As a result of increased demand for film and television content, nine new sound stages, updated production facilities and a 24-story media campus are projected as part of a $1.5 billion expansion of Fox Studios in Century City, it was announced this week.
Nearly 100 years since filming began on the lot, the new Fox Corporation is seeking to create a “studio of the future” that could generate nearly 8,800 jobs in Los Angeles County, the company said.
“The Fox Studio Lot is one of the most iconic and treasured production locations in the history of entertainment and is a rich part of our history,” Lachlan Murdoch, executive chair and CEO of Fox Corp., said in a press release. “The Fox Future project represents a long-term commitment to our industry, to our community and to the city of Los Angeles.”
Calling the project “a historic investment in support of both the entertainment industry and Los Angeles’ Century City business community,” Fox said plans include new multi-media sound stages as well as post-production facilities, and media campus offices on the lot along Olympic Boulevard “to respond to changing technologies and increased demand” in film and television production.
An exterior set on the Fox Studios Lot in Century City. Photo: Fox
The project — which is at the start of the county’s approval process — would also create new office space in Century City with a green-certified office building along Avenue of the Stars, according to Fox.
The corporation said it hopes to maintain thousands of existing jobs by helping to curb runaway production and create new work opportunities throughout the region. Fox estimates that the expansion would generate about $9 million in annual tax revenue to the city of Los Angeles to help fund public services such as libraries, parks, police and fire services.
The entertainment corporation also said it predicts over $20 million in anticipated Transportation Improvement and Mitigation Fees which focus on West Los Angeles-specific improvements and support the anticipated Metro D-Line when it opens to Century City in 2025.
Fox also announced that it could seek a development partner to transform the northeast portion of the 53-acre lot along Avenue of the Stars into a state-of-the-art building with 35 floors of office space above seven floors of parking.
Along with new construction, the studio says it has developed an updated historic preservation plan that relocates key buildings on the lot and “ensures the architectural character” of the site is maintained.
Similar overhauls were recently announced for Radford Studio Center, a television and film complex located in Studio City.
Also, ground was broken last year on the first phase of Sylmar Studios, a 300,000-square-foot, 12-stage production facility in the San Fernando Valley.
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In February 2021, the owners of CBS Television City announced a $1.25 billion expansion and improvement of the historic production facility —growing the number of sound stages to a minimum of 15, up from eight, as well as adding new production office space and support facilities.
In October 2021, it was announced that Warner Bros.’ historic Ranch Lot will be redeveloped to include 16 sound stages in what the new owners said will be the largest studio development in the U.S.
With the addition of 16 new sound stages, the Burbank facility will offer 56 sound stages to support WarnerMedia’s production activity in Los Angeles, once it takes occupancy of the ranch in 2025.