Case Study

Constellation Place: $250-Million Office Tower for Century City

Situation
On June 17, 1998 JMB Realty Corporation received approval from the Los Angeles City Council for a 38-story, 704,000-square-foot Class “A” office tower to be built in Century City. This decision capped over a decade of planning, entitlements, and development which required an extensive community and public relations outreach program.

Consultants at Sonnonstine Public Relations began their association with JMB Realty on this project before Sonnonstine Public Relations’ founding in 1992 and the firm continued work on the project from 1992 through its 1998 City Council approval. Project plans called for an unprecedented $7 million-plus transportation mitigation program using new methodologies not used on prior commercial development projects in Los Angeles. The economic forecast for the project focused upon annual tax revenues for the City in excess of $2.5 million, 3,800 construction jobs, 3,000 permanent jobs on-site, and 3,900 permanent jobs off-site.

All of these key messages were the foundation of support solicited from the local business community and labor unions to move the project toward its approval, over the objections of Los Angeles Councilman Michael Feuer, in whose district the project is located.

Strategic Approach
Sonnonstine Public Relations served as the lead community relations and public relations agency for JMB Realty on the challenging Constellation Place project. The overall project team was comprised of Latham & Watkins, the architectural firm of Johnson Fain Partners, Linscott, Law and Greenspan traffic engineers, and other professionals.

SPR was responsible for dealing with all media relations inquiries and incoming community calls regarding the project, setting up speaking engagements and small group community meetings, gathering signatures of support, serving as liaison with the Century City Chamber of Commerce and Los Angeles Business Council, and working with the team on production of collateral support materials.

The Outcome
Over 1,000 petition signatures, letters, faxes, and postcards of support were collected and presented to the City Council on behalf of Constellation Place. A broad spectrum of groups were represented within the supporter contingent—homeowners, business persons, members of the building and construction trade unions, the Century City Chamber of Commerce, and the Los Angeles Business Council.

Sonnonstine Public Relations arranged for supporters from all of these groups to attend the Planning Commission and City Council hearings in downtown Los Angeles to advocate the project. The project ultimately was approved and is currently under construction in Century City.