After almost 100 years of operation the Radford Studio Center is due for a facelift and on Wednesday, Mayor Karen Bass and union leaders gathered to celebrate a labor agreement for a $1 billion makeover.
The remodel will transform one of Los Angeles’ oldest studio lots — which gave Studio City its name — into a cutting edge film and TV production facility ready to meet the demands of an evolving entertainment industry. At the same time, it will help ensure that valuable industry jobs remain in L.A.
“The film industry is one of our most important economic engines in the city, and so anything that we can do to strengthen that is what we need to do to strengthen our economy,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “The Radford Studio Center is going to create jobs, which means actors and producers — but also kept carpenters, caterers, painters, florists, electricians and others who keep our industry going.”
The labor agreement was signed between the Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council and Hackman Capital Partner, which owns and operates the Radford Studio Center. The center was established in 1928 and has been home to many beloved shows including “Gilligan’s Island,” “Seinfeld,” “Will & Grace,” and “That 70’s Show.”
“The project will invest a billion dollars which means millions of dollars in work for our members, and a union job in the building trades is a ticket to the middle class,” said Ernesto Medrano, executive secretary of the union. “We built the original Radford Studio Building, now we look forward to making this historic site even better.”
In 2022, Hackman Capital Partners also signed a separate agreement with the union for a renovation of Television City in the Fairfax District. Together, the modernization projects are expected to generate more than 6,000 union jobs and a combined $8 billion in economic output once complete.
They will also serve to address the dire shortage of available…
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