LOS ANGELES | METRO Project Rundown 2.0 (non-downtown)

[MultiK]

Very clever to use Comic Sans as your watermark so folks don't co-opt your images.

Just kidding, nice photos :D.

[saybanana]

Photo Update from last weekend

The Petersen Automotive Museum
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5770/20993217630_9294f598d3_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xZ6Jd7)The Petersen Automotive Museum (https://flic.kr/p/xZ6Jd7) by Joe Sands (https://www.flickr.com/photos/130435608@N04/), on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5665/20560224953_588793fc3b_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xjQwz8)The Petersen Automotive Museum (https://flic.kr/p/xjQwz8) by Joe Sands (https://www.flickr.com/photos/130435608@N04/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/729/21181371015_1e009b61be_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ygJ4DZ)The Petersen Automotive Museum (https://flic.kr/p/ygJ4DZ) by Joe Sands (https://www.flickr.com/photos/130435608@N04/), on Flickr

[saybanana]

Columbia Square from last weekend
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/623/20997054678_2c7abeca6e_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xZroQ7)Columbia Square (https://flic.kr/p/xZroQ7) by Joe Sands (https://www.flickr.com/photos/130435608@N04/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/673/21158728046_d6c91f5405_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/yeJ1FY)Columbia Square (https://flic.kr/p/yeJ1FY) by Joe Sands (https://www.flickr.com/photos/130435608@N04/), on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5632/21174661822_4860eb077f_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/yg8Fff)Columbia Square (https://flic.kr/p/yg8Fff) by Joe Sands (https://www.flickr.com/photos/130435608@N04/), on Flickr

The Camden from last weekend.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5744/21192816911_1ba6a4bf4b_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/yhJJ82)The Camden (https://flic.kr/p/yhJJ82) by Joe Sands (https://www.flickr.com/photos/130435608@N04/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/651/21184986145_279188f2aa_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/yh3AiP)The Camden (https://flic.kr/p/yh3AiP) by Joe Sands (https://www.flickr.com/photos/130435608@N04/), on Flickr

[colemonkee]

Great shots, saybanana! The Peterson looks fantastic, and the glass on Columbia Square looks great too! Nice to see some aesthetically pleasing buildings going up!

[kelbeen]

10000 SMBLVD
http://www.handelarchitects.com/images/projects/location/los-angeles/a10000-santa-monica/2.jpg

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5773/20739301356_38ae9434e8_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xAEkKj)10000 Santa Monica Blvd-1374 (https://flic.kr/p/xAEkKj) by Eesomest (https://www.flickr.com/photos/planetbrent/), on Flickr

[Lalaland]

^ Love this building. Thanks for the pic. Wish we would build more of this all over LA.

[a very long weekend]

wow, the smblvd and peterson museum buildings look great! thanks for the updates.

[Eightball]

Yes, excellent updates in both threads saybanana. Thanks!

[Wilcal]

Columbia Square from last weekend
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/623/20997054678_2c7abeca6e_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xZroQ7)Columbia Square (https://flic.kr/p/xZroQ7) by Joe Sands (https://www.flickr.com/photos/130435608@N04/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/673/21158728046_d6c91f5405_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/yeJ1FY)Columbia Square (https://flic.kr/p/yeJ1FY) by Joe Sands (https://www.flickr.com/photos/130435608@N04/), on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5632/21174661822_4860eb077f_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/yg8Fff)Columbia Square (https://flic.kr/p/yg8Fff) by Joe Sands (https://www.flickr.com/photos/130435608@N04/), on Flickr

The Camden from last weekend.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5744/21192816911_1ba6a4bf4b_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/yhJJ82)The Camden (https://flic.kr/p/yhJJ82) by Joe Sands (https://www.flickr.com/photos/130435608@N04/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/651/21184986145_279188f2aa_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/yh3AiP)The Camden (https://flic.kr/p/yh3AiP) by Joe Sands (https://www.flickr.com/photos/130435608@N04/), on Flickr

The Peterson looks too to fantastic to believe. What an absolute triumph! I wonder if there will be special lighting to create a nighttime effect.

Also, I bet the developers of Camden are kicking themselves in the ass for under-building their project. With the momentum that Hollywood is now experiencing these units would have done very well.

[Jaycruz]

^^ I was thinking the same thing ! Hollywood is on fire. I want and need the palladium towers to be approved and under construction ! one of my favorite LA projects.

I know people say "developers need High-rises to pencil out" I wonder with a massive demand for Residential and Creative office space off the charts at the moment will mixed use towers pencil out to make sense at the moment ?

[StethJeff]

Petersen. Ummm WOW. That's the best thing ive seen in the city since WDCH. In fact it's right up there with it. Get ready to see a ton of locals and tourists alike with their cellphone cameras hanging around Fairfax/Wilshire.

[bobbyv]

Petersen. Ummm WOW. That's the best thing ive seen in the city since WDCH. In fact it's right up there with it. Get ready to see a ton of locals and tourists alike with their cellphone cameras hanging around Fairfax/Wilshire.

Also expecting to see it as a backdrop in car commercials or commercials in general.

[DistrictDirt]

Photo Update from last weekend

The Petersen Automotive Museum


Peterson is looking great. I'm feeling pretty vindicated for sticking up for this project when everyone else was complaining about how tacky the renderings were.

[StethJeff]

All the more reason to cross our fingers that something approaching the original Zumthor vision for the LACMA happens. What a duo Petersen+LACMA would be! It'd be better than WDCH+Broad!

[blackcat23]

http://urbanize.la/post/hollywood-office-building-goes-vertical

1601 Vine Street crane, seen from one block east on Selma.

http://urbanize.la/sites/default/files/styles/1140wb/public/field/image/20150905_110250.jpg?itok=82LCKY9s

http://urbanize.la/sites/default/files/styles/950w/public/field/image/vine.jpg?itok=3FR-_wVU

[Eightball]

Very clever to use Comic Sans as your watermark so folks don't co-opt your images.

Just kidding, nice photos :D.
lmao! my watermarking program says the font is 'art brush' tho :)

[hughfb3]

http://la.curbed.com/uploads/2012.07_hollygower.jpg

Does anyone know whats going on with the Hollywood Gower tower by Hanover? In 2012 they were held up by la mirada lawsuit claiming insufficient public review on parking. Blvd 6200 aka Eastown phase 2 should be breaking ground by year end and this is the last plot of major parking along the hollywood blvd walk of fame. Vine st walk of fame still needs infill from the Millennium project and the small lot at hollywood/Vine that burned down in 2006.

