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Hollywood & Highland facts for kids
The center's entrance
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| Location | Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States |
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| Coordinates | 34°06′08.5″N 118°20′22″W / 34.102361°N 118.33944°W |
| Address | 6801 Hollywood Boulevard |
| Opening date | November 9, 2001 |
| Developer | The Hahn Company |
| Owner | DJM and Gaw Capitol |
| Architect | Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn Architects |
| No. of stores and services | 60 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 1 (Dolby Theatre) |
| Total retail floor area | 640,000 sq ft (59,000 m2) |
| No. of floors | 5 (retail) |
| Parking | On-street, parking garage |
| Public transit access |   Hollywood/Highland |
Hollywood & Highland is a huge shopping and entertainment spot in Hollywood, Los Angeles. It sits right at Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue. This big center is home to the famous TCL Chinese Theatre and the Dolby Theatre. The Dolby Theatre is where the exciting Academy Awards (the Oscars!) are held every year.
This popular place is built on the land where the old Hollywood Hotel used to be. It's located right on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, making it a top spot for tourists visiting Los Angeles.
From the complex, you can see amazing views of the Hollywood Hills and the famous Hollywood Sign. The main part of the center is a giant three-story courtyard. Its design was inspired by a scene from the old movie Intolerance. The builders even made huge arches and pillars with elephant statues, just like in the movie! This helps visitors imagine how big the original movie set was.
The center has over 70 shops and 25 restaurants. Some well-known stores you'll find here include American Eagle Outfitters, Forever 21, and Sephora. There's also a Lucky Strike Lanes bowling alley, a movie theater with six screens, and a nightclub. Hollywood & Highland also has large spaces for events, like the Grand Ballroom, which is used for the Oscars Governors Ball. Even famous chef Wolfgang Puck has his main office here.
A big hotel, the 637-room Loews Hollywood Hotel, is also part of the complex. Plus, a subway station, the Metro B Line station, is right underneath the building. Many bus lines also stop nearby, making it easy to get to.
Contents
A Look at the Past
What Was Here Before?
The land where Hollywood & Highland now stands was once home to the Hollywood Hotel. This hotel opened in 1902 and was a popular place for many celebrities to stay in Hollywood's early days. The hotel was torn down in 1956. Later, a twelve-story building called the First Federal Building, along with some shops and parking lots, took its place until 1998.
Building the Center
How Hollywood & Highland Was Built
Hollywood & Highland was built by a company called TrizecHahn. It opened in November 2001 after three years of construction. Building this center was a big part of a plan to make Hollywood Boulevard a lively and exciting place again.
The project was a special kind of partnership. A public agency allowed the company to build on the land. In return, the company made improvements, like a better entrance to the Hollywood/Highland subway station and a huge underground parking lot with 3,000 spaces.
Changes and New Owners
In 2004, the original builders sold their part of the center for over $200 million. The new owners, CIM Group, made some changes. They brought in more fancy stores and updated the center. In 2005, they added new features like escalators that take visitors directly from Hollywood Boulevard to the third floor of the main courtyard. They also put up new signs and opened new stores.
More recently, in 2019, two new companies, DJM Capital Partners, Inc. and Gaw Capital, bought the mall for $325 million. They plan to make big changes and give it a new name: "Ovation." They will update the shops and courtyard, add office spaces, and remove the old Babylon-themed decorations. These renovations are expected to finish by 2021.
Its Big Impact
How the Center Changed Hollywood
Hollywood & Highland has helped bring new life and development to other parts of Hollywood Boulevard. Other buildings nearby have been updated, attracting new shops and restaurants like American Apparel and Hooters. Other big clothing stores like H&M and Zara have also opened on the Boulevard.
The sidewalk in front of Hollywood & Highland is a very special spot for new stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Because it's such a popular place, some stars are even "doubled up" to fit more famous names in front of the center.
Oscar Statues on Display
Since 2005, the actual Academy Awards statuettes (the Oscar trophies!) have been put on display at Hollywood & Highland before the big ceremony. Visitors can take pictures with a giant Oscar prop and learn about the history of the awards. They can even get their picture taken holding a real Oscar statuette! This became very popular, so it's now a yearly tradition.
See also
In Spanish: Hollywood and Highland para niños