A new film and television production studio is nearing completion in Hollywood amid a period of industry contraction and shifting production patterns. Echelon Studios Hollywood, a $450 million development led by real estate developer David Simon, is designed as a compact, state-of-the-art facility on a five-acre site along Santa Monica Boulevard, west of the Hollywood Freeway. The studio is expected to open early next year.
Simon, who acquired the property by demolishing a former Sears store, is banking on Hollywood’s enduring appeal despite recent declines in local production activity. According to industry data cited in July, feature film shoots in Southern California fell 20% in the second quarter compared with the previous year, while television production dropped 30%. This slump reflects broader trends, including smaller project slates, competition from established film hubs outside California, and cost advantages elsewhere.
Nonetheless, Simon remains optimistic about Hollywood’s future as a production center. “Everybody I talk to in this industry would like nothing more than to stay home and film in L.A.,” he said. He also cited expanded state tax credits and an anticipated 20% federal tax credit for filming as incentives likely to help draw more projects back to the region.
Echelon Studios Hollywood aims to distinguish itself through a design strategy that maximizes the use of limited space: five soundstages and associated support facilities are stacked vertically within a single building rather than spread across traditional sprawling studio lots. Architect Andrew Wright of RIOS described the challenge of fitting a 10-acre studio’s worth of amenities onto a half-sized site, noting the facility is “crammed as tight as it can possibly go.”
The studio will include mill workshops for set construction, office and production support spaces, screening rooms, cafes, and parking for over 1,000 vehicles located beneath the soundstages. Extensive soundproofing measures—incorporating insulation, drywall, and thick concrete layers—have been implemented to mitigate noise and vibrations from the underground parking area, which posed a significant engineering challenge.
Notably, the top level will feature a cluster of landscaped bungalows offering panoramic views of the Hollywood Sign, Griffith Observatory, downtown Los Angeles, and surrounding hills. These bungalows are intended to evoke the classic Hollywood studio environment, historically valued as private offices and dressing rooms for talent and production teams. “People fell in love with them, and so they became the premier real estate on the lot,” Wright said.
Jamie Crosbie, a film and television executive appointed to lead studio operations, acknowledged the end of an era marked by streaming platforms’ lavish spending but remains encouraged by the potential for renewed creative and economic growth in entertainment. “This recalibration has cleared the landscape a little bit,” Crosbie said. “I think we’re on the precipice of a real renaissance… because we need entertainment.”
Echelon Studios Hollywood is part of a broader portfolio of media-related projects developed by Simon’s BARDAS Investment Group. The company also manages offices and facilities serving the media and technology sectors, including PUMA Studio LA, and is planning a $600 million renovation of the historic Echelon at Television Center nearby. The Television Center site has roots dating back to the early days of Hollywood film production under Metro Pictures.
Simon’s previous work includes overseeing major redevelopments such as Columbia Square, the former CBS headquarters, and the On Vine project, which transformed the former Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences site. He emphasized that Hollywood’s significance transcends its physical location, describing it as “the greatest brand in the world” and underscoring his commitment to preserving the area’s status as a global entertainment hub.
Potential tenants are already visiting the still-under-construction facility to explore leasing opportunities, signaling early industry interest in the project despite current uncertainties. The development reflects a bet on the resilience of Hollywood’s production ecosystem amid evolving economic and technological landscapes.