Capitol Condo's are Coming...

[Tony Shepperd]

Condo Development Near Capitol Records is Approved

Despite its efforts to thwart a proposed residential development nearby, Capitol Records in Hollywood will gain a new neighbor: On July 11, the Los Angeles City Council voted to approve the construction of a 16-story condominium building and 242-space underground parking garage adjacent to the Capitol Records building and its subterranean recording studios in Hollywood.

For several weeks, EMI, leading members of Los Angeles' pro audio community (including Maureen Droney, executive director of the Recording Academy’s Producers & Engineers Wing; Grammy Award–winning producer/engineer Al Schmitt; and recording engineer Les Brockmann), the preservationist organization Heritage Hollywood, and concerned individuals had publicly opposed the project's sonic impact on the integrity of the acoustics of Capitol Studios' historic underground echo chambers designed by Les Paul in 1956. Testimony was given to the council's Planning and Land Use Management Committee, strongly urging the council to reject the development. On July 9, Capitol Records issued a statement saying that it "may be forced to shut down the Capitol Studios operations entirely and permanently" if the project was approved.

However, recording sessions at Capitol will continue. In granting the project's approval, the L.A. City Council is requiring the developer, Second Street Ventures, to observe special conditions designed to protect the uninterrupted operation of Capitol's recording studios and echo chambers.

EMI and Second Street Ventures agreed to four specific measures that address Capitol's concerns:

1. Construction equipment and activities will be prohibited after 10:00 a.m. within 40 feet of the property line in order to make sure sessions are not interrupted.

2. Second Street Ventures will not use any steel-tracked construction equipment and will use alternative measures.

3. A sound baffle will be created, using a foam liner between the underground garage and the property line of Capitol Records, to ensure that Capitol Studios' storied echo chambers are not impacted.

4. There will be ongoing noise and vibration monitoring during the entire length of the project.

The Los Angeles Times reported that “the project will establish a fund to compensate EMI, the parent company of Capitol Records, if recording is disrupted," as a statement from Councilman Eric Garcetti—whose district includes a portion of Hollywood. Garcetti also noted, “We all learned a lot more about vibrations than we ever knew before this started.”

In a statement responding to the L.A. City Council's July 11 vote, EMI said it “will not be withdrawing its appeal with respect to the proposed project at 6230 Yucca Blvd. in Hollywood. However, we are confident that the agreement we are negotiating with Second Street Ventures will protect the operation of the legendary Capitol Studios and ensure that artists can continue to make high-quality recordings in Hollywood. This agreement will protect the acoustic integrity and operations of the Capitol Records Studios and ensure it continues as one of the world's premiere recording facilities, as it has for more than 50 years.”

[duckyboard]

wow.


thanks for sharing.

[Dirty Halo]

Just another brick in the wall that lead to the eventual death of the Capitol building as we know it.

It's one of the few "landmarks" you think of when you think of L.A.

What's next?

LED billboard over the Hollywood sign?


-a

[warhead]

Gazo: How's about investing in condominiums? It's safe.
Rocky Balboa: Condominiums?
Gazo: Yeah, condominiums.
Rocky Balboa: I never use 'em.

War

[d1rtynyc]

Does anyone know if the Capitol Records building is eligible to be a historical landmark? I would think it would be a good candidate of that.

I lived near it in 2001 and I loved to drive by all that history.

[paultools]

Hard to fight capitalism

[peeder]

Originally Posted by d1rtynyc

Does anyone know if the Capitol Records building is eligible to be a historical landmark? I would think it would be a good candidate of that.

I lived near it in 2001 and I loved to drive by all that history.

It and the giant donut are about all LA has in the way of landmarks...

[Stevil]

Originally Posted by peeder

It and the giant donut are about all LA has in the way of landmarks...

dont forget the smog.