[blackcat23]

http://urbanize.la/post/site-prep-underway-hollywood-hotel

Demolition now complete at 1800 Argyle Ave, 16-story Kimpton Hotel now starting work (225 guest rooms, 6,000 s.f. meeting space, 3,000 s.f. restaurant space).

http://urbanize.la/sites/default/files/styles/1140wb/public/field/image/20150905_112008.jpg?itok=RWPrjaEI

[Eightball]

Culver City Expo Line stop yesterday:

The Platform

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/614/21297983751_4ff41cd909_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ys2Jyp)The Platform #CulverCity (https://flic.kr/p/ys2Jyp) by robb (https://www.flickr.com/photos/73028294@N00/), on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5793/20667182254_dde9596d97_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xuhHfw)The Platform #CulverCity (https://flic.kr/p/xuhHfw) by robb (https://www.flickr.com/photos/73028294@N00/), on Flickr

back of one of the buildings from the train

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/728/21297624905_472c3ef88c_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/yrZTTp)The Platform Culver city (https://flic.kr/p/yrZTTp) by robb (https://www.flickr.com/photos/73028294@N00/), on Flickr

Access Culver City

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/683/20668761003_22a6e71140_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xuqNyk)Access #culvercity (https://flic.kr/p/xuqNyk) by robb (https://www.flickr.com/photos/73028294@N00/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/627/20667173384_2c665a5ca8_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xuhEBA)Access #culvercity (https://flic.kr/p/xuhEBA) by robb (https://www.flickr.com/photos/73028294@N00/), on Flickr

I also noticed a couple new warehouse conversions in that area have begun, the Surfas new construction demo has started and i noticed there seems to some new sfh construction happening. i will try to grab some photos of that when i can. that little area is on fire!

[Steve8263]

8150 Sunset website finally updated. Has a more detailed, full screen rendering now-

http://www.8150sunset.com/

Sunset/ La Cienega west towers cranes are coming down, all windows are in. The east side is at about level 5 of 10 now.

No signs of life at the Edition Hotel site further west. They demo'ed the old Scandinavian building and then nothing since.

Icon over by the 101 is flying also, must be up to level 3 or so.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR07phRDjpg

[Wally West]

8150 Sunset website finally updated. Has a more detailed, full screen rendering now-

http://www.8150sunset.com/


http://i.imgur.com/5SzST6D.jpg?1

Wow, I'm now excited for this project.


And thanks for another great update, kelbeen!

[losangelesnative]

Metro is beginning the process to develop the 15 acres of parking lots surrounding the NoHo station

[NSMP]

The rate of change in central hollywood is really astonishing.

[IMBY]

I'm cool with the design. Barcelona has half a dozen Gaudi buildings and nobody bats an eye. LA would be just fine with 3 Gehrys.

We have one Gehry building here in Las Vegas, one too many for me! I've tried so, so, so hard to appreciate his predictable, cold, aluminum design work, but perhaps I need to try harder.:shrug:

L.A. has 3 Gehry buildings, and how many are there in L.A. that were designed by Calatrava? Any? Most of his buildings become tourist attractions to any city that gets one. Pricey? For sure! Check out the costs of his WTC transit stop? 3 billion?

I'm guessing his architectural fees are sky-high, which is why you don't see more of his works around the world?

Let me know when a Calatrava designed building arrives in the L.A. area, I'll put in on my calendar!:tup:

[black_crow]

Wow, I'm now excited for this project.


And thanks for another great update, kelbeen!
That must be one of the ugliest graphics I ever saw. :yuck:

How can somebody come up with that kind of a building?
I guess he is unhappy with his life and now he is trying to punish us for it.

Well, I just googled his picture and he shows us the middle finger.


https://news.artnet.com/wp-content/news-upload/2014/10/frankgehryfinger.jpg

I got you Gehry, but I really hate your work, every single piece of it.
Come on, that must be so form of a punishment for the rest of the world.

More of his work:

http://weburbanist.com/2015/02/08/new-frank-gehry-building-so-ugly-it-has-to-wear-a-paper-bag/


So how can he say:"98% Of Architecture Today 'Has No Respect For Humanity'"????
Stop it, please.

[SD_Phil]

We have one Gehry building here in Las Vegas, one too many for me! I've tried so, so, so hard to appreciate his predictable, cold, aluminum design work, but perhaps I need to try harder.:shrug:

L.A. has 3 Gehry buildings, and how many are there in L.A. that were designed by Calatrava? Any? Most of his buildings become tourist attractions to any city that gets one. Pricey? For sure! Check out the costs of his WTC transit stop? 3 billion?

I'm guessing his architectural fees are sky-high, which is why you don't see more of his works around the world?

Let me know when a Calatrava designed building arrives in the L.A. area, I'll put in on my calendar!:tup:

Calatrava has a half dozen buildings in Valencia...where he is from. That makes sense. They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That might be true. However, although Gehry was born in Canada, his name is as attached to Los Angeles as any starchitect. Love him or hate him, I think LA could use more of him.

[black_crow]

Calatrava has a half dozen buildings in Valencia...where he is from. That makes sense. They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That might be true. However, although Gehry was born in Canada, his name is as attached to Los Angeles as any starchitect. Love him or hate him, I think LA could use more of him.
Oh yes, we need more of his work.

http://img.weburbanist.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/frank-gehry-building-exterior.jpg

Just beautiful.

That guy is just crazy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lhx6ZVfPvWE

[colemonkee]

This is where subjectivity comes in. I happen to enjoy his work on an aesthetic level. So personally I welcome this project. But that's my objective opinion. In that UTS example you posted above, I see some of the playfulness of Gaudi, who's work I also admire and is fantastic in person, but was just as polarizing in his day as Gehry's work is (he's not debated as much as time goes on - he's widely accepted as important to architecture). Time will tell if Gehry's work will stand the test of time, but if his works like the Guggenheim and Disney Hall are any indication, that's a likely scenario.

[Steve8263]

I'm going to throw a few more logs on the fire, here are photos of the mock up of the project they made for the Gehry exhibit at LACMA-

http://savesunsetboulevard.com/8150-at-the-lacma/

A sample-

http://savesunsetboulevard.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/DSC0580a.jpg

http://savesunsetboulevard.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/DSC0582a.jpg

http://savesunsetboulevard.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/DSC0577a.jpg

[Busy Bee]

Still looks like his dog ran through the model just as he was putting on the finishing touches.

Architectural preference is the height of subjectivity but IMO Gehry is the essence of gimmickry.

