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

[Radio5]

Looks like they chose a design for Taylor Yards, but I'm a little confused by it. Seems like they are only doing a portion of it. Hopefully they will do the rest later?

https://www.theeastsiderla.com/neighborhoods/cypress_park/design-chosen-for-l-a-river-greenway/article_ff76f3aa-3a43-11ee-b4d5-ef86549b7f3b.html

Pretty neat video of what they're doing https://vimeo.com/850976409

[citywatch]

RvlMtGknQtY

[LAisthePlace]

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-08-22/lacma-fundraising-campaign-for-new-building-surpasses-750-million-goal

LACMA has officially surpassed their ambitious $750 million fundraising goal.

Really speaks to the substantial and growing strength of the Los Angeles philanthropic community, especially when it comes to the arts.

They also announced that the new building is now 65% complete.

Cannot wait to see how it turns out and to make a visit for the first time.

[LAsam]

^ Amazing. Lots to look forward to in LA!

[sopas ej]

Pictures I took a few hours ago of a few construction projects in Pasadena, all in the Playhouse Village District.

A new hotel rising.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53140262958_aea61f6ac9_h.jpg
Photo by me

Some housing construction.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53140206090_cce913645d_h.jpg
Photo by me

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53139793201_0b4975bfb8_h.jpg
Photo by me

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53139997589_0d5b6df7f6_h.jpg
Photo by me

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53139191292_03f904543d_h.jpg
Photo by me

[Illithid Dude]

The new projects in Pasadena are beautiful. Pasadena, Santa Monica, and West Hollywood are living proof that having design review committees works. I wish LA was put together enough to board that train.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Indeed. Pasadena just does everything right. If only LA city emulated them

[citywatch]

Correct regarding cities like pasadena, etc, but a few clinkers on occasion do manage to squeeze through. Although this is an affordable housing proj & at least isn't in a high visibility location in pasadena....although it's on one of the main roads from the east that lead to the rose bowl....it was value engineered. A quick look at the pics may make that not seem apparent, but a lot of trim or decorative molding probably was left out to keep costs down. If the awnings in the future are allowed to become tattered or completely removed, the bldg's facade will end up even weaker.

https://raamconstruction.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/LOG_.jpg
raamconstruction.com

https://ggarch.com/cdn/shop/files/04Log_1024x1024.jpg?v=1691710236
GGA Architects

[homebucket]

^ That's actually not bad at all. I'd much rather prefer that over your other typical 5 over 1s with 5 different colors and materials.

https://la.urbanize.city/sites/default/files/styles/2018_article_gallery_image_2000w_watermark/public/2023-08/20230725_110650.jpg?itok=26NIcCnM

https://la.urbanize.city/post/renderings-vs-reality-cityviews-parker-apartments-5935-w-pico-boulevard

[sopas ej]

Correct regarding cities like pasadena, etc, but a few clinkers on occasion do manage to squeeze through. Although this is an affordable housing proj & at least isn't in a high visibility location in pasadena....although it's on one of the main roads from the east that lead to the rose bowl....it was value engineered. A quick look at the pics may make that not seem apparent, but a lot of trim or decorative molding probably was left out to keep costs down. If the awnings in the future are allowed to become tattered or completely removed, the bldg's facade will end up even weaker.

https://raamconstruction.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/LOG_.jpg
raamconstruction.com

https://ggarch.com/cdn/shop/files/04Log_1024x1024.jpg?v=1691710236
GGA Architects


I don't think that looks terrible at all. I like the massing and setbacks, and the arched windows... it all gives it visual interest, and it certainly has more character than a stucco box. It looks pretty nice for affordable housing, and there's supposed to be a little bit of retail.

And it wasn't really value-engineered; here is a rendering, from its website:
https://www.hhphousing.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/200507-LOG-SW-Corner-02-1320x676.png

Here's the link: Lincoln at Orange Grove (https://www.hhphousing.org/portfolio/lincoln-and-orange-grove/)

[Busy Bee]

I love high standards.

[citywatch]

and it certainly has more character than a stucco box. It looks pretty nice for affordable housing, and there's supposed to be a little bit of retail.

Since the design isn't a very plain, modern box, to me it looks like things such as window framing were omitted. Parts of the exterior walls should also have been broken up with horizontal features...using the architecture of traditional european bldgs as an example.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/84/7b/96/847b9668370b0aa2ec099aea2241f63f.jpg

EDIT: When I saw the bldg, it made me think of adobe style mixed with contemporary combined with a bit of formalist....

Pinteresthttps://brennancorp.com/media/12432/blog-examples-of-adobe-architecture-banyanarchitects.jpg?width=960&rmode=min
brennan enterprises

[LAisthePlace]

Since the design isn't a very plain, modern box, to me it looks like things such as window framing were omitted. Parts of the exterior walls should also have been broken up with horizontal features...using the architecture of traditional european bldgs as an example.



I don't know what you are talking about, this building in Pasadena looks excellent, especially for affordable housing.

Weird example of value engineering.

[citywatch]

^ watch this vid. if anything, I'm grading new devlpt in pasadena, etc, on way too much of a curve.

https://youtu.be/wrnAsMSwGbg?si=eEqjLkH0lwjvj3gh (https://youtu.be/wrnAsMSwGbg?si=eEqjLkH0lwjvj3gh)

When a town in a small country in south America makes even better sections of LA look like no BFD, you know standards have become really rigorous.

[LA21st]

^ watch this vid. if anything, I'm grading new devlpt in pasadena, etc, on way too much of a curve.

https://youtu.be/wrnAsMSwGbg?si=eEqjLkH0lwjvj3gh (https://youtu.be/wrnAsMSwGbg?si=eEqjLkH0lwjvj3gh)

When a town in a small country in south America makes even better sections of LA look like no BFD, you know standards have become really rigorous.

Off topic post.

[LAisthePlace]

^ watch this vid. if anything, I'm grading new devlpt in pasadena, etc, on way too much of a curve.

https://youtu.be/wrnAsMSwGbg?si=eEqjLkH0lwjvj3gh (https://youtu.be/wrnAsMSwGbg?si=eEqjLkH0lwjvj3gh)

When a town in a small country in south America makes even better sections of LA look like no BFD, you know standards have become really rigorous.

I will not watch your vid. A video on on architecture in a small country in South America has literally nothing to do with Pasadena.

[Busy Bee]

The town in the video is impressive even if the post is off-topic.

[citywatch]

I will not watch your vid. A video on on architecture in a small country in South America has literally nothing to do with Pasadena.

