Director Justin Lin just closed the priciest deal ever for a condo in downtown L.A.’s Arts District, selling his penthouse loft for $5.5 million.
It’s a defining sale for downtown L.A.’s luxury market, which took a hit during the pandemic as buyers worked remotely and abandoned vertical living in favor of single-family housing. The sale also ranks as downtown L.A.’s priciest condo deal outside the Ritz Carlton Residences at L.A. Live, where NBA players such as Kawhi Leonard and Lonzo Ball have bought homes to be close to Crypto.com Arena.
Lin, who’s best known for directing five films in the “Fast and Furious” franchise, bought the place a decade ago for $2.6 million from actor-director Vincent Gallo and used it as an office for his production company, Perfect Storm Entertainment. Records show he listed it for sale earlier this year at $7 million.
At 4,300 square feet, the four-story condo is bigger than most single-family homes. It sits atop the 7th floor of Biscuit Company Lofts, a 1925 building that once served as the West Coast headquarters of Nabisco.
Converted into a live-work space in 2007, the loft is a vibrant concoction of brick, wood and glass. Floating staircases slice through the open-concept space complete with two bedrooms and 2 1/2 bathrooms — including a primary suite that spans the entire third story.
There’s plenty of exterior space as well, as multiple terraces and lounges combine for 3,600 square feet outside. The building, which was named a Historic Cultural Monument in 2007, adds amenities such as a concierge, garden terrace and swimming pool.
Lin’s brother, Jimmy Lin of One True Loan, held the listing with Justin Alexander and Tab Howard of Compass. Michael Robleto, also with Compass, represented the buyer, who remains unclear.
A native of Taiwan, Lin earned a film degree from UCLA before going on to direct movies such as “Better Luck Tomorrow” and “Star Trek Beyond.” He most recently directed 2021’s “F9” and is serving as a writer and producer for the next entry in the franchise, “Fast X.”