[blackcat23]

http://urbanize.la/post/closer-look-8150-sunset-boulevard

Some more shots of 8150 Sunset in context with its surroundings.

15-story tower would be 234 feet tall, while the 11-story tower would be 174 feet in height.

http://urbanize.la/sites/default/files/styles/950w/public/field/image/8150sunset4.JPG?itok=gx5T75Qy

[ozone]

Still looks like his dog ran through the model just as he was putting on the finishing touches.

Architectural preference is the height of subjectivity but IMO Gehry is the essence of gimmickry.


How is his work gimmickry? So many famous architects throughout history had a very distinctive style. How is someone like say Frank Lloyd Wright any different in this regard. My only criticism with his work, and this is a problem with many "starchitects" is that his work is not at all contextual and often not friendly at the street/pedestrian level. Which is why LA is probably the most appropriate place for him.

[Illithid Dude]

Personally, I really like the new 8150 Sunset designs, and think it looks much better than the bland building we were to get prior. Even if the building doesn't end up working out upon completion, I always rather have something that pushes the envelope and fails then is content to banality, or is designed by a developer just trying to save money.

[King Kill 'em]

What's with the sudden hate for gehry? I understand it with the la river but this project? Really? It's nicely designed.

[NSMP]

I really like 8150 sunset and most of Gehry's stuff I've seen. (That office building black_crow posted though, woof). His style is distinctive and if you don't like it that's fine, but I'd rather an artist with a style than one who tries to be all things to all people any day.

"Save Sunset Blvd" indeed. Save it from itself. I've never been anywhere so hellbent on demeaning its iconic spaces as LA. Truly remarkable.

[Lalaland]

I don't always like Frank Gehry, but when I do it's buildings like this.

[cargocultpants]

There are literally dozens of Gehry buildings over greater LA; everything from his own, very groundbreaking home in Santa Monica, to early buildings where he starts to experiment with how to reference the work-a-day craftsmanship of local home owners, to his later sculptural stuff.

Seeing his whole range of works over time, as well as understanding the LA built environment in general, really helps one appreciate Gehry.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_works_by_Frank_Gehry

[DistrictDirt]

There are literally dozens of Gehry buildings over greater LA; everything from his own, very groundbreaking home in Santa Monica, to early buildings where he starts to experiment with how to reference the work-a-day craftsmanship of local home owners, to his later sculptural stuff.

Seeing his whole range of works over time, as well as understanding the LA built environment in general, really helps one appreciate Gehry.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_works_by_Frank_Gehry

Added 8150 Sunset to the proposed list. Yay, my first Wikipedia edit. :)

[King Kill 'em]

The Grand Avenue article says that his project there will break ground in december of this year. That can't be accurate can it?

[NSMP]

Related has no funding for the project. An article yesterday said that Eli Broad was going to help them secure funding but that he was uninterested in financing any part of it himself. (helluva sales pitch, eli!) So, no, it's not breaking ground in december, or probably the december after that.

[King Kill 'em]

Yeah I didn't think so.

[dktshb]

Friday, September 11, 2015, by Bianca Barragan

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures got its approvals back in June, but it's spent the months since then trying to keep from being sued by anti-development group Fix the City—the same group that helped shut down planning guidelines in 2013 that would've encouraged transit-oriented development in Hollywood and that is now suing to stop the just-passed Los Angeles mobility plan that would create more transit, biking, and walking options in the city. But in this case, discussion have been fruitful and a lawsuit has been avoided—the LA Times reports that Fix the City and the Academy have reached some kind of mysterious deal, meaning demolition on the project at Fairfax and Wilshire can start in the fall.


http://la.curbed.com/archives/2015/09/academy_movie_museum_demolition_construction.php

[Wilcal]

Friday, September 11, 2015, by Bianca Barragan

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures got its approvals back in June, but it's spent the months since then trying to keep from being sued by anti-development group Fix the City—the same group that helped shut down planning guidelines in 2013 that would've encouraged transit-oriented development in Hollywood and that is now suing to stop the just-passed Los Angeles mobility plan that would create more transit, biking, and walking options in the city. But in this case, discussion have been fruitful and a lawsuit has been avoided—the LA Times reports that Fix the City and the Academy have reached some kind of mysterious deal, meaning demolition on the project at Fairfax and Wilshire can start in the fall.


http://la.curbed.com/archives/2015/09/academy_movie_museum_demolition_construction.php

I still dislike the round dome structure.

[losangelesnative]

The new Costco at village at Westfield to panga opened today (rest of village opens next week)

[MultiK]

Oh come on, it's a perfectly round sphere. A simple, geometric shape - as inoffensive as it gets.

[DistrictDirt]

Oh come on, it's a perfectly round sphere. A simple, geometric shape - as inoffensive as it gets.

Not really perfectly round. It has a nipple. Cannot unsee.

[Illithid Dude]

I can't believe they took an already bad design and made it worse by covering the bulb in metal instead of glass. This is gonna be such a mess of a project.

[Wilcal]

Oh come on, it's a perfectly round sphere. A simple, geometric shape - as inoffensive as it gets.
"Oh come on," it was an opinion not a personal attack. This is an open forum isn't it?--as inoffensive as it gets

[timpdx]

Its really bad. Kinda a travesty that we will regret. The glass partially salvaged the design. Now we have all the elegance of a blimp landing pad, partially deflated. And I love modern architecture., but this is just awful as rendered.

[Wilcal]

I can't believe they took an already bad design and made it worse by covering the bulb in metal instead of glass. This is gonna be such a mess of a project.
But isn't designed by that world famous architect Renzo Piano? Just look at the "mess" he created at LACMA. Honestly, the people who buy in to such "crap" just because of a name (Frank Gehry comes to mind) I agree with you--this is gonna be a mess of "crap."

[NSMP]

The technical refinement study is complete for the West Santa Ana Branch LRT
https://metro.legistar.com/DepartmentDetail.aspx?ID=28531&GUID=AEDD3054-ED79-4EF6-AC23-D5875EA9F3C0

Metro is proposing scrapping the two north alignment alternatives passed forward by the SCAG AA and replacing them with 4 new ones, all of which look better to me. Interesting details include the proposal to elevate the union station platform above the existing rail concourse, Cerritos requesting the deletion of its terminal station stop, the potential addition of another Arts District stop, and the potential sharing of the Blue Line ROW between Washington and Slauson. A 30 minute run time is projected between Artesia and Union Station. I don't think this project will ever make it across the county line, but regardless the connectivity benefits would be really huge for this region.

