The Dogtown Station lofts may have a Venice address, but co-founders Charlotte and Bob D’Elia feel the complex is providing a chance for a partnership with Santa Monica. Charlotte Bijorn D’Elia explained that the high-end lofts are bridging a gap that locals in both cities may not realize is even there.
“I think what’s really standout is how connected we are and there really is no distinction,” Bijorn D’Elia said. “Having lived in both communities. We really flow into one another.”
The Dogtown Station lofts are located at 700 Main Street where locals can easily walk from Abbot Kinney Boulevard to Main Street in Santa Monica. She said with the addition of scenic walkways residents can stroll from the bohemian ambiance of Venice to the sophistication of Santa Monica. The lofts strive to embrace the positive exchange.
The two-story space offers 35 units from 1,200 to 2,200 square feet. The largest space at 2,500 square feet has already been sold. High-profile residents have purchased the lofts, such as Dylan McDermott who just moved into a space for his production company, D26 Productions. Dogtown Station claims other film and artistic residents to be part of the line-up.
The D’Elias want to eliminate the disconnection between two seemingly dissimilar communities. Originally from the East Coast, the couple “fell in love” with the area upon first arriving in the Westside. The team also developed Electric Lofts and VeniceArtLofts, as well as the reuse of 1100 Wilshire in Downtown Los Angeles.
“With an outsider’s view, he saw something that maybe insiders didn’t see,” Bijorn D’Elia said. “Now, we’ve literally seen the traffic quadruple.”
She said that the area attracts more of the beach crowd and older residents that wouldn’t have travelled from Santa Monica to Abbot Kinney in the past. Events such as the Venice Art Walk have grown in popularity with “true artists” and creative persons. The lofts boast the availability for office and living space that the owners say echo SoHo living spaces.
“Essentially people from SM didn’t go all the way down to Abbot Kinney and vice versa,” said Kelley Coughlan, Dogtown Station media representative. “When they built the Dogtown Station that was completely on purpose.”
The complex originally opened in the beginning of 2009, but closed until October of that year due to the economic downturn. Asking prices have dropped this year, but still hover above $800,000 to start. Dogtown Station is currently occupied at more than half capacity with ten units still available.
KATHERINE PEACH
Mirror Staff Writerkatherine@smmirror.com
