Metro 417 is a historic rehabilitation project located in the Financial District of downtown Los Angeles, nearby other Forest City projects The Met and Met Lofts. Originally known as the Subway Terminal Building when it was constructed in 1925, the site was challenging to work with and had seen several other attempts at redevelopment before Forest City came along. Forest City negotiated a deal with the land owner and received tax credits from Washington, DC for restoring a historic property.

With 150,000 feet of defunct Pacific Electric Railroad train station to tackle, Forest City had many obstacles ahead as they began this adaptive reuse project. Sewer lines were knocked open, massive floor plates were hauled away and plumbing had to be moved entirely. Initially, the Forest City team had wanted to recreate a new underground train station within the site; however, the idea never came to fruition. Instead, energy was directed toward the daily complications of inserting boutique apartment homes into a twelve-story, Roaring Twenties office building—which the site had been converted to in the 1960s.

Architect AC Martin was brought into the project to address the building’s structure, rebuilding the bones and strengthening throughout. Thomas Cox Architects ensured that the ornate lobby was preserved, the overall Italian Renaissance-style grandeur was retained, and that the apartment spaces reflected the historic style. At the building entrance and lobby, residents and visitors are greeted by grand stone arches, Italian marble floors and columns, and intricate mosaic tile detailing along the walls and ceilings. Alongside the building, a five-story parking structure was developed that echoes historic elements of the Terminal while adding contemporary flourishes. In 2005, the project was formally opened as Metro 417 and saw immediate success thanks to its timeless qualities and thoughtful adaptive reuse.