The Bloc

The Bloc is an open-air mixed-use shopping center in the Financial District of downtown Los Angeles, California. Located at 700 South Flower Street, the complex connects the city's financial, fashion, jewelry, and theater districts with the 7th Street/Metro Center station, which serves as a major Los Angeles Metro interchange. Its tenant mix has included retail stores, restaurants, fitness facilities, entertainment venues, offices, and a hotel. The property opened on November 18, 1973, as Broadway Plaza. Developed by Ogden Development under architect Charles Luckman, the original $65 million complex was designed as a downtown counterpart to the enclosed suburban shopping center. It combined a three-story flagship Broadway department store with a 32-story office tower, a 24-story hotel, a six-level parking structure, an underground food court, and smaller retail units. The development was promoted as a large-scale urban megastructure and was unusual for its time in placing an enclosed shopping mall within a central business district. The center was renamed Macy's Plaza in 1996 after Federated Department Stores acquired The Broadway and converted its stores to the Macy's brand. During the Macy's Plaza period, the complex retained its department-store anchor while hosting a range of smaller retailers and services. The adjacent hotel was renamed Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown in 2005, and the fitness facility occupying the former sporting-goods space became an LA Fitness location in 2012. Ratkovich acquired the property in 2013 and pursued a substantial redevelopment intended to replace the fortress-like enclosed mall with a more permeable indoor-outdoor environment. Much of the retail area closed in early 2015 while the conversion took place. The former Macy's Plaza identity was replaced by The Bloc, and the large glass roof over the central area was removed, opening the atrium to the sky. The redevelopment emphasized walkability, public circulation, food and beverage, entertainment, and connections to transit. The Bloc opened in October 2015 with a tenant mix that included Macy's, LA Fitness, GNC, restaurants, Starbucks, and the first Los Angeles location of Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. The property also featured a direct entrance to the Metro station, a connection planned when the rail infrastructure was built beneath Flower Street. The center subsequently added brands and venues including UNIQLO, Nordstrom Local, and a variety of food and beverage operators. It has also hosted temporary retail and food concepts, helping position the property as an events-oriented downtown destination rather than solely a conventional enclosed mall. The complex includes the Sheraton Grand Los Angeles hotel, renamed after a 2016 renovation, as well as office space and structured parking. A 53-story residential tower was proposed above the parking podium in 2021, although the available reference material does not establish that the project was completed. Macy's closed its approximately 250,000-square-foot store at The Bloc on March 9, 2025. The former department-store space is planned for reuse by Ballers, a social club centered on racquet sports. The Bloc therefore remains an active urban retail and mixed-use property whose identity has evolved from department-store-centered enclosed mall to open-air downtown gathering place.

The Bloc originated as Broadway Plaza, a major downtown Los Angeles development that opened on November 18, 1973. Designed by architect Charles Luckman and developed by Ogden Development, the project was financed with $65 million from Prudential Insurance Company of America. Its original program combined a three-story flagship store for The Broadway department-store chain, a 32-story office tower, a 24-story Hyatt Regency hotel, a six-level parking garage with approximately 1,550 spaces, an underground food court, and smaller retail shops. The development was presented as a megastructure and as an early example of an enclosed, suburban-style shopping center located in a downtown setting. The shopping center's identity changed in 1996 after Federated Department Stores acquired The Broadway and converted its stores to Macy's. The property consequently became Macy's Plaza. The hotel changed names in 2005, becoming the Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown, while the former Oshman's Sporting Goods space later became a Bally Total Fitness facility and then an LA Fitness location in 2012. In 2013, Ratkovich acquired Macy's Plaza and began planning a major physical and commercial transformation. The original building's enclosed, fortress-like character was considered outdated, so the redevelopment aimed to create a more open and walkable environment. Most stores closed in early 2015, although Macy's, the hotel, and LA Fitness remained operating during portions of the work. The project removed the large glass atrium roof and relocated some services, including LA Fitness and the United States Postal Service branch, to street-level space. Several longtime tenants left, with some moving to the nearby FIGat7th outdoor shopping center. The redeveloped property opened as The Bloc in October 2015. Its new format combined open-air public space with retail, restaurants, entertainment, offices, hospitality, and transit access. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema became a notable early tenant, and the center also introduced a Starbucks Evenings concept that served alcoholic beverages. Other early or subsequent tenants included Macy's, GNC, LA Fitness, restaurants, cafes, UNIQLO, and Nordstrom Local. The property also hosted temporary concepts and pop-up operators, including food, beverage, and specialty retail participants. The Bloc's direct entrance to the 7th Street/Metro Center station became a central part of its identity. The connection had been anticipated when the rail line was constructed beneath Flower Street in 1989 and helped make the property a link between several downtown districts. The adjacent hotel underwent renovation and was renamed the Sheraton Grand Los Angeles in 2016. The property continued to evolve after its reopening. A 53-story residential tower, reportedly measuring 710 feet, was proposed above the parking podium in 2021, but the supplied material does not establish whether the proposal advanced to construction. Macy's closed its roughly 250,000-square-foot store at The Bloc on March 9, 2025. The space is intended to be replaced by Ballers, a social club focused on racquet sports. The Bloc remains an active downtown mixed-use destination, although its tenant roster and future development program continue to change.

