Echelon Studios Will Open in Hollywood Early Next Year

The $450 million studio facility on Santa Monica Boulevard aims to revitalize local production capacity.

Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Commercial

Isometric editorial illustration of a steel studio structure under construction, featuring clean geometric shapes in deep teal and mustard, evoking urban development. — BARDAS Investment Group plans to open Echelon Studios in Hollywood in early 2027, a $450 million facility aimed at revitalizing local production. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Developer David Simon will open Echelon Studios Hollywood in early 2027. The 10-acre facility, built on a former 5-acre Sears site, features five soundstages and parking for over 1,000 cars.

Why it matters

The project seeks to bolster local content creation in response to recent production declines, with developers banking on expanded state and federal tax credits to incentivize future activity.

The $450 million facility utilizes a vertical design to stack five soundstages, parking, and support bungalows on a 5-acre footprint. Engineers implemented heavy soundproofing layers of concrete, drywall, and insulation to isolate the stages.

The players

David Simon

He is the founder of BARDAS Investment Group and the developer leading the Echelon Studios Hollywood project.

BARDAS Investment Group

This is a real estate development firm focused on entertainment industry infrastructure and studio facilities.

FilmLA

This is a private, non-profit organization that coordinates film permits and tracks production data for the Los Angeles region.

The details

Developed by BARDAS Investment Group, the studio complex occupies a site formerly home to a Sears store. The facility is designed to maximize limited urban space by vertically integrating its infrastructure.

1920s: Metro Pictures Corp. operated at the nearby Television Center site.
2018: David Simon founded his company.
Q2 2026: Film and TV production saw significant decreases in Los Angeles.
Late July 2026: FilmLA released reports on production declines.
Early 2027: Echelon Studios Hollywood is scheduled to open.

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Roadmap

This studio project follows the broader trend of high-cost redevelopment in Hollywood, exemplified by neighboring projects like the $600 million Television Center renovation and the $420 million Columbia Square complex. These investments prioritize modern, vertical studio designs to capture market share in an era of fluctuating regional production.

Residents may see long-term benefits in local employment as the studio incentivizes new production activity in the Hollywood area. The project's vertical design and high-capacity parking are intended to minimize traffic and noise congestion for the surrounding neighborhood.

The takeaway

The construction of Echelon Studios reflects a long-term bet that specialized, state-of-the-art infrastructure will draw production back to the city. Developers and investors are closely monitoring pending federal tax credits as a key catalyst for future industry growth.