A triangular red tile was placed Monday on the facade of the new Red Building at the Pacific Design Center (PDC), symbolizing the completion of construction of the building’s inner core. Architect Cesar Pelli, the designer of the Red Building, joined PDC owner Charles S. Cohen for the “topping off” ceremony.

Architect Cesar Pelli (left), the designer of the Red Building, showed off a symbolic triangular red piece of glass that was installed during a “topping off” ceremony for the structure. Pelli was joined by PDC owner Charles S. Cohen. (photo by Edwin Folven)

The Red Building is the third component of the PDC, and will feature 400,000 square feet of new office space. The building’s façade and some portions of the interior are currently still under construction, and it is expected to be ready for occupancy by early fall.

“The new Red Building is really a building for the next century,” Cohen said. “It has all the ingredients that today’s and tomorrow’s tenants could want. The unique and luxurious amenities here are not offered anywhere else in Southern California.”

The amenities will include VIP elevators that will take executives directly from the valet parking station to their offices, as well as two “sky lobbies” on the top level with concierge service. There will also be a pedestrian bridge linking the Red Building to the PDC’s Green Building, and new parking for 1,500 vehicles.

Cohen said the Red Building will fill a growing need for office space in the Los Angeles area, which he said would be in demand once the economy improves. Nadene Gallagher, a spokesperson for the PDC, said no leases have been signed, but it is anticipated that the office space would likely be occupied by entertainment or media-related companies because of the location’s proximity to Hollywood.

The Red Building will be the final component in the 35-year construction of the PDC, which Cohen called a visionary architectural accomplishment.

Pelli had envisioned the PDC as a 14-acre campus with a multitude of uses, and it is currently the largest multi-use facility on the West Coast. The first component, completed in 1975, was the Blue Building, which includes more than 120 showrooms galleries, as well as the Silver Screen Theatre, a 200-seat conference center, a fitness center and two Wolfgang Puck restaurants — Red Seven and WP. The Green Building opened in 1988, and provides 450,000 square feet of office space. Cohen purchased the PDC in 1999.

“This doesn’t come about because of one person or two people,” Cohen added. “None of this could have happened without the great encouragement and confidence the City of West Hollywood has shown.”

The topping off ceremony also included remarks by Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, 3rd District; Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Koretz, 5th District; West Hollywood Mayor John Heilman; and West Hollywood City Councilmember Abbe Land. Heilman said the PDC is a landmark in West Hollywood, and added that the new Red Building will expand upon the high- profile status of the site.

“It is so exciting for us in the city to see this building almost completed,” Heilman said. “It really is going to be a benefit for the community for many years to come. We can all see this is an important milestone in the construction, and it is an important architectural statement. This is a building that is going to be recognized around the world, as well as studied around the world. It will also be a center for creative employment in the city.”

Yaroslavsky added that he is excited to see that the overall PDC campus is finally near completion, and added that it would not have been accomplished without Cohen.

“Thank you for making this such a special super-block, and such a special portion of our region,” Yaroslavsky said. “It really is going to be a benefit to our community.”