• 2025

  Macy's closes

  [1]The Blocen.wikipedia.org

  The Macy's anchor store closes on March 9, 2025, with the space planned for a Ballers social club.

• 2021

  Residential tower proposed

  [1]The Blocen.wikipedia.org

  A proposal calls for a 53-story residential tower above the parking podium; completion is not established in the supplied material.

• 2018

  UNIQLO opens

  [1]The Blocen.wikipedia.org

  UNIQLO joins the center's retail lineup.

• 2016

  Hotel renamed Sheraton Grand Los Angeles

  [1]The Blocen.wikipedia.org

  After renovation, the adjacent Sheraton property adopts the Sheraton Grand Los Angeles name.

• 2015

  The Bloc opens

  [1]The Blocen.wikipedia.org

  The redeveloped open-air center opens in October, retaining selected anchors while introducing new retail, dining, entertainment, and transit-oriented features.

• 2013

  Ratkovich acquisition and redevelopment plan

  [1]The Blocen.wikipedia.org

  Ratkovich acquires Macy's Plaza and announces a plan to convert the enclosed center into a more open urban destination.

• 2005

  Hotel becomes Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown

  [1]The Blocen.wikipedia.org

  The adjacent Hyatt Regency is renamed Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown.

• 1996

  Renamed Macy's Plaza

  [1]The Blocen.wikipedia.org

  The property changes its name after The Broadway stores are converted to Macy's.

• 1973

  Broadway Plaza opens

  [1]The Blocen.wikipedia.org

  The original complex opens on November 18 with The Broadway department store, offices, a hotel, parking, food service, and smaller retail units.

A transit-connected, walkable, mixed-use downtown destination combining retail, dining, entertainment, hospitality, offices, and public outdoor space.

• Shopping center · 2015

  Open-air retail center

  The Bloc's core offering is an open-air downtown shopping environment with retail stores, services, public circulation areas, and a central plaza. The format replaced the original enclosed Macy's Plaza layout and is intended to support walkability and connections among nearby office, hotel, entertainment, and transit destinations.

• Food and beverage · 2015

  Dining and beverage destinations

  The property has hosted restaurants, cafes, coffee operators, and temporary food concepts. Reported examples include Hatch, Urban Oven, Miss Cheese Tea Cafe, CoffeeWalk YogurTalk, Everytable, District DTLA, Starbucks Evenings, and visiting or pop-up food and beverage brands.

• Entertainment · 2015

  Entertainment and leisure

  Entertainment has been part of The Bloc's post-redevelopment positioning. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema became a notable early tenant, while the planned Ballers venue is intended to reuse the former Macy's space as a social club centered on racquet sports.

• Mixed-use property · 1973

  Transit-connected mixed-use complex

  Beyond retail, The Bloc incorporates office space, hotel accommodation, structured parking, fitness services, and direct access to the 7th Street/Metro Center station. This combination makes it a downtown infrastructure and placemaking asset as well as a shopping destination.

• 2025

  Replacement of the Macy's anchorStrategy

  Background

  Macy's closed its approximately 250,000-square-foot store at The Bloc on March 9, 2025.

  Action taken

  The former department-store space is planned for reuse by Ballers, a social club focused on racquet sports.

  Aftermath

  The change marks a shift away from the department-store anchor model that defined Broadway Plaza and Macy's Plaza.

  Source

• 2021

  Proposal for a residential towerStrategy

  Background

  The proposal sought to add residential density to the mixed-use property above the existing parking podium.

  Action taken

  A 53-story, 710-foot residential tower was proposed.

  Aftermath

  The supplied reference material does not confirm whether the project was built or remains active.

  Source

• 2015

  Launch of The BlocProduct launch

  Background

  The redevelopment temporarily closed many stores and displaced several long-term tenants while the enclosed mall was converted.

  Action taken

  The property reopened as The Bloc, an indoor-outdoor retail and entertainment complex with direct Metro access.

  Aftermath

  The tenant base expanded to include Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, restaurants, cafes, and later brands such as UNIQLO and Nordstrom Local.

  Source

• 2013

  Convert Macy's Plaza into an open-air destinationStrategy

  Background

  The existing enclosed center was viewed as an aging and imposing downtown retail format, while nearby Los Angeles properties were emphasizing outdoor circulation and mixed-use activity.

  Action taken

  The redevelopment removed the atrium roof, reworked circulation and retail space, and repositioned the property under The Bloc name.

  Aftermath

  The Bloc opened in October 2015 with a more open layout, new tenants, public-space programming, and a stronger connection to Metro.

  Source

1. 1The Blocen.wikipedia.org
2. 2The Bloc official websitetheblocla.com