What's the deal with LA Live?

[LAMetroGuy]

Okay, if “groundbreaking” for LA Live is only 4 months away... shouldn't AEG have already released better renditions of the project instead of the “cartoon” like pictures we have been subject to? I mean, I still don’t know how this new hotel/condo tower will look like? What architectural elements will it have other than Kobe Bryant plastered on the side? How is this image projected onto the tower? Or is it part of the tower? Have they announced the architect?

Isn’t this something that they should have nailed down by now and provided to the public? I mean, Grand Ave, as slow as they are, have provided more details and “hoopla” over their project to the public and they are over 1 year from breaking ground. (yes I know that that particular project is a city and county owned venture, whereas AEG’s project is private… but come on!)

I want to see more news, better architect renderings, and quality images/photos of how the new 55-story tower will look in downtown. It would be cool if they could be more energized over the project and share more information with the public (i.e. status updates, new pictures, announced retailers, eaters, etc.)… I mean eventually it is the public that will attend and patronize the businesses throughout.

Anyway, I guess we have to settle with what we have until we get something better….

Images courtesy of LAB:

http://tinypic.com/2iqkbn


Nokia Theater
http://tinypic.com/2ivtad

Nokia Theater breakdown
http://tinypic.com/2iqkqq


Hilton Hotel again
http://tinypic.com/2iqkip


Hotel breakdown
http://tinypic.com/2iqkjo


Restaurants, pedestrian-friendly, night-life haven
http://tinypic.com/2iqknc


Grammys may build "Music Museum"
http://tinypic.com/2iqkoy


LA Live!
http://tinypic.com/2iqkv4

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

I really like the hotel design in these pictures. i hope something similar to that is built. i read somewhere that groundbreaking is in september. i think you posted the article actually.

[edluva]

What does the first phase entail exactly?

[DJM19]

I think the hotel is the first phase. And are they going to expand the convention center in the future to that open block? I think thats been the plan all along...

[colemonkee]

Everything that I've read and heard about this project has the Nokia Theater as the first phase.

[LAMetroGuy]

Yeah, I have actually read conflicting reports about the Theater versus the Hotel. Something about the theater has to be built first due to underground parking shared with the hotel or something along those lines???

Again, AEG gives us nothing!

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

i think the theater and hotel are both part of the first phase.

[LongBeachUrbanist]

Hype doesn't really do any good at this point. We urbanists make up a pretty small part of the public I think. There'll be lots of hype when the project is ready to open.

I think the only reason Grand Avenue is being so public with info is because they have to, due to it being on public land. They have to do an EIR, have community meetings, get approvals from City and County boards and agencies, etc. LA Live is avoiding a lot of this.

I have to guess LA Live is moving forward - I find it difficult to believe that in this hot market this project would stall now, after so much hard work.

[ocman]

Hype doesn't really do any good at this point. We urbanists make up a pretty small part of the public I think. There'll be lots of hype when the project is ready to open.

I think the only reason Grand Avenue is being so public with info is because they have to, due to it being on public land. They have to do an EIR, have community meetings, get approvals from City and County boards and agencies, etc. LA Live is avoiding a lot of this.

I have to guess LA Live is moving forward - I find it difficult to believe that in this hot market this project would stall now, after so much hard work.

Aside from the fact that AEG is one of the country's most powerful firms.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

We met with Lennar, which purchased the site directly east of the Staples, and they told us that AEG is currently sealing some last minute major tenants for their retail.

Lennar will include lotsa retail! They asked us what do WE think should be included. There will already be a Whole Foods and Bed Bath and Beyond. What would you guys like to see? I can pass the info along to them.

[LongBeachUrbanist]

Whole Foods and BBB? Makes me nervous. Whole Foods will be competing with Ralphs only 3 blocks away, and I wonder how BBB will fit into an urban entertainment district. Just my two cents.

While I'm thinking about it, here's a wish list of chains I wouldn't mind seeing Downtown:

Dean and Deluca
Anthropologie
NikeTown
Urban Outfitters
Banana Republic
Apple Store
Virgin Megastore
Sephora
Tommy Bahamas
Eddie Bauer
Vroman's Books
Nine West
some stationery store (i.e., Crane and Co.)
some chocolatier/candy store
some toy/hobby store (not KB)
a world-class newsstand

[DJM19]

whole foods is kinda different though. I would probably go to ralphs for my regular groceries and to whole foods for a special cheese. :D

[POLA]

Yeah, I wouldn't worry about whole foods. And I'll tell you what I have heard from DT residents over and over again: A need for pet services is big! I'm talking about Petco's, vets, and altho not a store, dog parks. I'm sure it's no surprise that all these loft dwellers who are single have a "best friend" in the house, plus dogs are good for urban hoods. Can't tell you how many people I meet just walking my dog.

[bobcat]

Whole Foods is not considered a competitor with Ralphs in the same way that Neiman Marcus isn't considered a competitor with Target. But I thought there was supposed to be a Whole Foods at the Grand Avenue Project?

That block is good for "destination" retail, like Apple Store, Niketown, or the Toys R Us in Times Square, which are all more than just a place to sell goods.

ETA: How about something like GameWorks (http://www.gameworks.com/)? That would be a perfect location.

[citywatch]

Whole Foods and BBB? Makes me nervous.
I think caution is advisable at this time, because too much of a good thing could end up proving the law of unintended consequences. If any of these projs & their tenants get too far out in front of demand, & if they're greeted by the opposite of what the Daily Grill is experiencing right now, that's going to put a big damper on the hood for yrs to come.

There's a lot of chicken or egg issues coming up in the future. Or a question of what is most necessary at the outset to support something else that comes later: More residents living in DT or more of the stores & services they require before they're truly satisfied with their hood, or visa versa?

[LongBeachUrbanist]

You know what, I need to remember not to get too caught up in worrying about specific businesses and which will succeed or fail. If Bed Bath and Beyond doesn't work, it will close up shop, period. Stores fail even in the best retail environments, that's a fact of life.

(That said, I've got to imagine the folks at BBB wouldn't choose to locate a store in DTLA if they thought it would fail. I'm not a retail expert, I'm only going on uninformed gut feeling.)

The key is whether or not the overall sea level is going up or down. If it's going up, all boats will rise, with only a few exceptions. If on the other hand many boats are sinking, this could indicate troubled waters have arrived.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

That area can support plenty in my opinion. not only is it going to draw from thousands of residents (maybe 5 - 7000 from project already announced), it will draw from tourists as wells as locals who dont live in the area because it will be a destination. I dont think we will see these stores for a couple of years anyway, so by that time, there will be a more solid population base. By the way, which project is Lennar working on? metropolis?

[Bernd]

A Bed Bath and Beyond or equivilant is crucial for downtown. Loft dwellers need to be able to buy duvet covers and welcome mats too, don't you think?