In your other post you said, 'I don't know what you're talking about'. Answering a comment on the subj of design or architecture can't be easily done in a vacuum. btw, I notice other cities or countries are regularly referred to in plenty of posts under most threads. So if that's "OT", then being OT is a long time trend at SSP. I notice in the dtla forum, in the discussion about Pershing Sq, someone has recently referred to the city of Philadelphia.

also, some posts have mentioned that design standards followed by pasadena or samo are much better than what goes on in the city of LA. In turn, the design standards throughout Soca are put to shame by the standards followed by a city I've never heard of in Guatemala. It was a private devlpt, however, so the owner had a lot of control over what was built. But newer sections of SoCa are often legally & financially the same way. Incidentally, some major investors or owners of high tech companies in silicon Valley want to build a city starting from scratch in their part of Ca.


jcbhkcESPHM?si=2B0f56sblESWdwpd

[LAsam]

^ Looks like good progress has been made on the Intuit Dome. Can definitely seeing it being ready for the '24-'25 season. I wonder if there's any other arenas in the US with a 3-story hotel and self storage building adjacent to them! Looks a little unusual having them nestled up against each other.

[homebucket]

^ Looks like good progress has been made on the Intuit Dome. Can definitely seeing it being ready for the '24-'25 season. I wonder if there's any other arenas in the US with a 3-story hotel and self storage building adjacent to them! Looks a little unusual having them nestled up against each other.

Is that where visiting teams are going to stay?

One of the downsides of Chase Center is that there aren't any hotels close by. The closest one is LUMA Hotel, about 6 blocks, or half a mile north. Takes about 10 min to walk there.

[edale]

The Intuit Dome seems like such a waste for the LA area. Building the Staples Center and having it programed almost every night with the Lakers, Clippers, Kings, Sparks, and concerts was absolutely critical for turning around DTLA and providing a steady stream of customers for downtown businesses. Now the Clippers are taking up a huge amount of developable land for their own arena, and will be taking people and energy from downtown, creating further traffic and congestion in a complete auto-oriented location.

I honestly just wish the Clippers would have just moved to Seattle.

[sopas ej]

Excited about this, I hope they bring back their annual Film Noir festivals!

I'd have included the pictures from the article but they come out too big.

From the Los Angeles Times:

We take an exclusive tour of Hollywood’s restored Egyptian Theatre, opening this fall

BY GLENN WHIPP | COLUMNIST
AUG. 30, 2023 3 AM PT

A hundred and one years ago, Hollywood rolled out the red carpet for the very first movie premiere. Men, dressed as Egyptian sentries, patrolled the roof of the theater, carrying rifles that were probably fake — but, given this was a Sid Grauman-staged event, you never know. Everybody who was anybody in L.A. attended, including Charlie Chaplin, who spoke, albeit reluctantly and concisely.

“I pray you that we go on with the picture!” Chaplin said, practically running off the stage right after uttering those few words.

When the Egyptian Theatre opened in 1922 with the extravagant premiere of Douglas Fairbanks‘ “Robin Hood,” it marked a number of beginnings. First movie theater in Hollywood. First red carpet. First film premiere with all the attendant bright lights, flashbulbs and breathless hoopla, a scene that set the stage for every movie opening of the subsequent century.

A master showman, Grauman didn’t do anything small, and for “Robin Hood,” he staged an elaborate prologue before the movie, featuring an orchestra playing arias from Verdi’s “Aida” and cast members, dressed in costume, performing in the “Nottingham Castle Pageant.” Grauman staged these spectacles before every movie playing in one of his theaters. Essentially, it was the silent era’s equivalent of the Super Bowl halftime show.

“Robin Hood” played for six months at Grauman’s Egyptian-themed palace. By the time it left, Grauman had already sold a half-interest in the theater. Five years later, he abandoned it altogether, shifting his energy a few blocks west down Hollywood Boulevard to the Chinese Theatre, a $2 million movie house that would feature temple bells, pagodas and other artifacts shipped in from China. The Chinese — with its forecourt of celebrity handprints and footprints fixed in concrete — remains one of Hollywood’s most popular tourist attractions.

And the Egyptian? After decades marked by cycles of neglect and renewal, it’s set to reopen later this year, newly owned, fully renovated and, paradoxically, operated in part by Netflix, the streaming giant that many in Hollywood view, as J. Robert Oppenheimer called the atomic bomb, as “Death, the destroyer of worlds.” Perhaps that’s being a bit dramatic. Streaming, for many in the business, is just the destroyer of movie theaters.

Yet walking around the still-unopened Egyptian on a recent day, its newly renovated lobby and theater resplendent even behind layers of protective plastic coverings, it’s hard to argue with the time, effort and, yes, money, being poured into this 101-year-old treasure. The hieroglyphics and artwork on the courtyard walls outside match the original theater design, including the sphinxes, ancient markers of mystery and quiet. (Let’s see if that has an impact on today’s moviegoing etiquette.) The interior has been lovingly restored too, with modern lighting and sound upgrades mostly concealed and the ceiling’s sunburst ornamentation shining in its full glory.

Netflix bought the Egyptian from the Los Angeles film nonprofit American Cinematheque in 2020, giving the streamer a West Coast companion to Manhattan’s Paris Theater, the beloved midtown single-screen house it saved in 2019 (and currently leases). Indiewire pegged the purchase price at $14.4 million in a 2020 analysis of public record documents. Cinematheque Chairman Rick Nicita disputes that figure. (“To a non-accountant like me, was that the number?” he says. “The answer is ‘no.’ ”) A Netflix spokesperson declined to comment, citing company policy on discussing financial matters.

Whatever the final cost — and the overall outlay also had to include millions of dollars for seismic retrofitting to meet a city mandate — Netflix now owns the Egyptian and views the theater as an important part of its Hollywood footprint.

“These theaters are in the center of real film-lover communities,” Scott Stuber, chairman of Netflix Films, says. “The business has changed, as we all know, but these theaters have a history that’s vitally important.”

The American Cinematheque will continue to program the Egyptian Fridays through Sundays, with Netflix handling the schedule the rest of the week. (The Cinematheque also programs the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica and the Los Feliz 3.) Nicita calls it a win-win for the nonprofit, noting that the Cinematheque was facing the same fiscal challenges that beset most institutions these days.

“Nonprofits are aptly named,” Nicita says. “The economics were changing and we realized we were going to have financial difficulties in maintaining the standards. The Egyptian is a wonderful movie palace, but it was deteriorating, as buildings do. To keep it at the level we wanted to keep it, we needed cash.”

The Cinematheque bought the Egyptian for a nominal one dollar from Los Angeles’ Community Redevelopment Agency in 1996, four years after the theater closed its doors to the public and two years after the Northridge earthquake, which had left the building with 20-by-40-foot holes in its walls and “in dire shape.” That description comes from architect and preservationist Peyton Hall, who was part of the team, led by architects Craig Hodgetts and Ming Fung, charged with restoring the theater. Hall says that if the Northridge earthquake had been a bit stronger or lasted just a tad longer, the Egyptian’s frame would have collapsed.