[NSMP]

Residents at sunset and Gordon are getting kicked out for real this time. Another vacant building blighting CD13. It's kind of infuriating that Garcetti doesn't even have the backbone to address the situation at all.
http://www.latimes.com/local/cityhall/la-me-hollywood-apartment-lawsuit-20150914-story.html

[King Kill 'em]

The technical refinement study is complete for the West Santa Ana Branch LRT
https://metro.legistar.com/DepartmentDetail.aspx?ID=28531&GUID=AEDD3054-ED79-4EF6-AC23-D5875EA9F3C0

Metro is proposing scrapping the two north alignment alternatives passed forward by the SCAG AA and replacing them with 4 new ones, all of which look better to me. Interesting details include the proposal to elevate the union station platform above the existing rail concourse, Cerritos requesting the deletion of its terminal station stop, the potential addition of another Arts District stop, and the potential sharing of the Blue Line ROW between Washington and Slauson. A 30 minute run time is projected between Artesia and Union Station. I don't think this project will ever make it across the county line, but regardless the connectivity benefits would be really huge for this region.

This excites me more than the purple line exstension

after all projects u/c now are finished, here are the most important ones

1. this
2. crenshaw line to hollywood/highland
3. Orange line conversion and exstension to pasadena
4. sepulveda line from sylmar to lax

[NSMP]

^I'd be curious to hear the rationale for your order.

The original DTLA-Santa Ana route might've served 80,000 on a weekday, but Orange County can ignore their segment for decades. They're putting a trolley on part of it that will serve 6,000 a day instead. The reconfigured project does have some things going for it though. The Alameda/Pacific option which cobbles together a ridership of 60,000 w/o sharing tracks with the blue line might be the best. Many will say it is better to share the blue line tracks and improve times to union station for blue line customers. But I would rather see the WSAB share its DTLA track with the Slauson-harbor subdivision line, which would be directly endangered by the WSAB and blue line sharing a ROW

[blackcat23]

http://urbanize.la/post/art-deco-apartments-underway-miracle-mile

The Mansfield (Seven stories, 138 apartments, 13,000 sq. ft. retail) welll into excavation.

http://urbanize.la/sites/default/files/styles/1140wb/public/field/image/20150912_113823.jpg?itok=y4jNfmgl

http://urbanize.la/sites/default/files/styles/1140w/public/field/image/3_2.jpg?itok=1cGa23Vc

[brudy]

Residents at sunset and Gordon are getting kicked out for real this time. Another vacant building blighting CD13. It's kind of infuriating that Garcetti doesn't even have the backbone to address the situation at all.
http://www.latimes.com/local/cityhall/la-me-hollywood-apartment-lawsuit-20150914-story.html

The whole thing seems crazy to me. The worst part is that it validates that slimeball Silverstein...

[colemonkee]

The Mansfield is pretty close to my new place, so I should be able to document it's construction. That area is getting pretty dense, which is great because the Red Line will eventually stop right there. Here's hoping the two properties on the west side of La Brea are developed into mid or high rises.

[brudy]

The Mansfield design reminds me of that new building in Pasadena on Colorado. Art Deco-ish and looks pretty good in real life, even if it is chasing a historical style.

[LDVArch]

I can't believe they took an already bad design and made it worse by covering the bulb in metal instead of glass. This is gonna be such a mess of a project.

I like the design. It reminded me immediately of Boullee's Cenotaph and got me thinking about the figurative implications of repurposing Boullee's sphere for a museum about motion pictures. (Boullee's sphere was supposed to be a monument to Isaac Newton.)

There's also something quite "pop" about it. That is, it flirts with the idea of being a giant eyeball. As pop symbolism goes, that's a pretty good one for a motion picture museum. Think Un Chien Andalou, Chinatown, or Blade Runner.

Plus, there have been too many boxy, glassy, contextual additional already. See Foster's addition to the MFA Boston and of course Piano's own additions to the High Museum and ISG Museum. Another boxy addition would have been quite slavish and predictable.

As to the choice of materials, it looks to me like one continuous curtain wall of the same glass as seen at the top of the sphere. It is just that the middle section is an opaque volume. All depends, of course, on how Piano articulates the middle section. It looks to me like it is supposed to be read as a volume inside the glass sphere. (Think of the Hirschhorn museum inside a glass dome. One could also have fun with the implications of that given the attempts of DS+R to put a bubble on top of that building.)

If it is not a continuous curtain wall of the same glass, then the alternative would be a skin much like the one on his Pathe Foundation. That would also be very cool. In that building, you can see how masterfully he mates metal and glass panels in a curved curtain wall. In short, he's done this sort of thing before. So he can execute unlike DS+R with the Broad.

On that note, the BCAM at LACMA is what it is for the same reasons the Broad is what it is. So far the Academy has been a very good client. I dare say we're going to get something that is quite remarkable.

[retina]

The technical refinement study is complete for the West Santa Ana Branch LRT
https://metro.legistar.com/DepartmentDetail.aspx?ID=28531&GUID=AEDD3054-ED79-4EF6-AC23-D5875EA9F3C0

Metro is proposing scrapping the two north alignment alternatives passed forward by the SCAG AA and replacing them with 4 new ones, all of which look better to me. Interesting details include the proposal to elevate the union station platform above the existing rail concourse, Cerritos requesting the deletion of its terminal station stop, the potential addition of another Arts District stop, and the potential sharing of the Blue Line ROW between Washington and Slauson. A 30 minute run time is projected between Artesia and Union Station. I don't think this project will ever make it across the county line, but regardless the connectivity benefits would be really huge for this region.

Really interesting study, thanks for sharing it. Arts district will go from transit-poor to extremely well connected. The Purple line extension to AD will happen regardless to keep 2 min headways which is required for federal funds and then adding a couple more stops would be amazing on WSAB. Love the idea of the southern terminus in Little India!

OCTA seems to be doubling down on freeway expansion but the potential is there in the future.

[bzcat]

^I'd be curious to hear the rationale for your order.

The original DTLA-Santa Ana route might've served 80,000 on a weekday, but Orange County can ignore their segment for decades. They're putting a trolley on part of it that will serve 6,000 a day instead. The reconfigured project does have some things going for it though. The Alameda/Pacific option which cobbles together a ridership of 60,000 w/o sharing tracks with the blue line might be the best. Many will say it is better to share the blue line tracks and improve times to union station for blue line customers. But I would rather see the WSAB share its DTLA track with the Slauson-harbor subdivision line, which would be directly endangered by the WSAB and blue line sharing a ROW

Sharing Blue Line ROW, not tracks. It doesn't say tracks ;)

The Alameda option is better because it has transfers to both Blue (N-S) and Expo (E-W) line before reaching Union Station.