[LongBeachUrbanist]

I know I'm repeating myself, but I feel strongly that LA needs a Dean and Deluca. According to their website, they've got stores in Kansas City and Charlotte, for shit's sake!

And if they do open one here, what better place than Downtown LA? They started in Downtown Manhattan after all.

Something like FAO Schwartz would be a cool "destination retail" store, as bobcat calls it. Except of course FAO is in bad financial shape, but you get the idea.

[bobcat]

^Yeah, I mentioned before that Dean and Delucca would be great downtown. All the ex-Manhattanites would be breaking down the doors to get in on opening day.

Something like FAO Schwartz would be a cool "destination retail" store, as bobcat calls it. Except of course FAO is in bad financial shape, but you get the idea.

I felt the Toys R Us Times Square store (http://www5.toysrus.com/timessquare/) was a lot more impressive than the Manhattan FAO Schwarz store and something like that in DT would be awesome. I wonder of a local company like Mattel or Disney could be persuaded to open a huge store DT.

[RAlossi]

I agree very passionately about the need for pet-based services and retail establishments. The statistics say it all -- most new loft dwellers are young, single urbanites. Many have dogs, cats, and other animals (children don't count). A new Petco-like store would not only provide services and goods for the already existing pets, but would take away a disincentive to owning a pet in the first place.

And, yes, we do need more dog parks in the city in general, and downtown specifically. I loved reading Villaraigosa's website about how he plans to introduce more dog parks for the residents' pets.

[citywatch]

I wonder of a local company like Mattel or Disney could be persuaded to open a huge store DT.

Whoa & yikes!

It's good to dream & think big, but keep in mind that the hood where that big Toys R Us is located attracts a HUGE, HUGE number of ppl, of office workers, of tourists, or day trippers, of residents (many with lots of $$), of burbanites enjoying a day in the city.

Look at all the large office bldgs throughout midtown NYC, full of major companies & their employees, or huge hotels, often full of tourists, or big ol apt bldgs, packed with tenants. Add to that mix a large pool of burbanites who are drawn to the city the way bees are drawn to honey, & you have ppl, ppl, ppl, everywhere.

So far, there's too much about DT LA that, by comparison, is almost the extreme opposite to what's found in the hood where that Toys R Us's flagship store is located.

[bobcat]

^ Well, it's presumed that by the time this development opens up(which will be YEARS in the future) there will a significantly larger number of potential customers.

[citywatch]

However many number of potential customers are drawn to the LA Live proj in particular, I am concerned about the way the architect has configured the theaters, hotel & retail:

http://tinypic.com/2iqkv4

I mentioned this several months ago in the other thread about LA Live, but I don't know if the idea of splitting the movie theaters on the west side of the site from the restaurants & shops on the east side of the block is such a good idea. The hotel, which the diagram indicates will be sitting in the middle of the two areas, will impede flow through.

I hope this momentary lull or quiet before the LA Live proj is supposed to begin construction (late summer?) is a sign that the owner is making a lot of revisions & improvements to the plan.

[Wright Concept]

"Everytime I look at that site plan, I can't help but feel that they could have put the Movie Theater entrances right by Nokia Square and on Olympic on the Ground Floor with the ticketing lobby being a floor above and additional retail with Hotel entrance on the ground floor along Olympic with its "Main Lobby" above the theaters. So that the Hotel would have more height and really make it mixed-use.
Right now in the renderings along Olympic where the Tower is at the street wall looks very bare and blank, the exact opposite of what is needed to tie the existing Pico-Union Neighborhood with the emerging South Park together.

I could also see the extra lot(if the theater were assembled on top of the hotel) as an opportunity to lock in ESPN as a permenant site for the X games and open up the plaza a little bit for these kind of promenade open air activities, really cementing the site and revive the surrounding neighborhood and connecting the Pico-Union area to this site. Also this would provide a better tie-in and link to the Convention Center for events such as the Auto Show or Electronic Games or even the Erotica Convention for crying out loud. And then some of these events could spill out into the Nokia plaza. Just think how cool it would be to have some show-cars or custom Low-riders displayed on Nokia Plaza on the way to the Auto Show. Or even having a kiosks with video games being played.


Thankfully these are just preliminary plans.

[LongBeachUrbanist]

^ I think the issue for the developer is the fact that the multiplex is so large and thus has so much dead-wall space, they need to decide the best place to put that dead space. This is the nature of large multiplexes, and IMO it sure is better to put dead wall space around back then to have it front along Figueroa. Also, I think the multiplex patrons are more likely to be drivers, so better to put it 'round back near the parking lots and freeway, and keep the more active/pedestrian areas along the eastern edge, closer to South Park and FiDi.

Of course, an ideal design would have the multiplex somehow "in the middle" wrapped with retail, but I think that would be pretty difficult given the site they have to work with.

[Wright Concept]

^ I think the issue for the developer is the fact that the multiplex is so large and thus has so much dead-wall space, they need to decide the best place to put that dead space. This is the nature of large multiplexes, and IMO it sure is better to put dead wall space around back then to have it front along Figueroa. Also, I think the multiplex patrons are more likely to be drivers, so better to put it 'round back near the parking lots and freeway, and keep the more active/pedestrian areas along the eastern edge, closer to South Park and FiDi.

Of course, an ideal design would have the multiplex somehow "in the middle" wrapped with retail, but I think that would be pretty difficult given the site they have to work with.

LBU re-read my suggestion:

Everytime I look at that site plan, I can't help but feel that they could have put the Movie Theater entrances right by Nokia Square and on Olympic on the Ground Floor with the ticketing lobby being a floor above and additional retail with Hotel entrance on the ground floor along Olympic with its "Main Lobby" above the theaters. So that the Hotel would have more height and really make it mixed-use.

What I'm suggesting is to raise that Multiplex on a second level. Keep the entrance to the hotel where it is, in fact you provide an opportunity to even merge or at the very least abutt the Multiplex with the Nokia Theatre to have a grand movie opening or some kind of special showing of a Blockbuster film like Star Wars. Merging two big blank walls together.

[LongBeachUrbanist]

^ Sorry PV, I reread what you wrote, but I'm still having trouble following what you're trying to say. In your vision, would the multiplex be in the same place as it is now, only second level with entrances moved around? Or would it be east of Georgia on the same block as the hotel, sandwiched between ground-floor retail below and hotel above? How would Georgia Street fit in to the picture? And how would the noise from a rumbling multiplex cinema affect the hotel above?

[DJM19]

I think he is saying he want the multiplex to be where the hotel is now. Though, I dont think the developer wants the hotel to be right next to the freeway.