[CorkyTart]

The reality is that condos are among the most cost effective things for the land owners and City Of LA to do. Los Angeles County is frickin BROKE and desperately needs the money. I do hope the Capitol Bldg stays. If it were to "fall" it would be another metaphorical knock on the shape of the music and recording business

[vernier]

That area of Hollywood is one of the most famous places in the world, and should be preserved, not compromised. No regard for history, as I see it.
'

[CorkyTart]

Originally Posted by vernier

That area of Hollywood is one of the most famous places in the world, and should be preserved, not compromised. No regard for history, as I see it.
'

Hollywoods history is like Roman history it is many layers deep

[thethrillfactor]

Why all the crying in the soup?

Do you really care if Capitol really disappears?

It seems everyone around here works at home anyway. I mean really when was the last time you booked time to work at a professional recording studio outside your project studio?

This would actually make a great poll.

If no one is booking these places than how do they plan to survive?

It happens every year, some famous place where historic albums were recorded is about to close and someone starts crying out "something should be done about this". Why don't you do something and support the industry yourself. Do you really have to do every project at home? What about a project that you know would benefit from recording at a major place but because the clients are short on the budget you don't push it and you settle for doing it in some affordable joint and having to work your ass off in the mix basically sample replacing every sound?

These kind of problems won't solve themselves on their own.

People here talk all the time about the future generation of recordings and the engineers, but if you have nothing to reference it to how is the future going to sound?

I guess the answer would be what you are hearing now.

If everyone here did at least one project outside their current comfort zone it would probably give a little bump to the industry. You know the whole pay it forward deal.

Who knows you may enjoy it and it may spark better things in the future.

[vernier]

Why all the crying in the soup?

Do you really care if Capitol really disappears?

There is music in the walls of that tower, and historical preservation is important. I don't think its going anywhere.
'

[Tony Shepperd]

Thrill, though Capitol is not dying from a lack of clients, I agree with you in many ways.
The studios are always booked and Paula does a magnificent job of running the ship.

But while I was at Pot Luck Con in New Orleans a few months ago, I was speaking with Don Morris of RMG International.

After having lengthy conversations with he and Peter Montessi I made a commitment to Don that I would buy an analog machine by 2009 and record at least 5 projects on tape next year.

That's me... doing my part... to hold onto a portion of our audio history.

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by Tony Shepperd

Thrill, though Capitol is not dying from a lack of clients, I agree with you in many ways.
The studios are always booked and Paula does a magnificent job of running the ship.

But while I was at Pot Luck Con in New Orleans a few months ago, I was speaking with Don Morris of RMG International.

After having lengthy conversations with he and Peter Montessi I made a commitment to Don that I would buy an analog machine by 2009 and record at least 5 projects on tape next year.

That's me... doing my part... to hold onto a portion of our audio history.

As always Tony you are gentleman and a statesman.thumbsup

That's great. It wasn't necessarily to you that i made my post but to everyone in general.

I know i am in the minority but one of my goals in the recording business when i first got started was to do at least one session in all of the great studios around the world. Unfortunately i haven't accomplished it yet ,but i still at any opportunity that arises to work in a place i haven't worked before jump on it. I like the "thrill" of working in a new environment where i know something historic was done. I feel personally i am continuing the legacy. Also it gives me something to share with younger people starting out especially today in the studio market where studios are unfortunately a computer screen & a vocal booth.

Its the same thing that guys i came up with that were around before me shared with me. It always gave me something to shoot for.

[Chaellus]

i read about this in the la times on july 5th i still have the article maybe ill scan it and post it on here but it was a shock when i saw this.... Recording is becoming a dying art or so it seems...just like tape went..out the door, now thats just an option but high quality sound isnt.

[joelpatterson]

Originally Posted by Chaellus

... Recording is becoming a dying art or so it seems....

I guess it would be a heresy to suggest that you don't need the Capitol building to make great recordings anymore, and I don't want to get burned at the stake, so I'll just roll my eyes and move on to the next thread....

[d1rtynyc]

Originally Posted by peeder

It and the giant donut are about all LA has in the way of landmarks...

I love the giant doughnut too!

