Building LA

Sam Pepper

A podcast about the buildings and projects shaping Los Angeles, featuring the key individuals driving them forward. Each episode of Building LA features a leading figure in the Los Angeles design, real estate and business sectors. We engage in discussion about the pivotal choices that propelled their professional journey, the driving forces that sustain their motivation, and the untold narratives underlying their most remarkable projects. Subscribe to be inspired by leaders within the real estate industry, learn about the projects impacting Los Angeles, and listen to the insider perspectives on how these projects came to be.

  1. Dan Meis: Everton FC’s Hill Dickinson Stadium, The Staples Center, and Building For The Fan Base

    12/18/2025

    Dan Meis: Everton FC’s Hill Dickinson Stadium, The Staples Center, and Building For The Fan Base

    Few architects ever achieve name recognition among the general public; fewer still become local heroes in northern English cities. Dan Meis, Managing/Design Partner at MEIS+ and SVP, Director of Global Sports Design at AECOM, is the exception. In this episode, I sit down with him to discuss the vision behind the new Everton football stadium and the unique challenge of designing venues that define entire cities. We begin in an unlikely place: Kansas City, Missouri. Dan explains how a quirk of architectural history, specifically the separation of baseball and football stadiums in the 1970s, turned this midwestern city into the global epicenter of sports architecture. But the heart of our conversation lies in Liverpool. Dan recounts his approach to the Everton project: Build a brick-and-steel bowl that honors the club's history. He also reflects on his unorthodox decision to engage directly with fans on social media, debating everything from seat capacity to sightlines—a gamble that ultimately paid off. From there, we pivot to Los Angeles, where Dan shares the origin story of the Staples Center (now Crypto.com Arena). He reveals how a study of the Disneyland model, namely the strategy of keeping visitors engaged outside the main attractions, directly inspired the creation of LA Live and transformed a commuter city’s downtown into a destination. Finally, we look at the future of Los Angeles. We touch on the tragedy of teams abandoning their home markets (in particular, The Chargers leaving San Diego) and discuss Dan’s vision for stadiums not just as a venue, but as public squares akin to the Palio di Siena. Episode Outline (02:53) Dan’s non-linear journey into Global Sports Design (06:48) Responding to the Everton FC design prompt and preserving the club's identity (20:19) The Staples Center and using the Disney model for LA Live (32:37) What Dan would change about the Staples Center today (36:00) The future of stadiums and optimism for LA Resources Mentioned Hill Dickinson Stadium Crypto.com Arena (formerly Staples Center) LA Live Goodison Park Guest Info Connect with Dan Meis on LinkedIn MEIS+ More From Building LA Visit the Building LA website Connect with Sam on LinkedIn Follow Building LA on LinkedIn Learn more about Lincoln Property Company Follow Lincoln Property Company on LinkedIn Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast represent the views of the individual speakers, interviewers, or guests alone,

    46 min
  2. Jake Heller: The AI Tools Reshaping Real Estate Development

    11/24/2025

    Jake Heller: The AI Tools Reshaping Real Estate Development

    For most real estate professionals, using AI might look like asking ChatGPT to tidy up grammar on an email, but that’s just scratching the surface of what’s possible. Jake Heller, co-founder of AI for CRE Collective, argues that the true utility of these tools lies in automating tedious tasks, freeing up valuable resources to build relationships and strategies that actually get deals across the finish line.  Jake is a third-generation builder navigating the complex realities of Los Angeles development. He’s experienced firsthand how AI tools have become a necessary partner for developers as expenses rise and rental growth stagnates. Crucially, we discuss the friction of AI adoption within large institutions and how successful integration doesn't mean forcing teams to learn entirely new software, but rather deploying tools that seamlessly fit into the workflows we already rely on. We also touch on the nuanced regulatory landscape of LA and how Jake is utilizing specific machine learning models to mitigate inefficiencies that usually kill deals. He details his personal toolkit, walking us through platforms like Gamma for instant investor decks and Endex AI that streamlines institutional-level underwriting.  Episode Outline (01:05) Creating a hub for AI and technology in real estate (05:39) LADWP, offsite improvements, and the "LA Regulatory Risk" (23:11) AI essentials: Gamma, Claude, Endex AI, and Shortcut AI (31:37) The implementation gap and the reality of data infrastructure  (34:53) Why prompt engineering is the new essential skill for analysts  (38:20) Will General Contractors benefit the most from AI?  (44:40) The roadmap for non-technical professionals to get started  Resources Mentioned AI for CRE Collective  Gamma - AI Deck Creator Endex AI - Excel AI Super Agent Shortcut AI - Excel AI Super Agent Claude - Large Language Model ChatGPT - Large Language Model Perplexity - AI Research Tool Manus - Autonomous AI Agent Guest Info Connect with Jake on LinkedIn  Learn more about AI for CRE Collective  More From Building LA  Visit the Building LA website Connect with Sam on LinkedIn Follow Building LA on LinkedIn Learn more about Lincoln Property Company Follow Lincoln Property Company on...