[Wright Concept]

No problem. The idea is that the entrance would be both on Olympic/Georgia and inside the Nokia Plaza creating a nice lobby with the escalators up to the Concessions and Theater level. Ticket can be located along Olympic and in Nokia Plaza on the outside of the hotel. This could mix in with the retail surrounding the Hotel. I see it as a more active version of the Bonaventure Hotel Atrium where the theater would be the middle level between the actual "Hotel" and Ground Floor Retail. The Ballrooms and convention spaces can work its way as part of the Convention Center and the Hotel itself creating a Conference Wing. The entrance to the Hotel would just be a basic reservation counter the wisks folks up to the appropriate levels of the hotel. That is all that's need anyways. Any noise and rumbling can be countered with double payned glass or installing a fountain or noise buffer if that becomes a concern.

The idea is to have the hotel sit on top of the multiplex, not move it to the side, hence adding extra height to the building.

Here's an example from Chicago.

The Embassy Suites Lakefront;.Embassy Suites Chicago (http://www.embassysuites.com/en/es/hotels/index.jhtml?moreDesc=true&ctyhocn=CHIREES)
has a large 21 screen multiplex at the base of the Hotel there are separate entrances for the hotel and multiplex. And the Hotel sits on top of that.

[citywatch]

The siting of the hotel in relation to the movie theaters & the retail area, not to mention the Nokia theater, seems like a basic, glaring error to me. Whether the cineplex is on the west or east side of the block, along Fig or Olympic, or nearer to Staples or nearer to the fwy, the important thing is that the hotel shouldn't be placed in a space where it ends up being an obstacle. That's why I hope LA Live architect's diagram, although it looks quite detailed & finalized, is merely a preliminary concept.

Here's another example of why I'm cautious about the hopes & wishes for projs like LA Live & possible new retailers in DT. This is from the DT News:

With a potentially devastating hotel strike averted last month, and a pledge by city officials to redouble tourism efforts, the local hotel industry is staging a steady comeback. More surprising is the fact that Downtown is leading Los Angeles County with a double-digit surge in hotel occupancy over last year, and hospitality officials predict the strongest summer season since 2000. Compared to countywide markets, the Central City has seen the most dramatic year-over-year growth, with the occupancy level soaring since May 2004 from 56.5% to 67.4%, according to the latest data from Smith Travel Research.


This is from today's NY Times....

It can be difficult to find a hotel room in New York at any price. For Manhattan hotels in all price categories, the average occupancy rate was 89.6 percent in May (up 4.5 percent from May 2004). The average rate paid for a room was $240.23, up 12.6 percent from $213.30 in May 2004.


67.4 compared with 89.6? Sheesh, when you're starting from a way, way lower level, you better see no less than a double digit surge.

[DJM19]

Well, consider also that a lot tourist come to LA for Venice, Hollywood, and Beverly Hills, etc.

[LongBeachUrbanist]

Downtown LA has had a problem for a long time with hotel occupancy. The fact that this is changing is very encouraging. Something fundamental has changed in Downtown, people from other places (and native Angelenos as well) are seeing it with new eyes. More things are open, more tourists, cleaner streets, more residents, more transit options, more variety of hotels and restaurants, etc. DTLA is in an upward cycle, I'm real excited about where things are going.

[WesTheAngelino]

It is so unfair to compare Manhattan to anything, especially Los Angeles. Instead of posting irrelevent numbers from an incomparable location, why not some stats from a similar downtown?

[POLA]

my bad... I guess I skimmed over it thinking it was another post about poles and wires... Sorry, citywatch.

Full story at: LA Downtown News Online (http://www.downtownnews.com/articles/2005/07/11/news/news01.txt)

[LongBeachUrbanist]

^ That's the same quote that citywatch cited four posts above.

[LAMetroGuy]

Another large scale project in downtwon is Metropolis which is kinda under the radar... here is something i found:

http://www.stonecreekllc.com/experience/project605.html

[bobcat]

^I'm actually wondering about the blocks separating LA Live and Metropolis and all the potential that area has. Right now there's a car wash, a few second rate hotels, and the Salvation Army, among other things. It's another space that can made into a Times Squaresque development and would function as an important link between LA Live and Metropolis.

[citywatch]

thinking it was another post about poles and wires... Sorry, citywatch.

LOL. It sounds like that issue stands out in your mind more than it does mine. However, you can say that it's indirectly related to this thread, because LA's reputation among tourists can be surprisingly bad, which in turn affects the number of ppl who want to book hotel rms here. Therefore, LA Live has been an even tougher proj to get off the ground, & the owner of the Bonaventure hotel, not exactly jammed with customers, has been a far bigger foe of it. IOW, because the hood has been economically flat for so long, the situation ends up even more dog eat dog.

BTW, DT San Diego, as is true of NY, also has way, way higher booking rates for hotels than the ones in DT LA. That town doesn't have to bend or break arms to get new hotels built. I also read some thread in another SSP forum that had an article about Portland or something like that, & the writer singled out Seattle, SF, Vancouver & SD as the towns deserving of praise on the west coast. LA wasn't included.

[citywatch]

DTLA is in an upward cycle, I'm real excited about where things are going.

You're younger than I am, so you may not recall the past as well as I do. I'm talking about how ridiculously bad & static the situation became several yrs ago, but not in ways that you prob think I'm referring to. I'm pointing to ppl like the former director of the CRA who, believe it or not, implied that a more ambitious, aggressive effort to turn around the hood no longer was necessary or appropriate. And he made that comment back in the early 1990s (not sure if was a bit before or after the 92 riots), or well before the improvements of the recent past were even a glimmer in someone's eye.

[LongBeachUrbanist]

...the owner of the Bonaventure hotel, not exactly jammed with customers...

The Bonaventure is not jammed with customers because it's a dated hotel that's ugly on the inside and isolated from so much of Downtown.

I remember trekking down there with my wife and kid awhile back, just to check it out. (Last time I had been in there was in the 80's.) What a depressing building! It's biggest problems were:

* confusing as hell to get anywhere, with stairs that lead nowhere and elevators that operate on a seemingly-random configuration.

* heavy concrete interior that just seems to multiply heat and oppressive air.

* dead impenetrable concrete walls around the base of the entire building, broken only by driveways and the front door.

* retail stalls, half of them empty/closed up, and half of them with zero customers, with aging window displays and lots of dust. (I shit you not, one convenience store had 20-year old advertisements in the window, including the old Bartles and Jaymes (http://www.haverhillbeef.com/screenshots/tv2.jpg) display, all faded and gross! Icck!)

That hotel only has two good things about it: the upper exterior and the ground floor. Without a serious renovation and updated look, however, I don't think that hotel will ever be successful again.