[dudekai]

Originally Posted by joelpatterson

I guess it would be a heresy to suggest that you don't need the Capitol building to make great recordings anymore, and I don't want to get burned at the stake, so I'll just roll my eyes and move on to the next thread....

Can't argue with your point. But, I will say that the place is one hell of a museum, at the very least. I was ther in the 90's, as I had a friend who worked at Capitol under Gary Gersh. Spent some time in the studios during some demo sessions put together by an up & coming A&R guy (Lorne Israel) at the time. Jim Rondinelli gave me a good tour of the studios, which included a look at a mic locker that was stunning. Ya, those mic's used by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, etc. were there. I have to say that as far as functional buildings go, the Capitol tower is a bit of a turd. I recall people working from desks set up in the halls, cracks in the floor of the main foyer (presumably from earthquakes?), etc. Nonetheless, it was a buzz pondering all that had transpired in those halls and offices over the years, the views from the offices are great, and the place is littered with gold/platinum records of some of history's most influential and successful artists. I don't think anyone could argue that better economic use couldn't be made of the property now, but it would be a real shame to see anything happen to the tower and studios. A very cool piece of history. But, Joel, you are right, if it did disappear, many great recordings would continue to be made in this world.

[Sounds Great]

Originally Posted by thethrillfactor

Why all the crying in the soup?

Do you really care if Capitol really disappears?

It seems everyone around here works at home anyway. I mean really when was the last time you booked time to work at a professional recording studio outside your project studio?

This would actually make a great poll.

If no one is booking these places than how do they plan to survive?

Thanks, I was thinking this as well. Places like that were about the ambience and great sound that was captured and displayed on the records that were made. Sadly, nobody seems to care about these things anymore.

[Plush]

Those of you who have written that you don't care if Capitol studios goes away are
Philistines.

Furthermore, you are not real recording people, now are you?

Unbelievable.

No further comment is needed.

[Sounds Great]

Originally Posted by Plush

Those of you who have written that you don't care if Capitol studios goes away are
Philistines.

Furthermore, you are not real recording people, now are you?

Unbelievable.

No further comment is needed.

I don't think anybody said they don't care. As far as I know, LA city managers weren't checking with me on this.

[Tony Shepperd]

Thanks for the nice words Thrill.

Gentlemen, as far as I know I don't think the studios will go anywhere.
I don't think the building will go anywhere.

But I do think they will build condos around the Capitol Records building.
And I do think it's possible that they will turn the offices upstairs to condo's.

But the studio downstairs I think/hope will remain intact.

[vernier]

I guess it would be a heresy to suggest that you don't need the Capitol building to make great recordings anymore, and I don't want to get burned at the stake, so I'll just roll my eyes and move on to the next thread....

Capitol is still better than any of our studios, and probably by a fair amount. It's where the first, and argubly the best, "great" recordings came from.
'

[Stevil]

i worked with a lady whose previous job had been in the area where they keep the contracts in that place. she said the beatles contracts alone took up a whole room. just think of all the beaurocratic legalese history in those walls...

[joelpatterson]

*Sniff, sniff* What's that.... is someone firing up a barbeque....?

[junior]

Originally Posted by paultools

Hard to fight capitalism

That's the first time I've heard anyone refer to the members of the LA City Council as capitalists. Priceless.

[JohnRodd]

Originally Posted by Tony Shepperd

......Capitol......But the studio downstairs I think/hope will remain intact.

I sure do hope so as well! Capitol is a great place to work. The staff is all awesome (from Paula on down), and the rooms and the chambers sound GREAT.

[Greg Curtis]

Capitol is booked solid and will hopefully be around for a long, long time.

Arguably the the best run, best equipped, best maintained, best sounding, and most influential studio on earth.

Vive Capitol!



Greg

.

[Sigma]

Originally Posted by joelpatterson

*Sniff, sniff* What's that.... is someone firing up a barbeque....?

LOL..no it's the blow over from a california wild fire