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Late last year saw the groundbreaking for “24,” a 24-acre, mixed-use campus project in Chatsworth, CA. It was master-planned and designed by KFA to occupy the site of a former Los Angeles Times printing plant, shuttered since 1983. The developer, Uncommon, represents the next generation of two distinguished families of the Southern California commercial real estate industry.

Uncommon chose KFA in part because of the firm’s renown for influential ground-up new construction and adaptive reuse projects that bring obsolete sites back to life. Partner Lise Bornstein, AIA, headed the KFA design team.

The guest of honor at the groundbreaking ceremony was Los Angeles City Councilmember Mitch Englander, who presented official proclamations from the City recognizing 24, Uncommon, and anchor tenant MGA Entertainment. MGA, which will move its corporate headquarters to 24, is a maker of consumer entertainment products.

Uncommon Principals Jason Larian and Ryan Hekmat told attendees about their vision of a live/work/play campus concept, the first of its kind in Southern California. We focus on people, not just construction,” said Hekmat. Added Larian, “The project will virtually transform the under-served neighborhood of Chatsworth into an interactive hub of work and recreation for residents, tenants and the community.” The developers acknowledged the support of important civic groups represented at the groundbreaking, including the Chatsworth Neighborhood Council, the San Fernando Valley Chamber of Commerce, and the Valley Industry and Commerce Association.

“24 creates an integrated design vision of live/work/play starting at the campus macro level with a composed series of diverse spaces throughout the site for gathering, fun and wellness, including walking trails, an amphitheater, village green with movie area and orchard,” said Bornstein. “This concept moves into each of the individual buildings, and can be found in the multiple spaces including roof decks for yoga and outdoor dining, an open retail plaza, and a pool deck, connected by landscaped pedestrian paths and designed to reflect the character of the Chatsworth locale.”

Guests at the groundbreaking were treated to a virtual reality tour that allowed them to experience 24 as they wandered through renderings of the campus and its countless amenities for residents, employees, and the surrounding community, including a concert venue, poolside dining room and outdoor cooking space, a club house, movie theater, lounge and gym. The campus will serve as a template for Uncommon to build similar projects across the country, and reflects one of the core values of the company: “Begin with a vision, not a spreadsheet. “

KFA collaborated with developer Uncommon and MGA Entertainment to develop a master plan for “24,” the Valley’s first live-work-play community, on the under-utilized 24-acre site of a former Los Angeles Times printing facility in Chatsworth, CA. KFA sat down with Jason Larian and Ryan Hekmat, the co-managing directors of Uncommon, to discuss the concept and development of 24.

1. What is “uncommon” about your new company, Uncommon, which you co-founded?

Larian: Uncommon is passionate about a new, “uncommon” vision for creative living as a model for the future of Los Angeles. We are a new firm, but, as a next-generation company, we co-founders each have a long history of successful development projects in the Los Angeles region. The real estate industry isn’t just about property. We are inspired to build and create spaces for people to connect, live more harmoniously, work more productively, and improve their quality of life. It’s a bold way to focus on creating long-term value for all stakeholders.

Hekmat: We take pride in being a young, imaginative and energetic company with tremendous ambitions for developing the best possible spaces for future living, working, and enrichment, linked by public transportation to regional transit centers. Our business model allows us to discover hidden value, bypass middlemen, and reinvest the savings in high-tier amenities. We want to bring award-winning, functional design to formerly overlooked areas.

2. You recently broke ground on “24,” an innovative, mixed-use “project like no other.” Who will be the occupants and users of 24’s live-work-play campus when it is completed?

Hekmat: Our anchor tenant is MGA Entertainment, a consumer entertainment products company currently headquartered in Van Nuys. 24 will be home to MGA’s new corporate headquarters. The company is well known for manufacturing innovative lines of proprietary and licensed products, including toys and games, dolls, consumer electronics, home décor, stationery and sporting goods. MGA’s award-winning brands include Bratz® dolls, Little Tikes®, Lalaloopsy™, Project Mc2 ™, Num Noms™, Gel-a-Peel™, and Zapf Creation®.

Larian: MGA has been and continues to be closely involved in planning 24 as a unique environment that will embody MGA’s core values of wellness, community and whimsical fun. MGA, Uncommon and KFA are all tremendously excited about the vision of bringing new life to such a large, underutilized property in an underserved area of the San Fernando Valley. Other tenants will offer dining and retail options, and the site will also include creative office space and world-class amenities for the residents.

3. Can you describe the most important features of 24?

Larian: The 24 acres located at 20000 Prairie Street in Chatsworth will include the 255,000-square-foot existing building; four new apartment buildings totaling 660 units; 14,000 square feet of retail/dining; a transit plaza; and extensive, community-oriented green space. The landscaping will include a dog park, community gardens, two pool plazas and a sports park. There will be a walking trail weaving through the entire perimeter, serving as promenade and an exercise path. The landscape’s canopy trees, native shrubs and drought-tolerant grasses connect the campus to the surrounding natural landscape.

Hekmat: 24 creates an integrated design vision of live/work/play, starting at the campus macro level with a composed series of diverse spaces throughout the site for gathering, fun and wellness including walking trails, an amphitheater, a village green with movie area and orchard, roof decks for yoga, outdoor dining, an open retail plaza, and a pool deck encircled by a dining room, outdoor cooking space, club house, theater lounge and gym.