[citywatch]

^ LBU, I think your relative youth is what prevents you from realizing how really dog eat dog the situation has been for a long, long time, even when the Bonaventure was almost brand new & not as depressing as it is today. IOW, the nearby Biltmore, a classic beauty without all the fugly concrete & whatnot, has been hurting for customers as much as the other hotels in the hood. In fact, if you search back for articles in the LA Times archives from over 25 yrs ago, you'll be amazed at how threadbare the Biltmore had become before a major owner from the late 1970s took it over & out of seemingly plain embarrassment finally started a major renovation effort. Even so, & a few upgradings & new owners later, it's still been hand to mouth for that hotel (& others) during many of the yrs ever since that moment from a long time ago.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

^I'm actually wondering about the blocks separating LA Live and Metropolis and all the potential that area has. Right now there's a car wash, a few second rate hotels, and the Salvation Army, among other things. It's another space that can made into a Times Squaresque development and would function as an important link between LA Live and Metropolis.

Definitley!!. That car wash needs to go, buti like the Hotel Fig, adds flavor and the bar is great i hear. i think i remember LAB saying that they want to make metropolis a entertainment like place, with billboards and electronics and stuff like that so i don see why that small area in between wont soon be bought out and developed as a link, especially once these get underway in terms of construction.

[yeah215]

Just an article from LABJ.

---------------------------------


AEG to Sell Last Staples Center Parcel

By ANDY FIXMER
Los Angeles Business Journal Staff
LNR Property Corp. has struck a deal to buy the last developable property next to Staples Center.

The Miami-based commercial builder has agreed to pay about $80 million to Anschutz Entertainment Group for the 4-acre parcel bounded by Figueroa, Flower, 11th and 12th streets, according to sources close to the deal.

LNR Property wants to build three condominium towers with an undetermined number of units and a 250,000-square-foot retail center. The site is sandwiched between the arena and Flower Street Lofts.

Sources said the privately-held company may form a joint venture to build the condos with publicly held homebuilder Lennar Corp. LNR Property was spun out of Lennar Corp. eight years ago; the two teamed to buy Newhall Land and Farming Co. in 2003 for $990 million.

The transaction with AEG is expected to close this summer. However, the deal still has some unresolved sticking points. While AEG already has entitlements for the land, LNR Property may require city approval for additional housing to make the proposed deal pencil out.

The area has experienced explosive growth in for-sale housing. Without the extra entitlements the deal could still fall apart, the sources said.

AEG, the majority owner of the Staples Center, has been planning a more than $1 billion entertainment-and-retail complex surrounding the arena. The district would include a 1,200-room hotel, a 7,000-seat live theater, radio and television broadcast studios, a large nightclub and several restaurants.

As part of the district, approved by the city council in 2001, AEG also received entitlements for more than 2,000 units of rental and for-sale housing. If the sale to LNR Property goes through, those approvals would change hands along with the properties.

Jason Glasgow with the L.A. office of land brokerage O’Donnell/Atkins represented LNR Property. Glasgow referred calls to LNR Property executives, who weren’t immediately available. Calls to AEG weren’t immediately returned.

While LNR Property and Lennar Corp. are known for tract homes and suburban shopping centers, the firms have been taking on more urban projects.

Last month, a Lennar executive told the Orange County Register the company plans to build up to 11 residential towers in Anaheim, near Angel Stadium. One of the project’s towers, a 35-story building, would be the tallest residential highrise in Orange County.

Lennar is the third-largest U.S. homebuilder by stock market value. Earlier this year, LNR Property was purchased for $3.8 billion by a holding company controlled by New York private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management LP.

[LongBeachUrbanist]

^ LBU, I think your relative youth is what prevents you from realizing how really dog eat dog the situation has been for a long, long time...

Is that some sort of passive-aggressive insult? If I remember correctly, you're younger than me! ;)

I know the hotel situation in DTLA is tough, but if you look at the Bonaventure they have been underperforming in even that small market for a long time. I would blame this on the fact that the Bonaventure is so dated and is in serious need of renovation.

The Biltmore did go through some tough times, but thankfully did much better than the other premiere Downtown hotel at the time, the Alexandria. I'd say mostly due to location, of course. (I remember when they built that horrible tower though. Definitely a sad day for L.A. architecture!)

[citywatch]

Is that some sort of passive-aggressive insult?
LOL. Not at all. If you've recently graduated from UC, I'm pretty sure you're younger than I am.

I'll tell you & other SSPers one thing: none of you would want to get into a time machine & have to deal with DT & the city in the past, as I remember things back then. If what's going on in the hood today sometimes seem disappointing or too slow, where ironclad patience is necessary (example: the dragged out timeline of the Ralphs/condo proj), just be glad it's at least better or more promising now than it was some time ago----for instance, around the time when I was the age of most of the SSPers who took a trip to DT a few wks ago.

I know the hotel situation in DTLA is tough, but if you look at the Bonaventure they have been underperforming in even that small market for a long time. I would blame this on the fact that the Bonaventure is so dated and is in serious need of renovation.
I wish you were right, but I don't believe almost any hotel, new or old, big or small, in the hood has done that well for yrs & yrs. That's a big reason it's been so difficult in getting any company to build a new hotel next to Staples.

(I remember when they built that horrible tower though. Definitely a sad day for L.A. architecture!)
If you're referring to the tower at the SE corner of 5th & Grand, which I believe was constructed around 1985, I'd have to disagree with your description of it. Actually, I think that bldg's architect did a good job in making it blend in with the rest of the Biltmore. Moreover, the tower got rid of the scroungy small parking lot that used to sit there, wedged in between 2 wings of the Biltmore.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

Just an article from LABJ.

---------------------------------


AEG to Sell Last Staples Center Parcel

By ANDY FIXMER
Los Angeles Business Journal Staff
LNR Property Corp. has struck a deal to buy the last developable property next to Staples Center.

The Miami-based commercial builder has agreed to pay about $80 million to Anschutz Entertainment Group for the 4-acre parcel bounded by Figueroa, Flower, 11th and 12th streets, according to sources close to the deal.

LNR Property wants to build three condominium towers with an undetermined number of units and a 250,000-square-foot retail center. The site is sandwiched between the arena and Flower Street Lofts.

Sources said the privately-held company may form a joint venture to build the condos with publicly held homebuilder Lennar Corp. LNR Property was spun out of Lennar Corp. eight years ago; the two teamed to buy Newhall Land and Farming Co. in 2003 for $990 million.

The transaction with AEG is expected to close this summer. However, the deal still has some unresolved sticking points. While AEG already has entitlements for the land, LNR Property may require city approval for additional housing to make the proposed deal pencil out.

The area has experienced explosive growth in for-sale housing. Without the extra entitlements the deal could still fall apart, the sources said.

