About the Building
Solair reached completion at the end of 2009 — some records carry a 2008 date — after years of planning by KOAR Development on one of Koreatown's most visible corners, Wilshire Boulevard at Western Avenue. Los Angeles firm ArchEON Group designed the 22-storey tower for KOAR Wilshire Western LLC, with Bovis Lend Lease as general contractor and Tishman Construction managing the build. It was one of the first ground-up condominium high-rises built in the neighborhood in a generation, and it rose directly above the Wilshire/Western subway station, with an urban plaza tying the retail levels to the Metro entrance below.
Structurally, the tower is cast-in-place concrete organized around two structural cores, and the site posed a genuine engineering problem: building over an operating subway box. Trade-press coverage describes the team using an integral waterproofing admixture in the foundation concrete rather than conventional membranes. Above one subterranean parking level sit two floors of restaurant and retail space — about 50,000 square feet by the contractor's account, closer to 40,000 in an earlier planning report — then four levels of resident parking, the seventh-floor amenity deck, and fifteen floors of homes, roughly 705,000 to 780,000 square feet in all depending on the source.
There are 186 residences, and the mix runs larger than most Koreatown buildings. Two-bedroom, two-bath plans dominate, generally between about 1,339 and 1,695 square feet, with a smaller number of three-bedroom plans around the top of that range and penthouse layouts on the upper floors. Original specifications were consistent across the building: Italian cabinetry, Caesarstone counters, Bosch stainless appliances, Grohe fixtures, hardwood floors and multi-zone climate control, behind floor-to-ceiling glazing. Because homes start above the seventh floor, even the lowest residences sit well above the street, and upper units take in long views along Wilshire.
Service is a real part of the running costs here. The lobby is attended around the clock, and the seventh-floor deck functions as the building's shared backyard: a pool and spa, outdoor fire pits, resident herb gardens, and an indoor-outdoor lounge and residents' club. A fitness center and yoga room sit alongside, and listing accounts also describe a business center, conference room, library and dining lounges, and a meditation room. Contemporary planning accounts state each residence conveyed two deeded garage spaces plus guest parking — generous by transit-oriented standards, and worth confirming unit by unit on title.
In the local market, Solair trades on three things: the newest large-scale construction on this stretch of Wilshire, the largest typical floor plans among the corridor's towers, and the subway literally downstairs. Wilshire/Western spent thirty years as the line's western terminus; since the D Line Extension's first section opened in May 2026, trains continue to Wilshire/La Cienega, with Century City and Westwood sections targeted to follow before the 2028 Games. Buyers weigh that against mixed-use realities — retail loading, plaza activity and boulevard noise — which is exactly the trade the building was designed around.
Amenities & Services
The Residences
Most of the 186 homes are two-bedroom, two-bath layouts between roughly 1,339 and 1,695 square feet — unusually large for Koreatown — with open living areas set against full-height glass on the tower's long Wilshire frontage.
A smaller set of three-bedroom plans sits near 1,695 square feet, and penthouse layouts occupy the upper floors. These trade less frequently than the standard stacks, so patient searching matters more than at larger-mix towers.
Developer finishes ran building-wide: Italian cabinetry, Caesarstone counters, Bosch stainless appliances and Grohe fixtures, with hardwood floors and multi-zone climate control. Some original units added home-theater and automation packages; condition now varies by owner.
Because retail, parking and the amenity deck fill the podium, no residence sits near street level. Even lower-floor homes clear the surrounding rooflines, and upper floors get long views down Wilshire toward downtown and the hills.
Glazing runs floor to ceiling, so orientation matters: north faces the Hollywood Hills sign-line, south takes afternoon light and quieter exposure. Ask about solar heat and shade provisions in west-facing stacks before settling on a line.
The tower was built over the subway box with its foundation waterproofing designed around that condition. Residents sit many floors above the trains; visit at different hours and judge sound transmission for yourself in the specific unit.
Due Diligence
Contemporary planning accounts state two deeded garage spaces per residence plus guest parking, with separate parking serving the retail plaza. Confirm the space numbers, levels and any tandem arrangement on the preliminary title report.
Listing services report pets are permitted subject to association rules, but published counts, weight limits and breed language are not publicly documented. Get the current rules and any registration requirements directly from management in writing.
Units at Solair appear for lease regularly, which indicates rentals are allowed, but minimum lease terms, caps and any waiting list live in the CC&Rs and rules. Investors should read those documents before writing an offer.
Aggregator listings variously describe dues covering water, sewer, trash and in some accounts cable and internet, alongside the attended lobby and amenity deck. The authoritative list is the HOA budget in the escrow document package.
Completed in 2009 as cast-in-place concrete under modern code, Solair is not subject to Los Angeles's mandatory retrofit ordinances for pre-1980 non-ductile concrete or soft-story buildings — those target much older construction eras.
No major capital projects are publicly documented. For a high-rise of this age, ask the reserve study about glazing seals, podium-deck and pool waterproofing, and elevator modernization timelines, and read a year of board minutes.
The lobby is attended twenty-four hours and the association uses professional management. Exact staffing levels — engineers, porters, patrol — are not published; the HOA budget's payroll and contract lines show what dues actually fund.
Expect architectural approval, insured-contractor requirements and workday limits typical of attended high-rises, plus acoustic underlayment rules for hard flooring. Drilling or coring the concrete structure needs association sign-off; request the current alteration policy early.
Everything above is drawn from public records, city permit data and published sources. The association’s statutory disclosure package is the only authoritative answer on dues, rules, reserves, insurance and litigation — Ben will request it and read it with you before you remove contingencies.
Common Questions
Off Market & Coming Soon
Residences here reach the open market rarely, and some never do. Ask Ben to tell you when one is coming, including quietly.
Work With Ben
Units here often trade before they are ever listed. Tell Ben what you are looking for and hear first when something opens up, including off market.
Start the ConversationOff Market & Coming Soon
Residences here reach the open market rarely, and some never do. Ask Ben to tell you when one is coming, including quietly.
Ben will reach out shortly to set up your tour.