'Crazy' Gideon Kotzer to Enter Adaptive Reuse Market

Ed Fuentes

Early plan for Gideon's new use for his Traction Ave retail warehouse location in the Arts District.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Gideon Kotzer, long time electronics entrepreneur and provider of late night television commercial classics, may be thinking that keeping his warehouse a retail mecca for plasma TV and stereos is now crazy.

The famous store owner, known as “Crazy Gideon,” has begun the permit and application process seeking adaptive reuse that will also add new construction for Crazy Gideon’s Warehouse, located at 830 Traction Ave in the Arts District.

Working with the Elizabeth Peterson Group, the warehouse will be converted into a mixed use development with 76 live/work condos, a rooftop garden, two lower level floors of parking with 139 spaces, and 6,900 square feet of retail space–-split at the entrance with 3,800 on one side, and 3,300 feet on the other.

The plans were presented at last night's Los Angeles River Artists and Business Association meeting.

The real question may not be how funding will be secured in this soft market, but how many times the question “Will I have a TV if I purchase a condo?” will arise. Perhaps “You’ll be crazy not to buy this loft space!” will become a shopworn phrase.

Crazy Gideon marketing references aside, his Arts District land is short on growth options. Like with AMP Lofts, a viable solution to reuse the land in a profitable manner is being sought. In this case, with live/work units and additional parking planned, the changes for this Gideon holding are a benefit to the Arts District.