AEG, the majority owner of the Staples Center, has been planning a more than $1 billion entertainment-and-retail complex surrounding the arena. The district would include a 1,200-room hotel, a 7,000-seat live theater, radio and television broadcast studios, a large nightclub and several restaurants.

As part of the district, approved by the city council in 2001, AEG also received entitlements for more than 2,000 units of rental and for-sale housing. If the sale to LNR Property goes through, those approvals would change hands along with the properties.

Jason Glasgow with the L.A. office of land brokerage O’Donnell/Atkins represented LNR Property. Glasgow referred calls to LNR Property executives, who weren’t immediately available. Calls to AEG weren’t immediately returned.

While LNR Property and Lennar Corp. are known for tract homes and suburban shopping centers, the firms have been taking on more urban projects.

Last month, a Lennar executive told the Orange County Register the company plans to build up to 11 residential towers in Anaheim, near Angel Stadium. One of the project’s towers, a 35-story building, would be the tallest residential highrise in Orange County.

Lennar is the third-largest U.S. homebuilder by stock market value. Earlier this year, LNR Property was purchased for $3.8 billion by a holding company controlled by New York private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management LP.




They are planning to break ground in March 2006, while LA Live will probably break ground in September 2005.

[DJM19]

^are there renderings of the project? Or maybe I just dont know what property they are talking about...

[LongBeachUrbanist]

Is that some sort of passive-aggressive insult?
LOL. Not at all. If you've recently graduated from UC, I'm pretty sure you're younger than I am.

FWIW I'm 33, and the degree from UCI was a second bachelor's degree. I first worked in DTLA in 1990, at the ripe old age of 18. :frog:

[LAMetroGuy]

edit

[LAMetroGuy]

While AEG already has entitlements for the land, LNR Property may require city approval for additional housing to make the proposed deal pencil out.


Additional housing? Does that mean more height??? Anyone have any idea how tall these three towers are sopposed to be?

This is great news... I'm glad that this is going to happen! 80 million is big bucks so people aren't messing around! I love LA!

[LosAngelesBeauty]

one tower about 350 feet, another 250 feet, and a 10 story tower above the "podium" which will contain the retail (whole foods and bed bath beyond)

:D

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

i remember reading a sam hall kaplan article in DTLA News last month and he mentioned this project, calling it the venture project and he said they planned 40, 25 and 17 strory towers.

[DJM19]

oh...this is venture?

[LAMetroGuy]

LASF, that's right... Venture! So, that block and the block to the south will have 3 towers each!

Hmmm, that makes it 6 towers total! 40, 25, 17, 30, 30, and 30. Nice tall neighborhood! Not to mention Hilton hotel at 55 stories, plus Hanover Tower at 27, FIDM, at 19, Residences at 9th & Flower at 33, Glass Tower at 25, and W&D's Luma (17) and Evo (24)!

Anyone see someting amazing happening in South Park??? WoW!

[LosAngelesBeauty]

There will be approximately 660 - 700 residential units in the "venture project."

[LosAngelesBeauty]

LASF, that's right... Venture! So, that block and the block to the south will have 3 towers each!

Hmmm, that makes it 6 towers total! 40, 25, 17, 30, 30, and 30. Nice tall neighborhood! Not to mention Hilton hotel at 55 stories, plus Hanover Tower at 27, FIDM, at 19, Residences at 9th & Flower at 33, Glass Tower at 25, and W&D's Luma (17) and Evo (24)!

Anyone see someting amazing happening in South Park??? WoW!


Yes! You're looking at Downtown LA FINALLY becoming the true mascot for Southern California!!!

[MapGoulet]

^ Damn skippy!

[bobcat]

I was wondering about the lots across from Staples because I thought they were originally supposed to be part of LA Live. Now it looks like AEG will be developing only the lot directly North of Staples. This is good because it speeds up the development process. If we had to wait for AEG to develop all those plots by themselves it would have taken 10 years. With the help of the other developers it looks like it could all be completed within 5.

[LAMetroGuy]

actually AEG will develop the lot to the North and Northwest.

But I totally agree about having three different developers (AEG, LNR Properties, and W&D) working on those parcels... man this thing is going to happen sooner than later!

BTW, I always see the glass as half-full!

[citywatch]

BTW, I always see the glass as half-full!
haha. Is that a sly nudge at some of my postings in this thread, LAMG?

Yea, I know news or info that's not positive can be a real turn off, such as talking about the problems that hotels in DT have had for yrs in luring customers. But I think a big reason things got so bad to begin with is because too many ppl either were in denial, or didn't give a damn or were too easygoing. IOW, I think too many ppl were like that former director of the CRA, who a long time ago said it no longer made sense for him or others to DEMAND that the hood be fixed up, cleaned up, & made a lot, lot better. I remember reading his comments at the time & getting real ticked off, & wanting to force him to live in DT 24/7 instead of prob running off to the burbs or wherever at the end of the day.

[LongBeachUrbanist]

Things didn't get bad in DTLA because of denial. Things got bad because (1) the planners made a lot of dumb mistakes, and (2) too many decisions were left to developers, and (3) residents, workers and business owners stopped giving a damn and abandoned it, rather than fixing it.

It goes to having a sense of pride in where you live. On that point citywatch, I think we're in complete agreement. As long as nobody lived downtown, the place got abandoned, and so there wasn't really anybody taking responsibility for getting things cleaned up.

The reason projects like this are moving now rather than 15 years ago is because there is a huge promise of new residents, including many homeowners. And developers know that homeowners are going to take pride in their neighborhood and not just leave it to rot when the going gets tough.

[citywatch]

Things didn't get bad in DTLA because of denial.

But I think part of the problem was, & is, due to lots of ppl (& that includes me) often shying away from bad news. Then, too, lots of ppl don't like being or dealing with the bearer of bad news. And so I think many ppl in LA who've been responsible for some of these issues over the yrs have held back or avoided being too critical or harsh.

Again, I recall that guy who once ran the CRA a long time ago saying that a major effort to improve DT was no longer necessary. I believe his POV was even less likely to be challenged because too few ppl wanted to ask, what the heck is wrong with your eyes???!!! We see lots of things that need improving & cleaning up!!!

[LAMetroGuy]

One important fact is that today's environment is much different that it was 4 or 5 years ago. I mean, the ball is rolling and its very hard to stop it! Yeah so the Capstone project (USC Tower) fizzled... but in a relatively short period, you've got LNR Properties purchasing and wanting to build Venture! Shit, this type of aggressive development planning wouldn't have happened in the past. The fact that we are seeing cranes, the dynamics of LA Live, Grand Ave, etc. (hate it or love it) is changing the way people are viewing downtown LA.... the momentum is here! Don't be afraid to jump on board and let one or two set backs bring you down. The party is just starting, don't be a party pooper! :hug: :pepper: :carrot: :tomato: :cucumber: :tyty:

[LosAngelesBeauty]

:laugh: :crazy: :yes: :hilarious :eat:

[citywatch]

The party is just starting, don't be a party pooper!
Tell that to the damn ppl at city hall who are suing the owner of the Bristol Hotel for wanting to convert it into a nice new hotel, or the tenants of that women's shelter who aren't happy about the Medallion proj being planned for a site next to them! :laugh: :hell: :hell:

[LongBeachUrbanist]

^ Actually, its the tenants of the Bristol Hotel, not City Hall, who's suing the owner of that building.