But that would be out of character for a theater that has, over the years, withstood ownership changes, inattention and ill-considered remodeling decisions that chipped away at its grandeur. One example: Owing to changing tastes and a perceived need to catch the public’s attention, a huge, vertical marquee was built in 1949, obscuring the 150-foot forecourt off Hollywood Boulevard that led moviegoers through the imposing fake-stone walls.

When the Cinematheque reopened the Egyptian in 1998, that marquee was gone, the forecourt restored and the theater reconfigured with a balcony and sliding side panels to enhance the acoustics. The cost: about $14 million, raised from federal earthquake recovery agencies, grants and private contributions. On the first night, the Cinematheque showed Cecil B. DeMille’s 1923 silent epic “The Ten Commandments,” accompanied by a live, 60-piece orchestra. It was 75 years to the day after it had premiered at the theater.

“The hope is that a restored Egyptian Theatre will be a bridge between the cinema district west of Highland and the stores east of Highland,” the Community Redevelopment Agency Hollywood project director Lillian Burkenheim said at the time. “We hope it will bring tourists further east.”

That never really happened. To this day, tourist traffic tapers off east of Highland Avenue with few visitors venturing away from the main hub that includes Disney’s El Capitan Theatre, the Ovation Hollywood (formerly Hollywood & Highland) shopping center and, yes, the Chinese Theatre, which still shows first-run movies in a complex that includes an Imax screen.

Meanwhile, a few blocks east, the Egyptian’s neighbors include tacky souvenir shops selling T-shirts and plastic Oscars, the Church of Scientology’s information center and a handful of downmarket eateries. The Pig ‘n Whistle, remodeled in 1999 to resemble the classic restaurant that opened next to the Egyptian in 1927, closed during the pandemic. (A Times investigation into alleged sexual misconduct in its back rooms may have also been a factor in its demise.) In its place stands a Mexican cantina sporting smiling skulls on its facade. Around here, the stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame are dingy, dirty and, in some cases, cracked and damaged. The Dolly Parton star situated in front of the Egyptian is in dire need of repair.

A revitalized Egyptian Theatre could help the neighborhood’s prospects. With the current renovation, Netflix has focused on taking the space back to its original appearance. The balcony and acoustic panels, which had been specifically designed in the late ‘90s to be reversible, have been removed from the theater, which now has a seating capacity of 516, down about 100 seats. The palm trees in the forecourt, another 1998 addition, have also been eliminated, leaving an open space that will, as it was back in Grauman’s day, be filled with props and exhibits from the showcased films.

Those movies will include Netflix’s upcoming awards season contenders, such as Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro,” a biopic focusing on conductor Leonard Bernstein’s marriage to Chilean actress Felicia Montealegre, and David Fincher’s portrait of an assassin in crisis, “The Killer.” In a perfect world— that is, a landscape in which Hollywood isn’t shut down by two crippling labor disputes — these films might be programmed alongside, say, a selection of Fincher’s favorite noir thrillers. But because of the writers’ and actors’ strikes, any thoughts on the Egyptian’s events and slate would be pure conjecture at the moment.

But its doors will open by November, per a Netflix representative, both for films programmed by the Cinematheque and Netflix’s John Vanco (formerly of New York’s esteemed IFC Center), who also curates the streamer’s schedule at the Paris and the Bay Theater in Pacific Palisades. And for architect and preservationist Hall, that reset is an opportunity for people — locals and tourists — to learn about the history of Hollywood.

“After you’ve seen the footprints, I’d tell people to go down the street, turn back the clock five years from the Chinese and see where Sid Grauman started his work,” Hall says. “I overuse the term ‘sacred ground,’ but the Egyptian is one of those spots that really is sacred ground in Los Angeles and the motion-picture industry.”


Link: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-08-30/egyptian-theatre-reopening-first-look-netflix-fall-preview?mibextid=Zxz2cZ&fbclid=IwAR1F14vcvlJyXqNC_WDd1nResj0q9dGI2GzTCvrUTvpxqpge56U2EvG4aCc

[citywatch]

When the Cinematheque reopened the Egyptian in 1998, that marquee was gone, the forecourt restored and the theater reconfigured with a balcony and sliding side panels to enhance the acoustics. The cost: about $14 million, raised from federal earthquake recovery agencies, grants and private contributions. On the first night, the Cinematheque showed Cecil B. DeMille’s 1923 silent epic “The Ten Commandments,” accompanied by a live, 60-piece orchestra. It was 75 years to the day after it had premiered at the theater.

A revitalized Egyptian Theatre could help the neighborhood’s prospects. With the current renovation, Netflix has focused on taking the space back to its original appearance. The balcony and acoustic panels, which had been specifically designed in the late ‘90s to be reversible, have been removed from the theater, which now has a seating capacity of 516, down about 100 seats. The palm trees in the forecourt, another 1998 addition, have also been eliminated, leaving an open space that will, as it was back in Grauman’s day, be filled with props and exhibits from the showcased films.


A renovation of a renovation...sorry to read about the area around the theater not being improved along with it over 24 yrs ago. Hopefully, the 2nd time will be helped by netflix having deeper pockets than the Cinematheque. But glad to know they're staying around as a co-tenant.

https://blogs.chapman.edu/huell-howser-archives/1999/10/28/egyptian-theater-visiting-712/ (https://blogs.chapman.edu/huell-howser-archives/1999/10/28/egyptian-theater-visiting-712/)

[ChelseaFC]

Is that where visiting teams are going to stay?

One of the downsides of Chase Center is that there aren't any hotels close by. The closest one is LUMA Hotel, about 6 blocks, or half a mile north. Takes about 10 min to walk there.

I'd be surprised if the visiting team stayed at that former motel next door. My guess is they hole up at one of the LAX airport hotels or somewhere in El Segundo like the Marriott resort. And I believe the Kroenke Group is supposed to be adding a hotel at Hollywood Park at some point.

[BrandonJXN]

The Intuit Dome seems like such a waste for the LA area. Building the Staples Center and having it programed almost every night with the Lakers, Clippers, Kings, Sparks, and concerts was absolutely critical for turning around DTLA and providing a steady stream of customers for downtown businesses. Now the Clippers are taking up a huge amount of developable land for their own arena, and will be taking people and energy from downtown, creating further traffic and congestion in a complete auto-oriented location.

I honestly just wish the Clippers would have just moved to Seattle.