Alameda/Pacific option will force people to transfer twice to get to Expo line destinations (e.g. to East LA, USC or Culver City)

[NSMP]

Sharing Blue Line ROW, not tracks. It doesn't say tracks ;)

The Alameda option is better because it has transfers to both Blue (N-S) and Expo (E-W) line before reaching Union Station.

Alameda/Pacific option will force people to transfer twice to get to Expo line destinations (e.g. to East LA, USC or Culver City)

You're right, I even noted that remark about expanding the ROW in that segment and I still slipped up haha.

As for the alignments, I could probably be persuaded. But alameda/pacific would have a transfer to expo at little tokyo, no? Looking again, having to double back to get to 7th and metro and points west would definitely be undesirable.

[Illithid Dude]

The whole thing seems crazy to me. The worst part is that it validates that slimeball Silverstein...

Eh, CIM really went around the city's back when they demolished the Old Spaghetti Building. It sucks that this is hurting the urban fabric of Hollywood, but I feel like it's validated.

[bzcat]

You're right, I even noted that remark about expanding the ROW in that segment and I still slipped up haha.

As for the alignments, I could probably be persuaded. But alameda/pacific would have a transfer to expo at little tokyo, no? Looking again, having to double back to get to 7th and metro and points west would definitely be undesirable.

Pacific/Alameda alignment has transfer to Expo and Blue line @ Little Tokyo. So if you are going to Financial Dist, USC, or Culver City from Artesia, you have to backtrack, or transfer twice.

Alameda alignment has transfers to both Expo (@ LT) and Blue (@Washington, Slauson, Vernon) so you can change train without backtrack. e.g. Artesia to 7th Street - change to Blue line before reaching Downtown; Artesia to East LA - change to Expo line @ LT; no backtrack required in either case).

But more importantly, look at the big picture here...

If the Alameda alignment is chosen (and I have every reason to believe it will), Metro can re-route the Blue (A) line to go straight up Alameda instead of taking the dogleg via Washington to meet up with Expo line. This will shave a lot of running time off the Blue (A) line from Azusa to Long Beach. The running time is important because A line will be the longest light rail line in the world... and keeping the train on time will be a challenge. Any way to shortened the running time and simplify the route will be positive.

That means the Santa Ana line will continue on Washington Blvd (the current Blue line route), Flower St, and 2nd Street before turning into Union Station.

Under this service plan, Metro will accomplish three important things:

1. Shave running time from Blue (A) line.
2. Maintain 2.5 minutes headway in Downtown LA between Union Station and Washington Blvd Station.
3. Maintain max of 1-transfer for all directional travel via Downtown LA.

[King Kill 'em]

^I'd be curious to hear the rationale for your order.



that's not in order.

[retina]

Pacific/Alameda alignment has transfer to Expo and Blue line @ Little Tokyo. So if you are going to Financial Dist, USC, or Culver City from Artesia, you have to backtrack, or transfer twice.

Alameda alignment has transfers to both Expo (@ LT) and Blue (@Washington, Slauson, Vernon) so you can change train without backtrack. e.g. Artesia to 7th Street - change to Blue line before reaching Downtown; Artesia to East LA - change to Expo line @ LT; no backtrack required in either case).

But more importantly, look at the big picture here...

If the Alameda alignment is chosen (and I have every reason to believe it will), Metro can re-route the Blue (A) line to go straight up Alameda instead of taking the dogleg via Washington to meet up with Expo line. This will shave a lot of running time off the Blue (A) line from Azusa to Long Beach. The running time is important because A line will be the longest light rail line in the world... and keeping the train on time will be a challenge. Any way to shortened the running time and simplify the route will be positive.

That means the Santa Ana line will continue on Washington Blvd (the current Blue line route), Flower St, and 2nd Street before turning into Union Station.

Under this service plan, Metro will accomplish three important things:

1. Shave running time from Blue (A) line.
2. Maintain 2.5 minutes headway in Downtown LA between Union Station and Washington Blvd Station.
3. Maintain max of 1-transfer for all directional travel via Downtown LA.

Since there is really only $240 M in Measure R money available towards the nearly $4.3B needed, I assume this project will rely on the passage of R2 to get started? Since we are at the technical refinement stage, I estimate we'll need about 3 more years for an EIS/EIR to be finalized. Then about 2-3 year until construction to begin then, what would you estimate about 5 years construction for 19 miles of light rail? Would be complete about 2026 on an aggressive timeline?

[NSMP]

Since there is really only $240 M in Measure R money available towards the nearly $4.3B needed, I assume this project will rely on the passage of R2 to get started? Since we are at the technical refinement stage, I estimate we'll need about 3 more years for an EIS/EIR to be finalized. Then about 2-3 year until construction to begin then, what would you estimate about 5 years construction for 19 miles of light rail? Would be complete about 2026 on an aggressive timeline?

Yeah it is definitely dependent on R2. Gateway Cities COG (like South Bay Cities) did not prioritize any new rail projects, so they could be contributing between 1-2 billion out of their r2 pot to WSAB. The $4.3 billion dollar estimate includes the FTA contingency of 1/3 or more, so the actual estimate should be lowered significantly by the time the DEIR comes out. The SCAG study suggested 3 MOS segments: Union Station to green line; green line to Cerritos; cerritos to Santa ana. I wouldn't be surprised if we still saw that phasing.

[King Kill 'em]

It pisses me off so much that it takes so long to build these projects. Why is it in china and japan they can fund and complete new rail lines in 1/8 the time it takes us?

[Illithid Dude]

It pisses me off so much that it takes so long to build these projects. Why is it in china and japan they can fund and complete new rail lines in 1/8 the time it takes us?

Cheaper labor, less labor laws, less environmental protection policies. And simply because they have more money to do so.

[timpdx]

Projects in Japan take plenty of time, very different than China.

[King Kill 'em]

Projects in Japan take plenty of time, very different than China.

well they use to be fast then at least

[brudy]

Eh, CIM really went around the city's back when they demolished the Old Spaghetti Building. It sucks that this is hurting the urban fabric of Hollywood, but I feel like it's validated.

Perhaps, but just fine them an extreme amount of money and move on. Leaving it in limbo like this is pointless.

[Illithid Dude]

Perhaps, but just fine them an extreme amount of money and move on. Leaving it in limbo like this is pointless.

