Hollywood & Highland mall gets new name as part of $100 million redevelopment
A shopping center in the heart of Hollywood, Calif., has officially changed its name.
Hollywood & Highland has changed its name to Ovation Hollywood. The new name comes just in time for The Academy Awards, set to broadcast live this Sunday, March 27, from The Dolby Theatre, directly next to Hollywood Ovation.
The shopping center, which is located at the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue, is home to the famed TCL Chinese Theatre and is steps from the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The name change is part of the $100 million dollar reimaging of the property announced by DJM and Gaw Capital in 2019. The two firms acquired the 463,000-sq.-ft. shopping center from CIM Group for an undisclosed amount in what they called “the single-asset retail transaction to take place outside of Manhattan in nearly three year
Along with this new name, DJM and Gaw Capital’s plans for Ovation Hollywood include major design improvements, an updated tenant mix, and an additional 100,000 sq. ft. of creative office space.
As part of the redevelopment, Ovation Hollywood’s courtyard will transform into an oasis-like park setting, with a focus on modern landscape architecture, updated seating areas, shade and public event venue. The updated façade of the courtyard’s tower arch, which frames the world-famous Hollywood Sign, now features a classic arch and an art deco-inspired radiant relief design to mimic the old Hollywood klieg lights with a new large-scale mural by local artist Geoff McFetridge. The artwork features McFetridge’s iconic people artwork standing in ovation, further celebrating the idea of the Hollywood dream, DJM said.
Construction at the center began in 2021, and so far has included demolition of the property’s Babylonian-themed central courtyard, including the removal of the elephant sculptures. Additional improvements that have taken place include updates to the parking garage, exterior painting, and refurbishment of the escalators and elevators around the property. Construction on the central courtyard and tower will be completed by the end of the month. Full renovations will be finished by the end of summer.
“Our goal was to create a place that reflected the optimism and celebration of all people here in Hollywood,” said Chad Cress, chief creative officer at DJM. “As guests from all over the world pass through the arch, we wanted to create a sense of inspiration and reflect what Hollywood means today.”
Apart from a new name and physical updates for Ovation Hollywood, DJM is working on a number of initiatives geared towards supporting public art programs at the property and engaging with the local Los Angeles community. In the months ahead, DJM will announce new retail, entertainment, and food and beverage businesses coming to Ovation Hollywood as tenants.