Yes. Damn those pesky Clippers for moving out of an arena that was never their own to a brand new arena across the street from the most modern stadium on earth across the street from one of the most historic sporting arenas in the US. Screw them for trying to finally forge their own path away from the gigantic shadow of the Lakers.

DTLA has long passed the point where it needed something happening at Staples to bring people there. Staples will forever be busy. With or without the Clippers.

[Blesha13]

Yes. Damn those pesky Clippers for moving out of an arena that was never their own to a brand new arena across the street from the most modern stadium on earth across the street from one of the most historic sporting arenas in the US. Screw them for trying to finally forge their own path away from the gigantic shadow of the Lakers.

DTLA has long passed the point where it needed something happening at Staples to bring people there. Staples will forever be busy. With or without the Clippers.

Should’ve moved to San Diego and join those pesky Padres fans down there too. The Clippers posted on their stories and reels supporting the Padres during the playoffs last season. It’s like the perfect match.

[BrandonJXN]

Should’ve moved to San Diego and join those pesky Padres fans down there too. The Clippers posted on their stories and reels supporting the Padres during the playoffs last season. It’s like the perfect match.

Join them where? Least in Inglewood they have a new arena. They would've had one in Seattle in Climate Pledge if they were to hypothetically move there. San Diego lacks a modern arena and the NBA tried twice in San Diego with the Rockets for 3 seasons and the Clippers in 6. In all the talks about potential relocations, Seattle, St. Louis, Kansas City (which has the newish NBA ready Sprint Center) are talked about. Hell Louisville, Kentucky is in the very early stages of proposing an expansion team.

The NBA in San Diego is long over. The Clippers in Inglewood is similar to the Nets moving to Brooklyn. Steve Ballmer is no fool. He would've moved already as soon as he acquired the team if he thought he would get a dollar out of it. He bought The Forum so Intuit could be built.

[edale]

Yes. Damn those pesky Clippers for moving out of an arena that was never their own to a brand new arena across the street from the most modern stadium on earth across the street from one of the most historic sporting arenas in the US. Screw them for trying to finally forge their own path away from the gigantic shadow of the Lakers.

DTLA has long passed the point where it needed something happening at Staples to bring people there. Staples will forever be busy. With or without the Clippers.

Sure it makes sense for the Clippers-- one of the long standing laughing stock franchises of the NBA. But it's a loss for Los Angeles, specifically DTLA which contrary to your assertion otherwise, could still use all the help it can get. The redevelopment of Hollywood Park has been a huge missed opportunity. It's rare that such a large site comes available for redevelopment in LA. And we're squandering that redevelopment with a bunch of autocentric crap. SoFi is fine, but that site also now has the forum and Intuit. That's a huge amount of space dedicated to sports facilities and...whatever the forum will be used for going forward. 2 arenas and a giant football stadium...oh and they have to build a special people mover to serve the area because Metro dropped the ball and didn't put a K Line station there. I thought we had a housing crisis?

[homebucket]

Sure it makes sense for the Clippers-- one of the long standing laughing stock franchises of the NBA. But it's a loss for Los Angeles, specifically DTLA which contrary to your assertion otherwise, could still use all the help it can get. The redevelopment of Hollywood Park has been a huge missed opportunity. It's rare that such a large site comes available for redevelopment in LA. And we're squandering that redevelopment with a bunch of autocentric crap. SoFi is fine, but that site also now has the forum and Intuit. That's a huge amount of space dedicated to sports facilities and...whatever the forum will be used for going forward. 2 arenas and a giant football stadium...oh and they have to build a special people mover to serve the area because Metro dropped the ball and didn't put a K Line station there. I thought we had a housing crisis?

The lack of foresight for this entire development is so incredibly poor it makes my urbanist head ache. They should've made Kroenke and Ballmer pay for it. Instead they're using valuable state and federal funding that could be devoted to more useful and higher priority transit infrastructure projects.

[BrandonJXN]

The Forum has been there for ages and was renovated recently (within the last 10 years) to be a concert venue that still gets regular use. Everyone from LL Cool J to Stevie Nicks to The Fugees will be preforming there within the next few months. So it's not like it's sitting there empty stagnant. Then you have both the Rams and Chargers which means that something will always be happening at SoFi. Least on Sundays anyway. Not to mention the attached YouTube Theater.

You say that the Clippers moving to Inglewood is a loss for DTLA but you would've wanted them to move out of LA entirely. So I need it to make sense. In a perfect world, Kronke and Ballmer each should pay half of the cost of the people mover. They surely can afford to.

[homebucket]

You say that the Clippers moving to Inglewood is a loss for DTLA but you would've wanted them to move out of LA entirely. So I need it to make sense. In a perfect world, Kronke and Ballmer each should pay half of the cost of the people mover. They surely can afford to.

Exactly. $1.85 billion for a people mover that doesn't serve anything (projected 414 passengers ridership on non game days) but the sports complex should absolutely be paid for by the billionaire owners.

[SoCalKid]

Exactly. $1.85 billion for a people mover that doesn't serve anything (projected 414 passengers ridership on non game days) but the sports complex should absolutely be paid for by the billionaire owners.

I just wish they would put a station in the heart of Downtown Inglewood like they had in previous iterations so that it could serve as an urban transportation system during non-event periods.

[HusBy]

I just wish they would put a station in the heart of Downtown Inglewood like they had in previous iterations so that it could serve as an urban transportation system during non-event periods.

Pretty stupid for them not to. Also, it should really connect to the Green Line to capture stadium attendees from both directions.

[HusBy]

This LOHA designed building on Lincoln in Santa Monica is looking good and nearly complete. Ground floor windows have a "Tartine coming soon" sign in them.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53154788227_921822d326_b.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53155865318_2169f9f3ef_b.jpg

[LAisthePlace]

This LOHA designed building on Lincoln in Santa Monica is looking good and nearly complete. Ground floor windows have a "Tartine coming soon" sign in them.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53154788227_921822d326_b.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53155865318_2169f9f3ef_b.jpg

The transformation of Lincoln is a herculean task, but on that seems to be making some strong progress on the Santa Monica side.

[HusBy]

The transformation of Lincoln is a herculean task, but on that seems to be making some strong progress on the Santa Monica side.

The progress north of the 10 is remarkable... south of the 10 seems to be slow and steady. I'm not aware of much else having been proposed on the south side other than the Gelson's site, which would be transformational if that can get approvals...

This LOHA project seems to be the first to provide good evidence that these new developments can stitch the neighborhoods on either side of Lincoln back together.

[edale]

The Forum has been there for ages and was renovated recently (within the last 10 years) to be a concert venue that still gets regular use. Everyone from LL Cool J to Stevie Nicks to The Fugees will be preforming there within the next few months. So it's not like it's sitting there empty stagnant. Then you have both the Rams and Chargers which means that something will always be happening at SoFi. Least on Sundays anyway. Not to mention the attached YouTube Theater.