The Bristol Hotel in downtown Los Angeles has an affordable housing covenant attached to it through 2015, guaranteeing 100 units of affordable housing for L.A.'s poorest residents. But in May of this year, over 50 tenants were evicted, some with as little as two hours notice. Some of the tenants are now suing, saying that the evictions were illegal. The tenant lawsuit seeks direct compensation for those who were displaced, many to homeless shelters or more expensive housing, as well as demands that the owner of the Bristol Hotel meet his legal obligation to keep his property affordable. The Bristol Hotel has been covered by the city's rent stabilization ordinance, which requires that owners give tenants who have been in place 60 days written notification that they must leave. Owners also must provide as much as $5,000 in relocation assistance.

Do you see this as simply a case of red tape and City Hall bureaucracy? Do you even for a second consider what it would be like to be thrown out illegally from your home with two hours notice and no place else to go?

[citywatch]

^ Regardless of the reason, or who's right or who's wrong, that bldg is an good example of why the process of turning around a hood is so damn hard. If there are a lot of other Bristol Hotels in DT's future (& assuming NIMBYism doesn't become as big a problem there as it is elsewhere), then that area's future may be pretty compromised.

[LosAngelesBeauty]

^ The plethora of transients in DTLA will definitely compromise the area.

I prefer to call them transients (or "walking zombies" lol) now because not all of them are actually "homeless." Some are transients for a living.

I have very little sympathy for most of them. I have met a few who were good people and I do feel pity for them...

[LongBeachUrbanist]

If there are a lot of other Bristol Hotels in DT's future...

Not going to happen, Skid Row will get smaller, not bigger, due to rising real estate prices. I actually predict that one day it will be moved completely to new facilities somewhere southeast, possibly near the Greyhound station.

[RAlossi]

LBU, you're probably right, because of the increase in costs of doing charity homeless work in the current "skid row" area. Do you think that Sixth/San Pedro (site of the new Midnight Mission) will become a new "hub" for homeless/transient activity? I think there are a lot more cost effective sites in the warehouse and industrial districts to run a homeless shelter. Plus, there are very few residents there to object to a hub of homeless shelters and facilities.

[LongBeachUrbanist]

^ Er, I think Sixth/San Pedro is a hub of homeless/transient activity!

I'm just saying I think someone with deep pockets and Downtown interests (Mr. Broad, are you listening?) is going to broker a deal with the service community and County goverment to locate services and beds elsewhere. That would be win-win IMO - more services for the street people, a cleaner environment for developers.

[citywatch]

Not going to happen, Skid Row will get smaller, not bigger, due to rising real estate prices.
I think the reason I'm more skeptical about that happening is because of what's going on in SF. In spite of the fact that San Fran has an urban ctr that's a lot stronger & more admired than, for example, LA's, it continues to have a huge homeless problem.

Now the ppl of SF, inc tourists, may be able to get around that sticking point because the hood all around them is nice enough in general. However, since ppl in DT LA don't have as much of that built in advantage, I think their hood is a lot more vulnerable to going downhill, either for the 2nd time or because that's the way it's always been. And a Bristol Hotel type of site in SF is offset by a lot of nice properties that surround it. The same really isn't true of DT LA, at least for now & prob for many yrs into the future.

[LAMetroGuy]

Will AEG announce the groundbreaking ceremony? Isn't this scheduled for September??? Anyone know of anything related to this?

[LosAngelesBeauty]

^ It's now October I was told. August 18, the City Council will vote.

[Wright Concept]

^ Damn, right near my birthday.

[colemonkee]

These delays are frustrating. Reminiscent of the Ralph's project. Let's hope this actually breaks ground this year...

[LAMetroGuy]

just wait till citywatch reads about this one month dealy

[bobcat]

just wait till citywatch reads about this one month dealy

:brickwall: :brickwall: :brickwall: :brickwall: :D



^ It's now October I was told. August 18, the City Council will vote.

Any news on that lawsuit by the Bonaventure Hotel guy? Or was it all a bluff?

[LongBeachUrbanist]

Deep breath, everybody!!! :yes:

A one-month delay is not a big delay, especially for such a huge project. The fact is, things are moving forward, the City Council will vote on this project less than a month from now.

If it were delayed 6 months or a year, I'd take it more seriously. But a month? In the context of the current boom? I wouldn't worry about it too much.

[colemonkee]

^You're right, it's not a big delay in the grand scheme of things, but I would bet a lot of money that some of the larger condo towers in South Park (Hanover Tower, Glass Tower, the Venture project, etc.) are waiting for LA Live to at least break ground before they start marketing, or in the case of the Venture project, seriously pursue entitlements, etc.

I know that CIM Group is using LA Live as a marketing tool, and with some of these towers, they are probably waiting for actual ground to be broken to make the investment less of a risk. If that really is the case, that means waiting more time for these other towers to start marketing, breaking ground, etc.

I'm still optimistic, just frustrated that LA Live isn't picking up momentum, given the current climate.

[citywatch]

just wait till citywatch reads about this one month dealy

:brickwall: :brickwall: :brickwall: :brickwall: :D



haha. You beat me to the punch. But I wish there was an icon that shows a round head being pounded with a mallet, because wasn't the date of early summer 05 for LA Live's start up already revised from another predicted date of spring 05? And I may be wrong about this, but I believe the spring 05 date, in turn, was pushed forward from an even earlier estimate of groundbreaking occurring sometime in late 2004.

This is why I keep raising the issue of demand for various types of space, for office or hotel or retail, because I bet if the hood had a long record of pent up need for such projs, the devlpr of LA Live, if anything, would have been sued by contractors (& not the owner of a rival hotel) for making everyone work too fast because of prospective or finalized tenants & customers yelling, when the hell can we move in!!!??, when the hell can we book a room!!???, when the hell can we haul our offices over there??!!, when the hell can we eat or shop there??!!!

[LongBeachUrbanist]

^ But there isn't pent-up demand for hotel or retail. That's just reality citywatch. That's the world we have to live in.

:(

The real benefit of L.A. Live is to create a new focal point of excitement in Downtown, and that's what it's doing. Along with Staples Center, the prospect of L.A. Live has gotten developers and potential residents interested in Downtown, and thie result is a slew of towers that are in the process of being planned, approved and constructed.

