacon Arts Building, the venture offers innovative art programming to enrich the cultural landscape of Los Angeles. Its primary directive is to provide and maintain the integrity of an exhibition space for contemporary art by Southern California artists working in all media, including painting, sculpture, installation, video, and performance art. Works by both emerging and established artists are presented in an effort to provide a variety of ideas in different forms that both challenge and inspire. As a catalyst and advocate for new ideas, the endeavor enriches public understanding and appreciation of contemporary fine art by creating conversations through special events, lectures, symposia, and panel discussions with intellectual commentary on exhibitions. Exhibiting artists are encouraged to forge new relationships and learn from arts professionals through programming such as the gallery’s inaugural Critics-as-Curators series – consecutive shows conceived and curated by art writers and critics. This series runs through the first year of the space, from October 2010 to October 2011. Regular gallery hours are from 1:00pm to 6:00pm Thursday through Saturday, Sundays 1:00pm – 4:00pm.  Additional background and programming details on Beacon Arts can be found at https://www.greengalactic.com/pages/clients/beacon-arts/.

Renée Fox, Beacon Arts Creative Director –
Renée Fox, a contemporary artist working in mixed media painting and drawing, was tapped to run the Beacon Arts gallery space based on her success organizing Inglewood Open Studios. The Open Studios project grew quickly from 7 to 39 participating artists, attracted large crowds, and garnered great press in just a few short years under Fox’s leadership, providing a nexus for the blossoming art community in the area. The firecracker mover-shaker was born in Frederick, Maryland, attended the Corcoran College of Art and Design in Washington D.C. and graduated from Otis College of Art and Design in 2002. She is an experienced curator and owner of art-related businesses (archiving and decorative painting).   She has participated in and curated art exhibitions in Washington DC and Los Angeles.  Fox currently directs the new Beacon Arts gallery space in Inglewood, CA and continues to organize Inglewood Open Studios.

Scott Lane, Beacon Arts Building/1019 West Projects Manager –
Scott Lane is responsible for the creation, development, and leasing of Highwood Properties’ Beacon Arts Building and 1019 West projects. A graduate of the University of Southern California (USC) School of Business, with graduate studies at the Annenberg School of Communications at USC, Lane has over twenty-eight years of commercial retail real estate experience in California, the Pacific Northwest, and Southeast United States. His professional background includes corporate real estate positions with May Department Stores’ Payless Shoe Source, Burger King Corporation, La Mancha Development Corporation, and San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. Throughout his career, his contributions have resulted in the successful development of over one hundred thirty (130) shopping centers and commercial properties throughout California. He also served as Director of Synergy at Clear Channel Communications and Vice President of Business Affairs/Partner of Intercomcon LLC, a broadcast media consulting company.

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For more information, images, and interviews please contact Green Galactic’s Lynn Tejada (née Hasty) at 213-840-1201 or lynn@greengalactic.com.

Beacon Arts Building (photo credit: Dave Teel Photography)