You say that the Clippers moving to Inglewood is a loss for DTLA but you would've wanted them to move out of LA entirely. So I need it to make sense. In a perfect world, Kronke and Ballmer each should pay half of the cost of the people mover. They surely can afford to.

lol I'm aware of the Forum. I've been to concerts there myself. To have it next to yet another arena is absolutely wasteful for a space-starved region. Ballmer should have bought the Forum and either renovated it to fit the needs of the Clippers, or tear it down and built a new arena on that site if he was dead set on a new arena. But to have two arenas basically right next to each other, each with their own parking facilities and what not, is nonsense. So yes, if the Clippers didn't want to stay downtown, I'd rather have seen them go entirely. How many large arenas does one region need? We have the Crypt, Forum, Intuit, Galen Center (USC), Pauley Pavilion (UCLA), Honda Center in Orange County...

Anyways, this ship has long sailed and we don't need to derail this thread anymore with my personal objections to the Intuit Dome :haha:

[LA21st]

Observation staying in Santa Monica/Venice for 4 days last weekend.

My family was blown away how busy these areas were and how active people are until the sun went down.
They're from DC and used to east coast beaches. The sheer number of people walking, jogging and riding bikes was amazing to them. They also commented there weren't many fat people.

We're probably used to it, but I don't think you're gonna find a busier bike/jog path in America. Maybe in Manhattan. Idk. Its just a constant parade of people.

Two, the amount of European visitors was ALOT. I don't remember hearing so many European accents/languages in years here, if ever. Curious to see what those numbers are gonna look like for 2023. Interesting enough, Venice had more Eurorpean tourists than Santa Monica.

Also noticed more Asian tourists as well. Overall, there were a ton of people everywhere. The Santa Monica Pier at 730 on Sunday night was the busiest I've ever seen it.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Excellent, that's great to hear the more international tourists the better since they spend a lot more money than domestic tourists

[citywatch]

zlAjT9krwZU?si=_tl-kBBb2gXy_rEO

[craigs]

Mirabel takes a step forward at 5411 Wilshire Boulevard (https://la.urbanize.city/post/mirabel-takes-step-forward-5411-wilshire-boulevard)

42-story apartment tower would replace 1930s retail building on the Miracle Mile

Steven Sharp
Urbanize LA
September 5, 2023

After three years of quiet, a proposed high-rise apartment tower from developer Walter N. Marks, Inc. is once again moving forward in the Mid-Wilshire area.

In late August, the Los Angeles Department of City Planning released an initial study for the Mirabel development, which would replace a 1930s commercial building located at 5411 Wilshire Boulevard. Plans call for a new 42-story tower which would feature 348 studio, one-, and two-bedroom apartments above parking for 309 vehicles.

The project's entitlement application relies on density bonus incentives to more floor area than otherwise allowed by zoning rules. In exchange, plans call for 29 apartments which would be set aside for rent as very low-income affordable housing.

The current iteration of the proposed tower represents a slight reduction in density from the original proposal for Mirabel, which had called for 371 apartments. The reduction in housing is the result of a switch from the incentives affordable by the Transit Oriented Communities guidelines to the state density bonus.

Keating Architecture is designing the 5411 Wilshire, which is shown with a glass exterior and an amorphous form rising approximately 530 feet in height.

"The architectural design of the Project interprets the Streamline Moderne style of several buildings in the surrounding Miracle Mile through the imposition of a unique curvilinear tower with structural form," reads a narrative included with the initial study. "The tower would be set back from the podium edges to reduce the appearance of Project massing from the street level. Architectural features would include material changes, horizontal design elements, and Art Deco-inspired canopied entryways."

Among the Art Deco landmarks in close proximity to the project is the former Sontag Drug Store, located at Wilshire and Cloverdale Avenue. That building will be preserved as ground-floor retail within Mirabel's podium, with new amenities located above.

The initial study points to a roughly 36-month construction period for the tower, with completion expected in 2027. At the time the project was announced in 2019, it was expected that construction would be completed by 2023.

While Mirabel would tower above its neighbors, it is not the only Miracle Mile high-rise in the works. Onni Group is also in the midst of the entitlement process for a similar 46-story tower which would rise at the opposite corner of Wilshire and Cloverdale.

Walter N. Marks, Inc., perhaps best known as the owner of the Helms Bakery District, has ventured into ground-up development in other parts of Los Angeles as well. The company has also proposed a more modest mixed-use residential development for a parking lot across Venice Boulevard from the Helms complex.

[craigs]

The images:

https://la.urbanize.city/sites/default/files/styles/2018_article_gallery_image_2000w/public/field/image/5411%20wilshire%201_0.jpg?itok=jET94Ewg

https://la.urbanize.city/sites/default/files/styles/2018_article_gallery_image_2000w/public/field/image/5411%20wilshire%202_0.jpg?itok=HK4I3PzQ

https://la.urbanize.city/sites/default/files/styles/2018_article_gallery_image_2000w/public/field/image/5411%20wilshire%203_0.jpg?itok=OKMc68P9

https://la.urbanize.city/sites/default/files/styles/2018_article_gallery_image_2000w/public/field/image/5411%20wilshire%205_0.jpg?itok=vNrzISRi

https://la.urbanize.city/sites/default/files/styles/2018_article_gallery_image_2000w/public/field/image/5411%20wilshire%206_0.jpg?itok=C60PmwDT

https://la.urbanize.city/sites/default/files/styles/2018_article_gallery_image_2000w/public/field/image/5411%20wilshire%207_0.jpg?itok=k0k7oLFC

https://la.urbanize.city/sites/default/files/styles/2018_article_gallery_image_2000w/public/field/image/5411%20wilshire%208.jpg?itok=-Rjv3dZV

https://la.urbanize.city/sites/default/files/styles/2018_article_gallery_image_2000w/public/field/image/5411%20wilshire%209.jpg?itok=bTiLfO-P

https://la.urbanize.city/sites/default/files/styles/2018_article_gallery_image_2000w/public/field/image/5411%20wilshire%2010.jpg?itok=xd5B5ayE

https://la.urbanize.city/sites/default/files/styles/2018_article_gallery_image_2000w/public/field/image/5411%20wilshire%20map_0.jpg?itok=onsq1usu

[ChelseaFC]