:cool:

[cookiejarvis]

I think part of the delay also has to do with all the street/sidewalk work they're doing on Figueroa and 12th St.

[bobcat]

If DTLA had a pentup demand for hotel and office space, it's likely something like LA Live would have been built years ago. :rolleyes: We are now creating a vibrant downtown practically from scratch. It's silly to be constantly playing these woulda, coulda, shoulda, games under the circumstances.

[citywatch]

It's silly to be constantly playing these woulda, coulda, shoulda, games under the circumstances.
I think it was a lack of enough second guessing that screwed up the revival of DT to begin with. I'm referring to the thinking of (& I've mentioned this before) the former director of the CRA, who in the early 1990s claimed efforts to turn around DT no longer had to be big & demanding. IOW, he had a philosophy that everything was good enough, or that things were perfectly hunky dory.

I know his type of tude became more noticeable after the 92 riots, when some ppl thought the city had wasted its time, $$$ & resources on DT. One writer for the LA Times even said we weren't a DT type of ppl or a DT type of city. I think that person was even more comfortable with her opinion because she ignored or couldn't give a crap about the wouldas, couldas, shouldas. In her mind, a hood like DT LA was lame, &, anyway, because most ppl preferred the burbs or places like SaMo, or other cities like NY or SF, we should just stop worrying about DT & accept the hood for what it was.

[LongBeachUrbanist]

^ Remember the CRA was originally created to "revitalize neighborhoods" (note the name "Community Redevelopment Agency"). That was the CRA's mandate when it started its work in Downtown 50 years ago. The debate isn't whether things were "hunky-dory" downtown, but whether the CRA's focus should have been on investing in skyscrapers in DTLA, or on community housing in South LA.

I do think the CRA shouldn't have been investing so heavily in office development. With the benefit of hindsight, we can all see that the office market in DTLA was way overbuilt in the 90's, whereas the community/residential aspect was seriously neglected. This was largely due to the CRA's focus being in the wrong place.

Believe me, I'm all for office towers, but I would prefer a healthy downtown that attracts private investment to the miserable downtown of the 90's with gleaming towers and no residents.

IOW, the CRA should have been much more focused on community building. I think the CRA started returning toward this idea with the Downtown Strategic Plan in around 1993, and now this is the primary focus of the CRA in Downtown. And now (not so coincidentally) Downtown is finally becoming a community to be proud of.

[bobcat]

It's silly to be constantly playing these woulda, coulda, shoulda, games under the circumstances.
I think it was a lack of enough second guessing that screwed up the revival of DT to begin with. I'm referring to the thinking of (& I've mentioned this before) the former director of the CRA, who in the early 1990s claimed efforts to turn around DT no longer had to be big & demanding. IOW, he had a philosophy that everything was good enough, or that things were perfectly hunky dory.



My point is that we can only work with the hand that we've been dealt. Going on and on and on about how awful things were in the past isn't going to make things better. Right now residential development is increasing in the area, and that's great. Now we should be focusing our energies on working to increase amenities for those newcomers, not complaining about how bad things were 10 years ago.

[citywatch]

Going on and on and on about how awful things were in the past isn't going to make things better.
But keep in mind the saying of "those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

I think not knowing the shape of things, then & now, has made ppl far likelier to over or underestimate what should or shouldn't be done to turn around the hood.

For example, LBU mentioned a few wks ago that the Bonvaventure hotel prob was doing poorly because it was such a dusty, 1970s concrete mess. He was partly correct, but by not being aware of that bldg's history (& of the hood's in general) he didn't take into consideration that guests often had been in short supply since the hotel was completed over 25 yrs ago. More important, he & everyone else may not have been aware that the non concrete, traditional niceness of the nearby Biltmore hadn't enabled its owners to do much better over the past 25 yrs either.

My feeling is if ppl forget these issues or aren't aware of them to begin with, they're far more liable to be like that former director of the CRA, who thought enough had been done to revive DT, & that a go-slow approach was AOK. To that I can only:

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:


we can all see that the office market in DTLA was way overbuilt in the 90's, whereas the community/residential aspect was seriously neglected. This was largely due to the CRA's focus being in the wrong place.
But don't forget that it was only about 3 or 4 yrs ago that almost every investor or devlpr thought creating quality housing in DT was very risky or flatout unfeasible. In fact, I believe the CRA even gave a devlpr rights back in the early 1990s to add more apt bldgs south of what's now Disney Hall, but he never was able to go beyond just one apt tower.

Remember when GH Palmer put up his Medici apt bldg in 2001 or 2002? He was considered a daredevil at the time. Tom Gilmore and his OBD proj was seen as walking a tightrope, in a high wind, without the use of a safety net.

I know it wasn't that long ago that no one would build highrise apts or condos in DT because the psf rates for rent or sales prices couldn't be high enough to support that type of construction.

[lakegz]

nowadays i always assume that California projects will have a 4-6 month delay. just about every big building being develeoped in san diego has had some sort of delay.

[ocman]

It's extremely rare when a development is on time. Delays are the rule, not the exception. I usually add on 1.5 years. If they can keep the delay under a year, I think that's very amazing.

[LongBeachUrbanist]

From DTNews, here's a dose of good forecasts for the optimism-impaired. (But citywatch, don't read the second part! :cheers: )

Study Predicts Continued Downtown Growth
Downtown real estate is "white hot" and shows promise for continued growth through 2006, according to a mid-year economic forecast released last week by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC). "Downtown is doing well and we're rather optimistic for the rest of 2005 and 2006, as more of these construction projects get underway," said Jack Kyser, LAEDC senior vice president and chief economist. The study also found that Downtown ranked the highest in average wages out of 13 regions examined.

While the study presented a mostly rosy picture of the Downtown economic climate, it also pointed to risks - especially about LA Live, the $1 billion entertainment complex and hotel planned for north of Staples Center. Kyser said the hotel element is especially important because it could boost the nearby Los Angeles Convention Center, which has struggled to attract conventions. "If you don't start construction on that hotel, that just puts us further behind," Kyser said. "We have lost business because we don't have an attractive package."

page 4, 7/25/2005

[LosAngelesBeauty]

nowadays i always assume that California projects will have a 4-6 month delay. just about every big building being develeoped in san diego has had some sort of delay.

OK "good" because I thought it was only an "LA thang!" I know this sounds TOTALLY naive, but do they have these kinds of long delays with construction in places like Chicago and NYC?

[bobcat]

Mayor Lays Out Agenda to Bring Business to L.A.
By HOWARD FINE - 7/25/2005
Los Angeles Business Journal Staff

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa plans an ambitious economic development agenda reminiscent of former Mayor Richard Riordan’s initiatives after the 1992 Rodney King riots.


