Real estate is often less about what is and more about what has been and can be. No one understands that better than Skylight, a female-founded company revitalizing historic locations and transforming them into modern destinations. In the words of CEO Stephanie Blake, the ethos of Skylight is to perfect “the art of gathering.”
Skylight has a growing, global portfolio of venues across New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. On the West Coast, ROW DTLA is the first of Skylight’s Los Angeles locations. “It’s really traditional to think about an event space as four walls and a ceiling,” Blake said of the 32-acre venue, while in conversation with CULTURED Editor-in-Chief Sarah Harrelson. “When we think of a venue, it’s not one space, it’s really a district.” ROW DTLA occupies the former LA Terminal Market and offers a wide variety of activation spaces, from open lots and skyline-facing rooftops to terraces and plazas. Each harkens back to the district’s 100-year history without feeling beholden to it.
“Going into vacant, underutilized space, you can’t predict how it’s going to be used,” admitted Blake, “but you work with a vision around the possibility and you really do reference the history and the soul of a neighborhood. Even if it’s a new development, there’s always something that came before you on that land. You bring that story to the forefront and then offer that up to have an activation.”
So far, ROW DTLA has been home to Seth Rogen’s Hilarity For Charity, Netflix activations, an Amazon film premiere, and a Billie Eilish experience, among other festivities. “I think that’s the future of real estate: experience-driven,” said Blake. “What does it make you feel? Why are you there? It can’t be purely for the transaction. It’s the experience that makes you go back again.”
The company’s other LA spot on Rio Street is a massive 1979 garment factory located in Downtown LA. Unlike ROW, which is known for its outdoor experiences, the value of Rio Street lies in its striking interiors. The continuous space spans 52,000 square feet with ceilings that reach heights of 29 feet. Several points of entry make it easy to coordinate guest flow, and with ample opportunity to configure the building’s layout, Rio Street is a simple canvas that is as flexible as it is inspiring.
“I think that’s the future of real estate: experience-driven. What does it make you feel? Why are you there? It can't be purely for the transaction. It's the experience that makes you go back again.”
Stephanie Blake
Blake confessed, “As a result of Covid, there’s a question mark of what is the future of downtown?” With it’s expanding investments in the area, Skylight is hoping to lead a reinvigoration of and movement toward underappreciated neighborhoods.
“I see a seismic shift happening in the built environment and the real estate landscape because all of a sudden it’s not a landlord’s game—it’s a tenant’s game,” explained Blake. “It used to be build, [then] they will come and sign a 20-year lease. That’s not the case anymore. Everyone in the real estate industry is talking about hospitality without really knowing what that means. They’re looking to the industries that provide great experiences as a way to shift how they might interact with their own tenants.”
Since its launch, WhiskeyX has already tapped Skylight Rio Street for a packed tasting event. “This goes back to our philosophy around pioneering new districts and new environments and being the first to take that leap,” said Blake. “Rio is in an area that’s still very underused at the moment. We are using it as a calling card to say, Hey, we’re putting down roots here.”
This practice extends to Skylight’s San Francisco venues, which range from a refurbished shipyard warehouse to a sprawling vineyard. The Cube & The Town Hall, located in the Financial District, is a city block-spanning venue complete with several bank vaults and an auditorium. Over in the Mission District, Skylight at The Armory, previously known as the “Madison Square Garden of the West,” is built out of a 1912 former National Guard outpost.
“There is so much unrealized space,” noted Blake, “so how might we repurpose that again to be fertile ground for artists? Artists … create the vibrancy, tell the story, provide the integrity of a neighborhood that actually does create the value that others want to participate in.” While many in the industry are chasing unused acreage or new developments, Skylight is committed to building on and reinvigorating a city’s existing strengths.
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