    53 min
  3. Nella McOsker: Central City Association’s 90-Day Plan to Revive DTLA

    11/11/2025

    Nella McOsker: Central City Association’s 90-Day Plan to Revive DTLA

    Downtown LA generates 30% of the city's business, parking, and transient occupancy tax revenues despite occupying just 1% of its land mass. Despite this, the neighborhood faces serious challenges: office vacancy rates have risen significantly, major convention bookings have been turned away for a decade, and the graffiti-covered Oceanwide towers remain a stark symbol of neglect. In this conversation, Nella McOsker, President & CEO of Central City Association (CCA), details CCA's "Revive DTLA" plan. This 90-day roadmap was developed with input from over 100 stakeholders ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses, homeless service providers, and cultural institutions. The plan outlines how DTLA can achieve the basics: concentrated foot patrols, consistent street cleaning, and prioritized implementation of existing programs like CARE Court and Inside Safe, all without requiring massive new funding. Nella also addresses the structural governance challenges that hinders progress, from LA's 15 council districts to the division of responsibilities between city and county. Plus, she highlights the practical solutions already showing results, including new bike patrols and foot beats announced shortly after the plan's release.  Episode Outline (03:07) Why Downtown LA's success is tied to the entire city's budget (05:24) Nella's background and path to leading CCA (08:34) CCA's mission and 300-member coalition (14:02) The convention center expansion: why it matters and what took so long (18:22) Oceanwide towers and the role of public-private partnership (25:36) Breaking down the four pillars of the Revive DTLA plan (36:00) Making the pitch for Downtown LA office space (39:41) What the private sector and city employees should be doing to support the success of DTLA (47:46) The overlooked power dynamics between city and county leadership Resources Mentioned Revive Downtown LA Plan Guest Info Connect with Nella on LinkedIn Visit CCA's website Follow CCA on LinkedIn More From Building LA  Visit the Building LA website Connect with Sam on LinkedIn Follow Building LA on LinkedIn Learn more about Lincoln Property Company Follow Lincoln Property Company on LinkedIn Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast represent the views of the individual speakers, interviewers, or guests alone, and do not necessarily reflect the official positions, views, or opinions of Lincoln Property Company or any of its affiliates.

    54 min
  4. Chris Torres and Eli Lipmen: Building LA's Olympic Legacy

    08/18/2025

    Chris Torres and Eli Lipmen: Building LA's Olympic Legacy

    Can LA still build things that serve everyday people? Chris Torres and Eli Lipmen think so, and their Festival Trail project is putting that belief to the test. Festival Trail is a bold 28-mile mobility and culture corridor connecting neighborhoods from Downtown through Inglewood. Chris, founder of Agency Artifact, brings urban design expertise, while Eli, Executive Director of Move LA, has a track record of passing transformative ballot measures worth $120 billion over 40 years. Their timing isn't coincidental. With 15 million Olympic tickets sold and LA's commitment to a "transit-first Olympics," the city faces what Chris calls "seven Super Bowls happening simultaneously every day for six weeks." The infrastructure challenge is massive, but so is the opportunity. What makes Festival Trail different is its opportunistic approach—following existing transportation corridors and activating projects already funded rather than starting from scratch. The plan includes 28 new resiliency hubs along the trail featuring large screens for Olympic viewing, food, music, and local culture. These become seeds for future development and community investment. The conversation reveals LA's fundamental challenge: a diffuse power structure where no single lever creates change. Instead of waiting for top-down coordination, Festival Trail builds on coalitions and momentum. The project also confronts LA's inequity head-on. Rather than concentrate investment in wealthy neighborhoods, Festival Trail intentionally follows corridors serving traditionally underserved communities. The goal isn't just throwing a party for the Olympics, but creating generational uplift and economic opportunity. Episode Outline (02:02) The spark that created Festival Trail from Olympic planning work (06:36) Why LA is the right place for these big infrastructure projects (12:17) What Festival Trail looks like on the ground (19:24) Who's actually in charge of moving 15 million Olympic ticket holders? (25:17) Building coalitions without centralized power structures (33:43) How Olympic investment typically fails communities (39:44) Lessons from passing $120 billion in ballot measures (42:19) The unintended consequences of Measure ULA on multifamily development (54:33) Why American cities no longer pencil—and what to do about it (1:04:52) Festival Trail milestones and how to get involved Resources Mentioned The Festival Trail  LA River Path Project  About Measure M  Zev's Los Angeles: From Boyle Heights to the Halls of Power by Zev Yaroslavsky  United to House LA (ULA)  The California Tomorrow Plan by Alfred Heller Guest Info Connect with Chris on LinkedIn  Learn more about Agency Artifact  Connect with Eli on LinkedIn  Learn more about Move...

