At the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and North Formosa Avenue in West Hollywood sits a storied landmark with nearly every brick echoing Hollywood history. The Lot at Formosa is more than a production facility—it’s a living, breathing chronicle of cinema, a place where the past and future of entertainment meet in continuous evolution.
From Silent Beginnings to Silver Screen Legends
The Lot’s roots trace back to 1912, when independent producer Jesse D. Hampton broke ground on a modest film studio. By 1918, the space was acquired by Hollywood powerhouses Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, who transformed it into Pickford-Fairbanks Studios—a creative haven dedicated to artistic independence. The studio soon became home to United Artists, founded in 1919 by Pickford, Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin, and D.W. Griffith, a revolutionary move that gave filmmakers control over their work and distribution.
During the 1920s and ’30s, the studio thrived. Film classics like Robin Hood (1922) and The Thief of Bagdad (1924) were filmed on the lot, with stars like Gloria Swanson, Al Jolson, and Ronald Colman walking its grounds. The enigmatic Howard Hughes made his mark here, producing both Scarface (1932) and The Outlaw (1943), cementing the site’s place in cinematic lore.
Evolution Through the Decades
In 1955, following a series of ownership changes, Samuel Goldwyn gained full control and rebranded the property as Samuel Goldwyn Studios. The studio became a hub for independent filmmaking under his leadership. The 1980s saw another transformation when Warner Bros. took over, renaming it Warner Hollywood Studios. This period brought a golden era of TV production with shows like The Love Boat and Dynasty filmed onsite.
A Modern Revival with CIM Group
In 2007, CIM Group assumed stewardship of the lot with a mission: to honor its historic legacy while preparing it for the demands of modern entertainment. Through careful restoration and strategic innovation, they introduced state-of-the-art production infrastructure without losing the character that makes the space unique.
Today, The Lot at Formosa features seven soundstages, over 200,000 square feet of production and support space, and three LEED Gold-certified office buildings—all spread across 11 beautifully maintained acres. The revitalized campus offers full-service capabilities for TV, film, live events, and multimedia content creation.
Tenants reflect the caliber of production hosted here: HBO, which began a long-term lease in 2021, has produced flagship titles like Euphoria and Big Little Lies onsite. In early 2025, Miramax moved its headquarters to The Lot, joining other major industry players such as The Formosa Group, Live Nation, Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat, and Dotdash Meredith, publisher of People, Entertainment Weekly, and Us Weekly.
Built for What’s Next
More than a historical landmark, The Lot at Formosa is now a fully integrated production campus. The site supports every phase of content creation—from pre-production and staging to live shoots, voiceover, ADR, post, and green-initiative-based recycling systems for sustainable filmmaking. Events are just as dynamic, with the Lot hosting everything from fashion shows and galas to business summits and private celebrations like weddings and bar mitzvahs. Notably, the All-In Summit and the Fashion Trust Awards have both found a home here.
As the entertainment industry continues to evolve, so too does The Lot at Formosa—always grounded in its legacy, yet reaching forward with purpose.
So the next time you’re near Santa Monica Boulevard and North Formosa Avenue, pause and take in the energy. You’re standing at a crossroads of cinematic history and Hollywood’s bright future.