Maybe the city was just fed up with CIM, it's not like they have the cleanest history. I remember they fucked around a lot on their big retail project in South LA.

[blackcat23]

http://urbanize.la/post/metro-exploring-new-options-west-santa-ana-branch

Kind of missed the boat with the WSAB discussion yesterday, but after combing through the Metro files there are some more details.

As others have already noted, the favorite option based on the criteria set forth by Metro staff appears to be a straight shot down Alameda.

Near complete grade separation within DTLA boundaries, minus a brief at-grade section to duck beneath the freeway and cut into the Blue Line right-of-way.

However, the WSAB would not actually interline with the Blue Line. Instead, the plan is for a new elevated structure that would directly parallel the Blue Line (with stations at Washington Blvd, Vernon and Slauson) before turning east.

http://urbanize.la/sites/default/files/styles/1140w/public/field/image/10_0.JPG?itok=-ozoca4q

[NSMP]

Great write-up as usual blackcat.

And yeah, after bzcat's post, I definitely understand the choice of the alameda option. Good stuff, glad to hear about the grade separations!

[NSMP]

Since I was wrong about the track-sharing, I think the alameda option will spur calls to develop the harbor subdivision between the crenshaw and blue lines. MoveLA listed a cost estimate of .8 billion for that 5 mile, 4 stop connector. It's hard for me to imagine the central LA COG leaving that off its priorities list, which I'd love to see btw if anyone can find it online. With such a lower cost and a separate funding pot, that could conceivably be constructed simultaneously with the WSAB phase 1.

[blackcat23]

Since I was wrong about the track-sharing, I think the alameda option will spur calls to develop the harbor subdivision between the crenshaw and blue lines. MoveLA listed a cost estimate of .8 billion for that 5 mile, 4 stop connector. It's hard for me to imagine the central LA COG leaving that off its priorities list, which I'd love to see btw if anyone can find it online. With such a lower cost and a separate funding pot, that could conceivably be constructed simultaneously with the WSAB phase 1.

I noticed that in the most recent update for the Measure R2 plan. With all things considered, this seems like relatively low hanging fruit. Still kind of sucks that it wouldn't be able to interline with the WSAB or the Blue Line, though.

Speaking of the Blue Line, this just opened next to Compton Station

http://urbanize.la/post/senior-apartments-completed-compton

Developer: Meta Housing Corp
Metro @ Compton Senior Apartments - 75 units
Y&M Architects

http://urbanize.la/sites/default/files/styles/950w/public/field/image/compton.jpg?itok=OSnSfl9w

[bzcat]

I noticed that in the most recent update for the Measure R2 plan. With all things considered, this seems like relatively low hanging fruit. Still kind of sucks that it wouldn't be able to interline with the WSAB or the Blue Line, though.



In the big scheme of things, it would be relatively cheap to add an interline exchange between A (Blue) line and WSAB near the Slauson station.

The Metro AA analysis focuses on the alignment of the new construction, not how existing (and over system) service can be optimized. It seems to me that there is actually very compelling reasons for Metro to re-route A line to run on Alameda viaduct once it is constructed.

The viaduct actually opens up potential to run semi-express service on A line that can shave probably another 7 or 8 minutes from the running time from Long Beach to Union Station, on top of the 11-12 minutes by not taking the loop. By running in the viaduct, A line can skip several time consuming surface crossings (e.g. Washington Blvd) that slows down the train, making it difficult to maintain schedule on a super-long line from Azusa to Long Beach.

I'm sure they will look at that during the EIR.

[NSMP]

Blackcat, am I missing something regarding the interlining? The alameda alternative actually follows the 2009 AA for the harbor subdivision north almost exactly (except above grade instead of mostly at-grade). It seems like it would be perfect to join it to the WSAB at Slauson/long beach station.

[Munchitup]

The Mansfield design reminds me of that new building in Pasadena on Colorado. Art Deco-ish and looks pretty good in real life, even if it is chasing a historical style.

I think the best thing about the new Pasadena building (Playhouse Plaza is the official name) is that it has two large and shaded outdoor patios with benches and fountains along El Molino. I have a little kid so we go to Vroman's every Saturday, pick up a sandwich and coffee from Urth Cafe and then go sit and eat on those patios. Another bonus is that El Molino got a huge pedestrian crossing area and the road was redesigned to calm traffic significantly. So basically even if the building itself looked tacky (which as Brudy says it does not) it would still be a huge upgrade to the community. Plus, Alibaba is going to be one of the main tenants so that is a huge score for Pasadena in the tech realm. It is mind-blowing that there were groups calling the building out-of-scale with the neighborhood.

Anyways, in other Pasadena news, the Macy's at the Paseo is being demolished to make way for the Hyatt Place mixed-use development. Like the Playhouse Plaza, the new building will be nice but the biggest upgrade is going to be the destruction of that huge blank wall along Los Robles (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Paseo+Colorado/@34.1452048,-118.1414051,3a,75y,265h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sXZV5qMhvWwcc72xry7pwZg!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26output%3Dthumbnail%26thumb%3D2%26panoid%3DXZV5qMhvWwcc72xry7pwZg%26w%3D96%26h%3D64%26yaw%3D265%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D98%26ll%3D34.145178,-118.141405!7i13312!8i6656!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x30ef74eda4cd60ef!6m1!1e1) - I haven't seen renderings but I would imagine they would try to do something to that stretch to liven it up. It would be hard to make it worse, at the very least. It also looks like the Paseo is attempting to increase the store frontage along Green Street, which right now only has the now-empty former Gelson's Market (it was empty when I moved to the neighborhood 2 years ago).

[King Kill 'em]

http://urbanize.la/post/metro-exploring-new-options-west-santa-ana-branch

Kind of missed the boat with the WSAB discussion yesterday, but after combing through the Metro files there are some more details.

As others have already noted, the favorite option based on the criteria set forth by Metro staff appears to be a straight shot down Alameda.

Near complete grade separation within DTLA boundaries, minus a brief at-grade section to duck beneath the freeway and cut into the Blue Line right-of-way.

However, the WSAB would not actually interline with the Blue Line. Instead, the plan is for a new elevated structure that would directly parallel the Blue Line (with stations at Washington Blvd, Vernon and Slauson) before turning east.

http://urbanize.la/sites/default/files/styles/1140w/public/field/image/10_0.JPG?itok=-ozoca4q

It is it just me or is it so clear what the best option is that it hurts?