Fairfax Theatre mixed use redevelopment underway

https://losangelestheatres.blogspot.com/2017/03/fairfax-theatre.html

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVthlxcjPThslj5VMI3Mk7fPE27dqMRsbTEdBzRuMmaUbplL0xtH7grJi0YGzmcVEzkHnkDcc8OXXhbzgCM8c-o_bX9ULrXMmpoLyDFUJY0CvHdgAYhHTUR_gOHQFMpY66wZK9rEfcvSs99bsiQ5i4MUs3_9zlK7uli9N3ZMEKydGORV_ayNZyiP62_i_T/w640-h404/Fairfax-2023-9-10-3.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy8xMrpiFhx39DXCtsSI0JT2JJx_q7Vk-WdeNOQM2wsSsLgO-eb0tYjIF24QuLaQpVtMcR0S_MCA9sznHiA-ZGS0fNIcF1oOlPONp8tlP_cfYi9Y2i5PgEAKk8WPAqLjQKQbCmzYUsW8u3qOi7KJZN-yGdyd2eniBDPPlL-mIwx-RsecB48ItFHDeOBcCG/w640-h324/Fairfax-2023-9-10-1.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ZPewzaJZ2JsBoDH0O-rZ2uza8wl0UmqIoxzWdObOx-THb6FCLMTctE0YLQ-LFtTQTvClFU5TfMpsIRnZwogcYrkCZ1ukk8uTdo8-pUS75q2x6LLUK3-0nYk1SXPxKP5I4Q3hZJV567g4tumeWeuAgK6arIH3PlOjmexvtOg8-qKKlc7nYkK2B2Bv6QhK/w640-h426/Fairfax-2023-9-5-4.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh05nqLPEWfGe7ED4cH4ojs5dSCsKkRqYsGbR6oO_IqLYUg9IoenQf1qrflZEWS0iH-nqRLDZALRJulqlLYPW_Dxn_hkV9AXjk4oGZbHxOeuQ7WoP87wG5WsbTdcH6balqTll0Zt5P0gzmwVHSEc6q7zz2b45GsI_TK1A5AwlKwLwF_hGpNs2R5hd8ISzBx/w640-h426/Fairfax-2023-9-10-4.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgORAVenIesbbT1AQFvo6FoNzSlyrXmQX4LQuBKgUdnTw60H5KDIfAdsIi0AQ4jKz52NMU6UKZKDS-uHBdnqyYpZfVbbwdzeCkk6WPktP7NefyFp_g99qLlSAzlePD2DTMKo5292HQqxz0xa-fk5mrywnPnzqjOhZUbUFMWOjUUXVRsZVYHZW3LT7SafFf/w640-h426/Fairfax-2023-7-26-2.jpg

[ChelseaFC]

Erewhon market opens in historic 1949 I. Magnin Building in Pasadena

https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2023/09/13/erewhon-market-grand-opening-brings-hundreds-to-historic-pasadena-building/

https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/PAS-L-EREWHON-0914-SR-03.jpg?fit=780%2C9999px&ssl=1

[colemonkee]

^ It's amazing how many people in LA can't afford the rents, but can afford a $12 smoothie... ;)

[202_Cyclist]

^ It's amazing how many people in LA can't afford the rents, but can afford a $12 smoothie... ;)

I bought a couple shares of stock in this company-- so eat your avocado toast, folks!

https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/CVGW/

[sopas ej]

^ It's amazing how many people in LA can't afford the rents, but can afford a $12 smoothie... ;)

Oh my fucking "god" more like $22 smoothie! WTF??

My partner and I went to the Erewhon in Pasadena last night. Our very first time at an Erewhon, and probably our last. We weren't too impressed. We'll stick to Bristol Farms.

I took some pictures:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53188134255_383e6d9ffe_h.jpg
Photo by me

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53188131030_8e6f385e47_h.jpg
Photo by me

It's like why can't you hard boil your eggs at home?
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53187929921_cf5336f8a3_h.jpg
Photo by me

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53187997659_ca79463214_h.jpg
Photo by me

The shitty kind of eggplant, all watery and no flavor.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53187212227_8ae4996ab8_h.jpg
Photo by me

I've seen this brand at other markets. Hahahaha who named it? To a Filipino, milk doesn't come out of a kiki. When that happens, she must have some kind of infection. :yuck: :haha:
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53187933566_d117e5918f_h.jpg
Photo by me

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53187930681_22f71354df_h.jpg
Photo by me

My partner and i are guessing this location will close down in a few years... it's too Westside/San Fernando Valley for Pasadena. Gelson's didn't even last in Pasadena. But we'll see how long Erewhon does.

[Radio5]

Oh my fucking "god" more like $22 smoothie! WTF??

My partner and I went to the Erewhon in Pasadena last night. Our very first time at an Erewhon, and probably our last. We weren't too impressed. We'll stick to Bristol Farms.

My partner and i are guessing this location will close down in a few years... it's too Westside/San Fernando Valley for Pasadena. Gelson's didn't even last in Pasadena. But we'll see how long Erewhon does.

Yeah, but Gelsons isn't too different from bristol farms, ralphs etc. Erewhon is in it's own category. There's no grocery store that does what they do even with the ridiculous prices. Guess we'll find out :shrug:

[JerellO]

Yeah, but Gelsons isn't too different from bristol farms, ralphs etc. Erewhon is in it's own category. There's no grocery store that does what they do even with the ridiculous prices. Guess we'll find out :shrug:

And what does Erewhon do exactly that sets it apart? We dont have em in San Diego so I don’t know. But from what I’ve googled is that they just serve organic stuff… isn’t that the same as like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, Jimbo’s, etc?

[sopas ej]

And what does Erewhon do exactly that sets it apart? We dont have em in San Diego so I don’t know. But from what I’ve googled is that they just serve organic stuff… isn’t that the same as like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, Jimbo’s, etc?

None of the markets you listed (I don't know Jimbo's though) are upscale. Erewhon is the epitome of an upscale pretentious market. One thing that sets them apart from the ones you mentioned is this: https://www.erewhonmarket.com/smoothies/

Look at the ingredients of these smoothies. They put stuff in it like collagen, xylitol and tocos. Interestingly, they don't list the calories. Regular smoothies have a high amount of calories, but I guess most people don't think of a smoothie as a mini meal.

[Illithid Dude]

All of my friends eat at Erewhon multiple times a week. I don't like the store, not because of the prices (though they are expensive) but because of the meagre selection and low quality ready to eat food. Despite that, I like to see an LA based company gain the prominence Erewhon has. Erewhon is an embodiment of LA and what makes this city unique. For that, I support it.

Very mixed opinions on the Fairfax / Beverly building. I think the new plans are beautiful, but mourn the loss of the historic theater, which I always had hoped could be brought back. It's a shame to see valuable historic spaces like that destroyed, and I hope that construction on the apartments can proceed quickly, and that the building won't be left as a gaping hole and reminder of what was destroyed for years to come.

