The City of Los Angeles is preparing to release a request for proposals for the disposition and redevelopment of the James K. Hill and Sons Pickle Works Building, located at 1001 E. 1st Street in the northern Arts District.

Built in 1888, the Victorian-era brick industrial building has been under the control of Caltrans and the City of Los Angeles since 2007, when it was acquired to facilitate the widening of the 1st Street Viaduct.  Its assessed value is estimated at $7.75 million as of November 2016.

Situated within the booming Arts District, the two-story building is considered a strong candidate for adaptive reuse, but presents several obstacles.  Potential difficulties include high costs for mitigating Pickle Works' structural deficiencies, bringing the building to code compliance, rebuilding the southern facade while maintaining its historic exterior and providing parking.  A responded to the RFP would also be expected to provide community benefits through the project.

The RFP, which will be sent to developers with "expertise in historic renovation and adaptive reuse," is expected to be released sometime in Spring, with responses potentially due in Summer 2017.

The City Council will vote on the item at its meeting on April 21.

A mixed-use complex with 430 residential units and 8,700 square feet of retail space is planned immediately north of the Pickle Works building by Atlas Capital Group.