[blackcat23]

http://urbanize.la/post/aviationlax-station-gets-tod

Bzcat has mentioned it a couple of times, but there's a six-story apartment complex known as Avaire South Bay rising immediately south of the Green Line's Aviation/LAX Station. Developer is Fairfield Residential, and plans call for 264 apartments when complete.

http://urbanize.la/sites/default/files/styles/950wb/public/field/image/20150907_101744.jpg?itok=bcFsKQA8

[bzcat]

http://urbanize.la/post/aviationlax-station-gets-tod

Bzcat has mentioned it a couple of times, but there's a six-story apartment complex known as Avaire South Bay rising immediately south of the Green Line's Aviation/LAX Station. Developer is Fairfield Residential, and plans call for 264 apartments when complete.



So the project consists of just the land where the strip club was located and not the adjacent Caltrans parcel as noted in the Daily Breeze article you linked to on your site. Is that correct?

[bobbyv]

Steve Lopez wrote a disgusting bias report on road diets, what an ahole.

http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-0916-lopez-road-diets-20150916-column.html

[Wally West]

Steve Lopez wrote a disgusting bias report on road diets, what an ahole.


Don't give scummy articles/writers clicks. That'll encourage biased reporting. Whenever I link to an article/website that I don't wish to provide more traffic, I copy and paste the article onto a post.

When we talk about traffic in Los Angeles, we generally bicker about how slowly it moves, and we demand to know when someone at City Hall is going to do something about it.

Well, city officials have finally responded, but not in the way you might have expected.

On many streets, they're trying to slow traffic down, not speed it up.

Mobility Plan 2035, which detractors are referring to as the Immobility Plan, is a citywide initiative to add more bus-only and bike lanes over the next 20 years, often at the cost of removing vehicle lanes. Sunset, Venice and Lankershim boulevards are among the major thoroughfares that could get both bus and bike lanes.

"Road diet" is the operative term, and if the city goes forward with its plan, everything you do — from commuting, to running errands, to taking the kids to school — will be affected for decades to come. As my colleague David Zahniser wrote, "The goal is to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians while also luring more people out of their cars."

Not surprisingly, cyclists and backers of pedestrian-oriented planning are cheering.

Critics are crying about pollution from idling vehicles, potential emergency vehicle delays, accident risks and new headaches as motorists cut through residential streets to avoid road-diet backups. A Westside nonprofit called Fix the City has sued to overturn the plan, which won City Council approval in August by a 12-2 vote.

I happen to live in a neighborhood that has served as one of the early test cases for the plan, and I've got friends and neighbors who love it or loathe it. I see some good points on both sides of the argument, but clearly the city didn't do enough homework before ripping out two vehicle lanes on a major thoroughfare.

Three years ago, a 24-year-old woman left a Silver Lake restaurant and crossed Rowena Avenue to meet her father, who was waiting in his car. She was not in a crosswalk. One motorist stopped for her, but another apparently didn't see her, and the woman was struck and killed.

The accident accelerated a plan to make Rowena safer by transforming it from four lanes of traffic to two lanes, with a center buffer and bike lanes.

And the result?

At a packed community meeting Monday night, called by the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council, reps from the city's transportation department said that there had been several fewer traffic accidents and that average speeds of most vehicles have decreased by up to three miles an hour.

The rundown of these benefits drew lots of atta-boys from road diet fans: cyclists, pedestrians and residents, including an 11-year-old student who talked about feeling safer while pedaling to Ivanhoe Elementary School in a dedicated bike lane.

Traffic on Rowena can be hellish at rush hour, so I and a lot of other impatient motorists avoid it by taking alternate routes through narrow streets that weren't built to accommodate the added flow.

Naturally, residents of those streets don't like it. They say drivers are blowing through stop signs, speeding, killing the occasional cat and cursing at least one woman who has tried to slow them down.

"We're all for cyclists having safety, we applaud it," said one homeowner. "But what you've gained in safety, we've lost."

And as one exasperated resident noted, when you keep increasing the number of housing units while decreasing the number of traffic lanes, you're inviting these kinds of problems.

Resident Jerome Courshon, for one, was ticked off that the city scarcely considered such issues in a brief study, then "snuck in" the road diet without much community input. How can you even call it a study, he asked the transportation officials, "when you don't take into account one of the most severe impacts?"

Tim Fremaux of the transportation department said that in Silver Lake, the city studied what it was legally required to study, but maybe not what it should have studied.

"We have by no means done this flawlessly," he said. "There were errors along the way."

The transportation staff said it will look into possible fixes for the cut-through problems. A crackdown on traffic violations might help, and there are all sorts of "traffic calming" tools, including islands and speed bumps.

But speed bumps are already on hold because of budget constraints.

The broader question, for Silver Lake and the rest of Los Angeles, is what kind of city do we want to live in, and are there compromises everyone can agree on?

At Monday's meeting, one speaker asked why there can't be DASH-style neighborhood shuttles to get people out of their cars.

Good idea, especially in Silver Lake. I think a DASH to Trader Joe's would cut traffic by about 80%, especially if it was free for anyone with tattoos or hightops.

Another good idea: one resident wondered why the school district isn't more involved in the walking-cycling discussion, given the huge volume of traffic created by parents driving students to and from school daily.

Courshon said he'd love to see more Main Street kinds of neighborhoods where people can safely bike and stroll. But he feels as though City Hall is using road diets to force people out of their cars before making transit more accessible and bike lanes safer and more connected than they are now.

Resident Don Ward, on the other hand, likes the road diet. After decades of planning for and spending billions building a car-dominated culture, he said, the only way out of the mess we've created is to slow traffic and build a city in which walking, cycling and public transit are more efficient if not preferable options.

Courshon and Ward met over a few beers recently to see if they could find any common ground, and they reached a tentative "pact." It involves taking Rowena off its diet. It would go back to two lanes in each direction between Glendale and Hyperion, but with two additional crosswalks with signals to make the corridor slower and safer. And as a trade, bike lanes would be added to nearby Hyperion Avenue.

Not a bad idea, and more importantly, there's a lesson here.

When city officials come snooping around your neighborhood with plans for a road diet, don't assume they're going to do their homework. Get involved. Ask questions. Work out your own compromises.

It's your city, not theirs.

BTW does any think the LA TIMES has the tendency to pander to NIMBYs with fear mongering articles and statements like "When city officials come snooping around your neighborhood with plans for a road diet, don't assume they're going to do their homework. Get involved. Ask questions. Work out your own compromises."?