Villaraigosa, who has brought in former Community Redevelopment Agency head Bud Ovrom to lead a restructured business team, is seeking to fast-track scores of major projects throughout the city.


The mayor’s business team will also try to lure major companies to L.A. and keep firms here from leaving, as well as attract major biotech research dollars. “My emphasis will be on creating quality, well-paying jobs by focusing on targeted growth industries,” said Villaraigosa in an e-mail.


The most sweeping initiative involves identifying 75 to 100 development projects of 100,000 square feet or larger and getting them completed rapidly. Among the likely candidates: Valley Plaza in North Hollywood, Marlton Square in South L.A., the old Sears warehouse site in Boyle Heights and the L.A. Live project next to Staples Center.


“These are projects that can have a big economic impact. The emphasis is going to be on getting these projects out the door,” said Ovrom, deputy mayor for economic development. “When I took this job, Antonio told me, ‘Bud, I want to see the cranes moving on these projects.’”


The agenda has raised expectations among development advocates – perhaps to unrealistic levels. But it is seen as a welcome shift from Villaraigosa’s predecessor, James Hahn, who pursued a modest economic development strategy and often left the heavy lifting to others.


“I understand the risk of over-promising, but mayors should be visionary and describe the big idea. They should set the bar high on expectations,” said Chris Martin, chairman of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.


Villaraigosa’s agenda hearkens back to the days when Riordan was mayor, cutting deals with developers and trying to prevent businesses from leaving the city. “This is a hands-on, transactional approach out of the mayor’s office, one that’s been missing for the last few years,” said consultant Larry Kosmont.


‘Hound these projects’
The big test will be in execution. Financing challenges, bureaucratic roadblocks and residential opposition all have stymied previous plans for sites such as Valley Plaza and Marlton Square.


A much promoted public-private partnership under Riordan called Genesis L.A. made little progress on a list of 21 high-priority sites in the late 1990s, and had to broaden its mission to invest in other urban redevelopment work.


Ovrom said he wants to “hound these projects on a daily basis, to break the logjams that have stalled them.” He described setting up a “war-room” in the mayor’s economic development office on the 13th floor of City Hall, where officials would track the progress of each of the projects on giant maps.


To help in this effort, Ovrom said personnel will be added to the business team, and an economic development cabinet of at least six city department heads will be created.


The first business team was launched 12 years ago under Riordan as a way of drawing back development to the city’s urban core after the riots. Under the leadership of Rocky Delgadillo – now city attorney – it had some success in cutting deals with companies and clearing roadblocks for business expansions and relocations.


Hahn de-emphasized the business team when he took office in 2001 and changed its focus to developing affordable housing. Business groups acknowledged that housing was essential, but they lamented the loss of the high-profile deal-cutting that dominated the Riordan era.


Ovrom said he plans to multiply the business team’s impact by working closely with other city departments to cut through red tape. “If we can get five or six other departments all on the same page with us on these projects, that’s a staff of thousands of people with a budget of tens of millions of dollars,” he said.


Unlike Riordan, Villaraigosa is likely to have the support of the City Council, where he recently served. Both San Fernando Valley councilwoman Wendy Greuel and Hollywood councilman Eric Garcetti said they welcome a more proactive lead from the mayor.


“It’s exciting to me to see this kind of energy around economic development in this city,” said Greuel. “We need a strong mayor to push these projects forward.”


Garcetti said he did not expect any council resistance to the development push. The bigger problem, he said, would be overcoming neighborhood opposition.


YIMBY Time
Ovrom, who has dealt with local opponents to projects at the CRA, said the approach would be to try to convert NIMBYs (Not in My Back Yard) to YIMBYs (Yes in My Back Yard). “Most of the time, it’s not that people are opposed to doing anything at all with a site,” he said. “They just want it developed on their terms. Incorporating this concept into our projects will be crucial.”


Delgadillo said Riordan and Villaraigosa share an ability to shuttle between opponents and developers in hammering out a compromise. “There’s no way we could have pushed through the MGM Tower in Century City if we didn’t get that compromise with the neighbors,” Delgadillo said.


Ovrom said Villaraigosa will be picking up the phone and asking local business owners what the city can do to help them grow. The business team will also market the city inside and outside the region.


“We have to do a better job of letting people know about the advantages and the incentives we already have,” Ovrom said. “For example, there’s a specific exemption to the business tax for entertainment companies locating in Hollywood and North Hollywood. But nobody knows about it.”


There will also be efforts to develop industry clusters, especially biomedical and biotech firms. During the campaign, Villaraigosa repeatedly mentioned his work to push for the creation of a biomed/biotech park near County/USC Hospital in Boyle Heights. That project has stalled over jurisdictional issues between the city and county.


Last week, Ovrom said the Villaraigosa administration would be aggressively going after research grants from the Stem Cell Research Institute created when California voters passed a $3 billion initiative last fall.


“We will put the full resources of our city to work to be sure that UCLA and USC get those stem cell research grants,” Ovrom said.


Meanwhile, Villaraigosa has said he intends to pursue further business tax reform beyond the measures enacted last year, and also eliminate red tape encountered by small businesses in their dealings with the city.


“To us, this is just as important, if not more so, than moving 75 projects to completion,” said Martin Cooper, chairman of the Valley Industry and Commerce Association. “The mayor must realize that this right now is a business unfriendly city and move to act to make it more business-friendly.”

[POLA]

“We have to do a better job of letting people know about the advantages and the incentives we already have,” Ovrom said. “For example, there’s a specific exemption to the business tax for entertainment companies locating in Hollywood and North Hollywood. But nobody knows about it.”

I would love to learn more about all the incentives offered by the city. Who might I contact at city hall to get more info?

[LA21st]

Hell yeah! Antonio sounds like LA's version of Daley. He's all about progress of the city. I really like this new mayor.

[LA21st]

nowadays i always assume that California projects will have a 4-6 month delay. just about every big building being develeoped in san diego has had some sort of delay.

OK "good" because I thought it was only an "LA thang!" I know this sounds TOTALLY naive, but do they have these kinds of long delays with construction in places like Chicago and NYC?

Depends on the developer or architect. As far as the city of Chicago's involvement, they push the projects forward as fast as they can-big or small. There aren't too many fights with NIMBY groups here..they don't have much power.

[ocman]

NYC has it pretty bad when they try to get projects approved. I think we are just getting a glimpse of the development climate there with the whole WTC towers controversy,.

[colemonkee]

I was talking with a friend who works in the concrete business this weekend, and he said his company recently put in a bid for a $1 billion project downtown. I'm assuming this is LA Live, because it's the only project of that scale that's that far along. So the wheels seem to be turning...

[LAMetroGuy]

big wheels keep on turning... do you think that they are waiting for the X Games to finish before they break ground????