    1h 14m
  5. Vishaan Chakrabarti: Is LA’s Future Dense or Doomed?

    07/14/2025

    Vishaan Chakrabarti: Is LA’s Future Dense or Doomed?

    Most architects spend their careers talking to other architects. Vishaan Chakrabarti, FAIA took a different path, and it's made him one of the most influential voices in urban planning today. From his role as Manhattan Director of Planning under Mayor Bloomberg to founding Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU), Vishaan has spent decades working across scales. His non-linear career path has given him a rare ability to speak different languages: government, development, academia, and design. In his latest book, "The Architecture of Urbanity," Vishaan argues that the abundance agenda isn't enough. Yes, we need to build more housing, but if most of what gets built is poor quality, communities will continue to fight development. The solution isn't just quantity—it's quality. The conversation takes on new urgency as we discuss the recent LA fires and what they reveal about sprawl, climate resilience, and the true cost of horizontal growth. Vishaan is direct: rebuilding exactly what was there is "suspended disbelief," and cities like LA need to confront difficult questions about density and fire buffers. From Singapore's world-class infrastructure to Paris’s reduction in car dependency, Vishaan shares lessons from cities that are getting urbanism right. These examples prove that investing in quality development and density creates virtuous cycles. More tax revenue funds better transit, housing, and public services. For cities like LA facing housing shortages and climate crisis, the path forward isn't choosing between growth and quality, but rather investing in both simultaneously. Episode Outline (04:33) Vishaan’s early influences and unconventional path to architecture  (11:36) Takeaways from the Bloomberg administration  (16:24) Why the commodity approach to housing development creates community resistance (25:34) Cities becoming self-sufficient as federal funding disappears (36:07) LA's infrastructure challenges and cultural barriers to gentle density (48:41) Mayor for a day: How Vishaan would approach zoning in LA  (50:42) Notes from Singapore, Tokyo, Venice, Vienna, and Paris Resources Mentioned The Architecture of Urbanity  A Country of Cities NYT Article: The Big City Where Housing Is Still Affordable  Movie: Perfect Days Palisades Architect with Fire Resistant Home: ABC7  Guest Info Connect with Vishaan on LinkedIn  Follow PAU on LinkedIn More From Building LA  a...

    1h 7m
  6. Spencer Kallick: Is The CEQA Rollback Enough?

    07/09/2025

    Spencer Kallick: Is The CEQA Rollback Enough?

    Governor Newsom recently signed a significant rollback to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), creating a new statutory exemption for urban infill housing projects, effective immediately. Spencer Kallick, a land use attorney who's guided everyone from Blackstone to AvalonBay through California's regulatory maze, breaks down what this actually means for developers reassessing their pipelines. It's not the free-for-all some headlines make it out to be, but it is a major shift for urban infill housing development. Cities still have discretion and the need for a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment and tribal consultation remains. But traffic studies and air quality analyses have gotten significantly easier to navigate. Spencer walks through the fine print: projects under 85 feet avoid prevailing wage requirements, sites up to 20 acres qualify, and residential density has to be at least 50% of the minimum density in that jurisdiction. The catch is it only works if you're building on land already zoned for residential use and staying within existing height limits. High-rise towers on industrial land still need full CEQA review. The conversation digs into the political motivation behind this decision and why Governor Newsom is now championing CEQA reform when it was considered untouchable just years ago. The result is a gradual, but accelerating shift toward abundance policies that Democrats hope will demonstrate they can actually get things done. Spencer also reveals the practical challenges ahead: planning departments are understaffed and unprepared for immediate implementation, some provisions won't take effect until 2026, and environmental groups are considering lawsuits. But, he's optimistic that momentum is building if construction costs moderate and capital markets improve.  Episode Outline (02:21) Why CEQA reform is happening now  (11:25) Details of the urban infill statutory exemption requirements (22:49) Understaffed planning departments struggling with immediate implementation (28:13) Delayed provisions and political vulnerability of the new law (30:15) Is this the beginning of broader CEQA reform?  (33:44) Development pipeline outlook and LA's building future  Resources Mentioned NYT Article: California Rolls Back Its Landmark Environmental Law Guest Info Connect with Spencer on LinkedIn  More From Building LA  Visit the Building LA website Connect with Sam on LinkedIn Follow Building LA on LinkedIn Learn more about Lincoln Property Company Follow Lincoln Property Company on LinkedIn Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast represent the views of the individual speakers, interviewers, or guests alone, and do not necessarily reflect the official positions, views, or opinions of Lincoln Property Company or any of its affiliates.

