“What’s Up, Downtown?” with Hal Bastian (2015) is a
brand-new broadcast series about the rebirth of Downtown Los Angeles. Hal’s aim is to tell the positive stories
of today’s Downtown in an ongoing series seen regularly
throughout the year.
The series will visit a wide range of subjects from exploring small shops to large-scale developments, cultural
festivals, nightclubs, and special events. From Chinatown to the Old Bank District to LA LIVE, the possibilities
are endless!
“What’s Up, Downtown?” is produced by Ryan Morris,
who for eight years worked alongside Huell Howser, host
of PBS’s “California’s Gold.” The segments are hosted by
Hal Bastian, a familiar face in Downtown who has been
a leader in the Downtown Los Angeles Renaissance for
over 20 years.
Bastian explains, “For many in Los Angeles and beyond,
Downtown is still a distant and unknown place. Our mission is, quite simply, to be the first in telling the expansive
stories of Downtown’s many different neighborhoods.”
Hal Bastian, President & CEO of Hal Bastian Inc., is a
33-year-long commercial real estate expert who has
spent the last 20 years helping to create the Downtown
Los Angeles (DTLA) Renaissance.
On October 1, 2014, Hal founded his own consulting
practice dedicated to building an even better DTLA, and
is also focused on helping other downtown communities
to use the best practices in their city centers that he has
developed for DTLA.
As a consult ant, Hal expertly provides many services
including: introductions, referrals to vendors and professionals; networking opportunities and strategic partnerships; underwriting and development advice; VIP,
large-group, market-overview and underwriting tours;
and venue recommendations for special events.
units, including both traditional and loft-style apartments
and condominiums; creating and leading tours and producing special events that helped recruit over 35,000
new residents; recruiting over 300 new businesses, including Ralphs Fresh Fare, Bottega Louie, Whole Foods
and Urban Outfitters; producing three special events in
New York City targeting the investment bank community
to encourage investment in DTLA developments, including both residential and commercial projects; serving on
the Downtown Neighborhood Council; and advocating
for the community.
Hal began his career as an office space and retail broker
at Julien J. Studley, Inc., entered the DTLA marketplace
as a retail broker for Cushman & Wakefield and just prior
to being recruited to the DCBID, Hal served as the leasing director of The Old Bank District, the first adaptive
reuse project in DTLA that converted historic office buildings into loft-style apartments.
In his role at the Old Bank District, Hal created a “dog
friendly” community with the help of his Golden Retriever, “Buddy,” ultimately resulting in the thousands of fourlegged friends who can now be seen with their humans
walking the vital and alive streets of DTLA’s many neighborhoods.
It’s “a natural” for Hal to host a program like this! DTLA
LIFE is proud to call Hal a friend and an amazing partner.
In the first episode of “What’s Up, Downtown?” Hal introduces us to the wonderful team behind the Wilshire
Grand Center which, at 73 stories, will be the tallest
skyscraper between Chicago and Taipei when it opens
in 2017. Then, owner Adele Yellin gives us a tour of
the Grand Central Market, a downtown landmark since
1917 which is undergoing its very own rebirth. Finally,
we see how The Ratkovich Company has been transforming Macy’s Plaza, once dubbed the “fortress on 7th
street,” into a spectacular open-air shopping center and
office space renamed The Bloc.
From December of 2001 to September of 2014, Hal
served as the Director of Economic Development for the
Downtown Center Business Improvement District (DCBID) and rose to become its Executive Vice President.
In his role at the DCBID, Hal directly recruited and/
or facilitated the recruitment of office users, retailers,
restaurants, bars, nightclubs, amenities, developers, investors, equity and residents to DTLA by building confidence in the marketplace, and is referred to by many as
“Mr. Downtown” and/or the “Mayor of Downtown.” He
knows over 10,000 people in DTLA!
Check out the first episode of “What’s up Downtown?
with Hal Bastian at www.halbastian.com or at www.
laloftsrealty.com
His accomplishments at the DCBID were many, including:
helping to facilitate the building of over 22,000 housing
WHAT’S UP DOWNTOWN? With HAL BASTIAN
WWW.HALBASTIAN.COM