Selling Downtown L.A. With Designer Showcases

A cold market (some might call it frozen) for condominium sales in downtown Los Angeles means that residential real estate projects have started to get creative with their marketing campaigns. Case in point: EVO's newly built glass-sheathed tower that rises up just blocks from L.A. Live and the Staples Center. This past weekend, four showcase condos on the 20th floor were unveiled; a fifth penthouse-floor condominium by designers affiliated with Modern Home + Living Magazine will open next weekend.

Completely tricked out with original art, custom light fixtures and furniture, the staged residences turned empty units into of-the-moment digs. "Many people have a difficult time visualizing a blank living space," explains Rhonda Slavik, director of sales and marketing for the South Group, which handles EVO's sales. "The homes in the designer showcase are almost exclusively over $1.2 million and it is important from a sales perspective that potential owners can see themselves living in the space," she adds.