[ChelseaFC]

Very mixed opinions on the Fairfax / Beverly building. I think the new plans are beautiful, but mourn the loss of the historic theater, which I always had hoped could be brought back. It's a shame to see valuable historic spaces like that destroyed, and I hope that construction on the apartments can proceed quickly, and that the building won't be left as a gaping hole and reminder of what was destroyed for years to come.

It's really hard to make these old theatres pencil out nowadays as consumer tastes have changed. I'm glad they are keeping the facade and not bulldozing the entire thing. Hopefully that still gives people an idea of the neighborhood's character of yesteryear.

[Illithid Dude]

It's really hard to make these old theatres pencil out nowadays as consumer tastes have changed. I'm glad they are keeping the facade and not bulldozing the entire thing. Hopefully that still gives people an idea of the neighborhood's character of yesteryear.

Yeah I know, though it can be done. Look at The Eagle in Eagle Rock. One can dream...

[JDRCRASH]

Yeah I know, though it can be done. Look at The Eagle in Eagle Rock. One can dream...

Or the Bob Baker Marionette that relocated onto York.

[citywatch]

D5v85UyINjw?si=eBDZBbyjY8dE-5ch

[ChelseaFC]

Historic Crest Theatre in Westwood reopens as the UCLA Nimoy

https://lamag.com/arts-and-entertainment/nimoy-theater-westwood-open

https://lamag.com/.image/c_limit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cq_auto:eco%2Cw_620/MjAwOTAxNDE0NjY1MzMxOTE2/img_9536.webp

[202_Cyclist]

This L.A. freeway is the butt of many jokes. Can it have new life as parks and housing?

By Salvador Hernandez
LA Times
Sept. 23, 2023

"The Marina Freeway has long been a peculiarity on the map of Southern California.

Envisioned initially as a major route from the Pacific Ocean to northern Orange County, it stands as a testament to the fading era of freeways.

Caltrans built a three-mile stretch from the 405 Freeway to the edge of Marina del Rey. But community opposition in the 1960s scuttled the full freeway. Over the years, it went by many names: the Slauson Freeway, the Richard M. Nixon Freeway and, as Johnny Carson once mocked it, the Slauson Cutoff.

Now some community activists are calling for unfinished Route 90 to fade into history, replaced by thousands of homes and one of Los Angeles’ largest public parks. It is the latest in a series of proposals to take back highways across the country..."

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-09-23/this-l-a-freeway-is-the-butt-of-many-jokes-can-it-have-new-life-as-parks-and-housing

[Blesha13]

^ Same thing should be where the BA Self Storage. The 2 fwy was once supposed to go through there, but now there’s a gap that separates the NB/SB lanes.

[caligrad]

This L.A. freeway is the butt of many jokes. Can it have new life as parks and housing?

By Salvador Hernandez
LA Times
Sept. 23, 2023

"The Marina Freeway has long been a peculiarity on the map of Southern California.

Envisioned initially as a major route from the Pacific Ocean to northern Orange County, it stands as a testament to the fading era of freeways.

Caltrans built a three-mile stretch from the 405 Freeway to the edge of Marina del Rey. But community opposition in the 1960s scuttled the full freeway. Over the years, it went by many names: the Slauson Freeway, the Richard M. Nixon Freeway and, as Johnny Carson once mocked it, the Slauson Cutoff.

Now some community activists are calling for unfinished Route 90 to fade into history, replaced by thousands of homes and one of Los Angeles’ largest public parks. It is the latest in a series of proposals to take back highways across the country..."

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-09-23/this-l-a-freeway-is-the-butt-of-many-jokes-can-it-have-new-life-as-parks-and-housing

As a hater of the LA freeways, it would have been interesting to see how the neighborhoods along the abandoned 90 freeway would have looked like, especially since it was to stretch all the way to orange county. Back then, even now, freeways were built to purposely separate neighborhoods in some cases, makes me wonder how south central would have turned out..... and if the 105 would have ever been built (most likely).

Theres a few other fixes that need to happen.

The 2 needs to end at the 5 in silverlake. The neighborhood im sure would appreciate it.

the 710 needs to end at the 10 since the tunnel isnt happening ( traffic crunches there since its a bit confusing)

the useless 103 in long beach needs to be bulldozed.

and the 90, hate me for saying it, needs to be bulldozed. The bottleneck and confusion it creates on the 405 is so unnecessary.

[SoCalKid]

It's really hard to make these old theatres pencil out nowadays as consumer tastes have changed. I'm glad they are keeping the facade and not bulldozing the entire thing. Hopefully that still gives people an idea of the neighborhood's character of yesteryear.

If I were a billionaire I would buy up the best old theaters in LA, return them to their former glory, and turn them into all into live event venues. It would be amazing to have a true theater district in LA. I bet the economics of that aren't great, so it probably takes people doing it for the love of the theaters rather investors looking for returns.

[ed21x]

If I were a billionaire I would buy up the best old theaters in LA, return them to their former glory, and turn them into all into live event venues. It would be amazing to have a true theater district in LA. I bet the economics of that aren't great, so it probably takes people doing it for the love of the theaters rather investors looking for returns.

LA's strength is in its filming/media, not live. A more realistic repurpose would be for microbreweries, artisan restaurants, and cafes. :cheers:

[Illithid Dude]

If I were a billionaire I would buy up the best old theaters in LA, return them to their former glory, and turn them into all into live event venues. It would be amazing to have a true theater district in LA. I bet the economics of that aren't great, so it probably takes people doing it for the love of the theaters rather investors looking for returns.

if i was a billionaire i would buy up the old theaters, restore them to their former glory, and then make them play old movies, because if i'm a billionaire i'm not doing this for the return in profit, i'm doing this because i want to preserve historic resources, so why the hell shouldn't they play the movies they were built to exhibit?

[craigs]

District NoHo gets the go-ahead from L.A. City Planning Commission (https://la.urbanize.city/post/district-noho-gets-go-ahead-la-city-planning-commission)

16 acres of housing, offices, retail, and open space next to North Hollywood Station

Steven Sharp
Urbanize LA
September 29, 2023

https://la.urbanize.city/sites/default/files/styles/2018_article_gallery_image_2000w/public/2023-09/district%20noho%202023%202.jpg?itok=QHjWTybe

https://la.urbanize.city/sites/default/files/styles/2018_article_gallery_image_2000w/public/2023-09/district%20noho%202023%2015.jpg?itok=leCIgQQK

https://la.urbanize.city/sites/default/files/styles/2018_article_gallery_image_2000w/public/2023-09/district%20noho%202023%201.jpg?itok=5aE_5yB9

A proposed Metro joint development which could bring 2.2 million square feet of housing and commercial uses to the land surrounding North Hollywood Station has cleared a key milestone, receiving the approval of the Los Angeles City Planning Commission.

