You have to look up to see the stars, and in Downtown Los Angeles, the place to look up to is The Ritz-Carlton Residences at L.A. LIVE, home to some of the biggest stars in professional sports, entertainment and business.
A recent feature in the Wall Street Journal puts the spotlight on the ever-growing notable “Roster at the Ritz,” as more and more athletes, executives and celebrities opt for 5-star living in the heart of Downtown LA’s sports and entertainment district over traditional star-studded neighborhoods such as Beverly Hills and the Hollywood Hills.
“Since the Ritz was opened by developer AEG two years ago, it has become popular with buyers from the sports world in large part because of its proximity to the city’s major arenas, including the STAPLES Center next door and Dodger Stadium, a 10-minute drive away,” notes WSJ’s Lauren Schuker Blum. “The Home Depot Center, where the Galaxy plays, is about 20 minutes away.”
“Meanwhile, downtown Los Angeles … has flourished over the last five years, with a spate of new restaurants, retail stores, night spots and art galleries springing up.”
One of the newest residents at The Ritz-Carlton is L.A. Dodger’s pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu, who recently purchased a 2,125 square-foot, 2-bedroom plus-den residence on the northwest corner of the building.
“It’s a great location, close to the stadium, close to Koreatown and in the middle of everything,” said Ryu, when asked why he chose The Ritz-Carlton. “I feel comfortable here. And I know it’s safe. I didn’t think I was ready to buy a house, because there is so much to take care of.”
Ryu isn’t the only member of the Blue Crew who calls The Ritz-Carlton home. So does J.P. Howell and Carl Crawford. Soccer star Landon Donovan is also a homeowner there, as is film producer/activist Steve Bing, Coachella founder Paul Tollett, and Jesse Buss, current director of scouting for the LA Lakers and son of the late Jerry Buss.
Blum points out that in addition to the increasing number of professional athletes purchasing homes at The Ritz-Carlton, a large number of buyers are local residents from Southern California, including many who are sports fans that regularly attend games at the STAPLES Center. Sharon Hernandez and her husband, for example, attend a sporting event almost every night and now split their time between their home in Huntington Beach and The Ritz-Carlton Residences at L.A. LIVE.
“We are sports fanatics so we love that everyone in the building is totally sports-oriented,” Ms. Hernandez tells the WSJ. “All of our neighbors have seats next to us at the games, so we’ll go to see the Lakers together at night and then talk about the game at breakfast.”
Stay tune to The Agency Daily as we begin our spotlight series on the fascinating and successful people who call The Ritz-Carlton Residences at L.A. LIVE.
Read the full article about “The Roster at the Ritz” here.
To learn more about The Ritz-Carlton Residences at L.A. LIVE, go here.