[StethJeff]

Kind of surprised to see this but apparently Curbed is the only place on Earth where people don't like the new Petersen's. We all pretty much ball washed this place for a page or two earlier this month. Well here is their hate piece:

http://la.curbed.com/archives/2015/09/petersen_automotive_museum_facade_review.php

[King Kill 'em]

In other news from curbed, they reported that the olympics comitee choose the 5 cities for the olympics that are to be voted on which are LA, Paris, Rome, Hamburg, and Budapest. I'm personally relieved that Toronto isn't in there. Gives us a better chance

[Wally West]

Kind of surprised to see this but apparently Curbed is the only place on Earth where people don't like the new Petersen's. We all pretty much ball washed this place for a page or two earlier this month. Well here is their hate piece:

http://la.curbed.com/archives/2015/09/petersen_automotive_museum_facade_review.php

There's a reason why they disabled comments.

[Busy Bee]

^Id be leery of that Hamburg bid. I know it comes down to many variables in each countries pitch, but it represents the first games in a unified Germany which the IOC may be very attracted to. My gut tells me Budapest won't come close. Hungary has a lot of problems, one of which being that they're not a particularly wealthy nation with enormous resources to pull off an Olympic Games. I believe LA's contenders are as follows in order of competitiveness:

1 Hamburg, 2 Paris, 3 Rome, 4 Budapest

[brudy]

^Id be leery of that Hamburg bid. I know it comes down to many variables in each countries pitch, but it represents the first games in a unified Germany which the IOC may be very attracted to. My gut tells me Budapest won't come close. Hungary has a lot of problems, one of which being that they're not a particularly wealthy nation with enormous resources to pull off an Olympic Games. I believe LA's contenders are as follows in order of competitiveness:

1 Hamburg, 2 Paris, 3 Rome, 4 Budapest

Plus Europe is a little occupied right now with other things...

[NSMP]

3640 wilshire is officially under construction in ktown. Any renders of this to be found? Last I saw was a city planning notice from 18 months ago http://urbanize.la/post/out-old-school-bungalows-new-school-apartments

[blackcat23]

http://cdn.cstatic.net/images/gridfs/55514606f92ea14ad800e331/Screen%20Shot%202015-05-11%20at%205.14.09%20PM.png

[Eagle rock]

The Wilshire Coronado condo project also appears to be under construction:

http://urbanize.la/post/wilshire-coronado-condominums-rise-near-macarthur-park

It seems like development is starting to close in on Westlake from all sides. This will probably result in a drop in population. 6th Street east of Alvarado has some of the highest pedestrian traffic in the entire city. Gentrification will probably mean a drop in household size.

[NSMP]

The Wilshire Coronado condo project also appears to be under construction:

http://urbanize.la/post/wilshire-coronado-condominums-rise-near-macarthur-park

It seems like development is starting to close in on Westlake from all sides. This will probably result in a drop in population. 6th Street east of Alvarado has some of the highest pedestrian traffic in the entire city. Gentrification will probably mean a drop in household size.

There's still slum housing in Westlake, overcrowded apartments and landlords that take advantage of recent immigrants who may not be aware of or can't take advantage of tenant rights. We have the density, but not in the right way. Westlake's a great urban neighborhood with 2 subway stops. Hopefully it will stay dense with an influx of development money.

[bzcat]

BTW does any think the LA TIMES has the tendency to pander to NIMBYs with fear mongering articles and statements like "When city officials come snooping around your neighborhood with plans for a road diet, don't assume they're going to do their homework. Get involved. Ask questions. Work out your own compromises."?

LA Times average subscriber age is probably in the high 60s. They know who reads their print edition, which is the one that pays the bills... The NIMBY demographics is also the one that still reads the print edition and clip the advertising coupons :ancient:

I subscribe to the print edition of the Times but mainly so I can read the online edition without the annoying road block. The paper usually get donated to my neighbor who use it as kitty litter :yes:

[bzcat]

^Id be leery of that Hamburg bid. I know it comes down to many variables in each countries pitch, but it represents the first games in a unified Germany which the IOC may be very attracted to. My gut tells me Budapest won't come close. Hungary has a lot of problems, one of which being that they're not a particularly wealthy nation with enormous resources to pull off an Olympic Games. I believe LA's contenders are as follows in order of competitiveness:

1 Hamburg, 2 Paris, 3 Rome, 4 Budapest

Hamburg lacks Olympic ready facilities so they will have to build a lot... IOC has said they want a venue with low construction budget because of Sochi and Beijing.

Budapest is not going to go very far because IOC inserted language regarding non-discrimination against sexual orientation as a per-condition for 2024 bidding. The current ultra rightwing Govt in Hungary is super homophobic and has sent mixed signals about whether they will fully support the bid.

Rome has a lot of fiscal problems and poor transportation. Pretty sure it won't be an factor.

Paris is definitely a contender.

LA lucked out with Toronto not submitting a bid.

[retina]

Hamburg lacks Olympic ready facilities so they will have to build a lot... IOC has said they want a venue with low construction budget because of Sochi and Beijing.

Budapest is not going to go very far because IOC inserted language regarding non-discrimination against sexual orientation as a per-condition for 2024 bidding. The current ultra rightwing Govt in Hungary is super homophobic and has sent mixed signals about whether they will fully support the bid.

Rome has a lot of fiscal problems and poor transportation. Pretty sure it won't be an factor.

Paris is definitely a contender.

LA lucked out with Toronto not submitting a bid.

It's definitely LA vs Paris. Hamburg and Budapest both face referendums. Rome is a non-starter, the place is amazing but a mess politically. Toronto I wasn't too worried about, the public sentiment was just not there. Paris has the whole 100th anniversary but the US deserves to host as USOC agreed to share a large piece of their pie with IOC and it's been hosted twice by Europe and Asia each, Australia, and South America since the last games in the US. We deserve our due.

[King Kill 'em]

If Olympic campaigns were like political campaigns and had attack ads we could point out how Paris is a museum city and some how use that to our advantage by contrasting how we are innovating and making our city better and more advanced.

[NSMP]

Another day, another hollywood development in danger. (http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-battle-hollywood-church-20150917-story.html) This time it's horizon hollywood at the corner of hollywood and la brea. The LA conservancy likely would be sated by preservation of the church in question, but the other group, "Save Residential Hollywood," probably will not stop at that.

[King Kill 'em]

[URL="http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-battle-hollywood-church-20150917-story.html"] but the other group, "Save Residential Hollywood," probably will not stop at that.

so the way to "save residential hollywood" is to prevent the construction of more residential units in hollywood?