    39 min
  7. Jessica Lall and Carl Muhlstein: Real Estate Leaders as Civic Leaders

    06/26/2025

    Jessica Lall and Carl Muhlstein: Real Estate Leaders as Civic Leaders

    What's holding LA back from reaching its potential? Jessica Lall, Managing Director of CBRE's DTLA office, and Carl Muhlstein, a veteran LA commercial real estate advisor, have a few ideas.  When Jessica ran for mayor in 2021, she discovered the harsh reality that candidates often spend more time fundraising than working on policy. Carl has witnessed the same cycle of problems for decades. Both see the disconnect between what Angelenos need and what actually gets built. Why are $500M downtown buildings selling for $150M? Why is the entertainment industry not-so-quietly leaving? And what are we going to do about the graffiti-covered tower that threatens to be the backdrop of the 2028 Olympics? Jessica and Carl are honest about LA's challenges, but they also see opportunities others are missing. From residential conversion to Century City's post-COVID success, they highlight the incredible potential of open collaboration between politicians, developers, and other stakeholders.  The conversation also covers recent legislation like the Hotel Workers Minimum Wage Ordinance and what it means for the hospitality industry long-term. Plus, they share their thoughts on emerging neighborhoods and their favorite LA buildings, offering a hopeful vision for the future of Los Angeles. Episode Outline (04:01) The politics of planning vs. systemic fragmentation (06:08) Jessica's decision to run for mayor and lessons learned about campaigning (10:06) Should real estate leaders be civic leaders?  (16:51) The perception problem facing developers and misaligned policy goals (20:16) The simple way to solve communication breakdowns between business and government (30:50) How the Hotel Workers Minimum Wage Ordinance impacts hospitality  (33:23) What Downtown LA can learn from Century City (42:09) The future of Downtown LA and the role of the 2028 Olympics (54:37) What the entertainment exodus reveals about LA's competitiveness problem (1:00:07) Neighborhoods on the rise and favorite LA spots Resources Mentioned Atomic Habits by James Clear  Settecento  Guest Info Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn  Connect with Carl on LinkedIn  More From Building LA  Visit the Building LA website Connect with Sam on LinkedIn Follow Building LA on LinkedIn Learn more about Lincoln Property Company Follow Lincoln Property Company on LinkedIn Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast represent the views of the individual speakers, interviewers, or guests alone, and do not necessarily reflect the official positions, views, or opinions of Lincoln Property Company or any of its affiliates.

    1h 4m

  8. TRAILER

    Introducing Building LA Season 2

    Building LA is back for season two with a fresh lineup of stories about the forces shaping the city from the ground up. This season, we're looking at how Los Angeles is being remade by architects and planners, developers and public officials, and what those changes say about where the city is headed. Each episode dives into the big ideas transforming LA's physical fabric and the people behind the projects, redefining what this city can be. Season two is sponsored by Lincoln Property Company, an international real estate firm with deep local roots and a 60-year legacy of building what matters. Whether you're a developer, architect, broker, or just curious about how LA is being designed and constructed, subscribe now on your favorite podcast platform. Tune in to hear from the leaders shaping the city's future and the new perspectives pushing LA forward. Building LA S2: Stories about the city in motion and what it takes to build a better one. Follow Us: Visit the Building LA websiteConnect with Sam on LinkedInLearn more about Lincoln Property CompanyFollow Lincoln Property Company on LinkedIn Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast represent the views of the individual speakers, interviewers, or guests alone, and do not necessarily reflect the official positions, views, or opinions of Lincoln Property Company or any of its affiliates.

    1 min
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Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
17 Ratings

About

A podcast about the buildings and projects shaping Los Angeles, featuring the key individuals driving them forward. Each episode of Building LA features a leading figure in the Los Angeles design, real estate and business sectors. We engage in discussion about the pivotal choices that propelled their professional journey, the driving forces that sustain their motivation, and the untold narratives underlying their most remarkable projects. Subscribe to be inspired by leaders within the real estate industry, learn about the projects impacting Los Angeles, and listen to the insider perspectives on how these projects came to be.

Information

  • Creator
    Sam Pepper
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Sam Pepper
  • Show Website
    Building LA

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