The District NoHo development, planned by Trammell Crow Company and its affiliate High Street Residential, would rise on 16 acres of Metro-owned land near the intersection of Lankershim and Chandler Boulevards, most of which is now vacant or serves as a park-and-ride lot. The project, which would be subdivided into nine different blocks, would involve the new construction of up to:


1,216 market-rate housing units;
311 affordable residential units;
105,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space;
up to 580,000 square feet of office space (including 87,000 square feet of parking which could be converted to offices in the future); and
3,313 parking spaces - with 750 reserved for Metro bus and rail passengers.


Additionally, plans call for approximately two acres of publicly accessible open space (in the form of three different plazas), a new entrance to the B Line subway on the west side of Lankershim, improvements to the G Line busway terminus, and new internal streets and walkways to break up the large development site.

Gensler, HKS, KFA Architecture, and Relm headline the design team for the project, which has recently undergone changes, including relocating underground parking into above grade structures. Those changes have also reduced the overall height profile for the project. Previously conceived with up to four high-rise buildings, that total has been narrowed to three, with plans calling for a 20-story, 230-foot-tall residential tower with 420 dwelling units in Subarea 1, a 23-story, 258-tall building with 508 homes in Subarea 5, and a 21-story, 281-foot-tall office tower in Subarea 8.

While the figures approved by the Planning Commission represent maximums allowed under a specific plan, Trammell Crow intends to build a slightly smaller project than what is reflected in those numbers. In a recent staff report to the Metro Board of Directors, it was reported that District NoHo is now expected to have a maximum of 1,481 homes (less than the 1,527 allowed), approximately 60,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, and approximately 450,000 square feet of offices. Trammell Crow would also set aside an additional 55 apartments for rent by moderate-income households, or those earning up to 120 percent of the area median income level.

District NoHo, which would be developed in phases over a period of up to 15 years, would also be tied to a development agreement which would provide additional public benefits. Besides the moderate-income housing referenced above, that would include a new art gallery, funding for a two-way Class IV bike trail on the west side of Fair Avenue from Chandler Boulevard to District Way, public art, community events, and various historical plaques.

According to a Metro staff report found by @numble, Metro is considering the formation of an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District for District NoHo, which would cover the cost of the planned affordable housing as well as upgrades to the Metro station. That presentation indicates that work on the initial components of the project could begin as early as 2025 or 2026, with a final phase on track for completion in 2031.

An applicant presentation to the Commission states that the project will create 10,000 jobs during the course of construction, and an additional 2,500 jobs through operations. Likewise, construction impacts are expected to generate $1 billion, with annual operations generating $1.1 billion afterward.

The project will later require the approval of the full City Council.

[LosAngelesSportsFan]

Would be an incredible improvement compared to what's there now. Should be the template for every Metro station. Start today!

[dktshb]

Nice but this is another one of those proposed projects with proposed start dates that get talked about for decades and nothing ever happens other than we get a another article about it every 3 or 4 years.

[Easy]

I was at the last home LAFC game of the season last night and noticed new construction happening at the corner of Hoover and MLK. Looked it up and it will be a brand new 5 story parking garage. :yuck:

[Doctorboffin]

https://i.imgur.com/PChRT4n.png

42 floor, 520 foot tower proposed across the street from the Crossroads of the World project.

https://planning.lacity.org/pdiscaseinfo/document/MTQ5NDA0/382be727-91db-4e5c-88e0-bb0f216d41aa/esubmit

[LA21st]

https://i.imgur.com/pchrt4n.png

42 floor, 520 foot tower proposed across the street from the crossroads of the world project.

https://planning.lacity.org/pdiscaseinfo/document/mtq5nda0/382be727-91db-4e5c-88e0-bb0f216d41aa/esubmit

whoa!

[BrandonJXN]

Build it now. All of it at once.

[ChelseaFC]

I like how they have the future Philip Lawrence project in the corner of the rendering.

[LA21st]

Once one of those big towers goes through it will set off a massive change in Hollywood. It just takes one to start it.

[Doctorboffin]

https://i.imgur.com/PChRT4n.png

42 floor, 520 foot tower proposed across the street from the Crossroads of the World project.

https://planning.lacity.org/pdiscaseinfo/document/MTQ5NDA0/382be727-91db-4e5c-88e0-bb0f216d41aa/esubmit

https://i.imgur.com/Gg2laZm.png

https://i.imgur.com/uwycnCH.png

https://i.imgur.com/RIN1IyW.png

https://i.imgur.com/Lkoa4UM.png

Better images of the massing plus I added it to my map (ignore the CMNTY Culture Campus being marked white for UC, it should be red for proposed). I am shocked by how much it dwarfs the Crossroads project. Hopefully all of them can get built, and soon.

[colemonkee]

Oh wow. This is amazing! I've been wondering what might go up on that corner, which has been fenced off for years on a prime intersection. Hope this and the building that's kitty corner - get built!

[AskMrNoah]

Hart House, new burger spot, was just built at 6800 Sunset a few months ago. It seems so weird to build a new restaurant just to demolish it so soon or maybe this development will be built far out into the future. I’ve always thought building a drive-thru restaurant at this location was such terrible land usage and pretty bad from an urban planning perspective.

[Radio5]

Hart House, new burger spot, was just built at 6800 Sunset a few months ago. It seems so weird to build a new restaurant just to demolish it so soon or maybe this development will be built far out into the future. I’ve always thought building a drive-thru restaurant at this location was such terrible land usage and pretty bad from an urban planning perspective.

Yeah, something feels off about that. But maybe Hart House was willing to be there until they got approvals to show proof of concept/advertising for 5 years. And then perhaps they'll be incorporated into the new building. :shrug:

[Quixote]

It's high time that Hollywood the place actually become a "glamorous" urban neighborhood with interesting architecture, good food/drink/entertainment/nightlife/hotel options, a blend of chain and local shops, and public space. I'd rather it be more like Shibuya than Times Square. Does Hollywood even have a business improvement district (BID) like Downtown?

[San Frangelino]

Hart House, new burger spot, was just built at 6800 Sunset a few months ago. It seems so weird to build a new restaurant just to demolish it so soon or maybe this development will be built far out into the future. I’ve always thought building a drive-thru restaurant at this location was such terrible land usage and pretty bad from an urban planning perspective.

I saw that new Hart House yesterday. I would rather see the highrise proposed instead of another fast food joint, but who knows. :shrug:
It's of course right across the street from the Chick-fil-A with a drive thru, and apparently Raising Canes is opening (with a drive thru) at the abandoned Rite Aid building that is surrounded by tents.
All these suburban-style, drive thru restaurants (don't forget the tesla diner) are popping up alongside high density buildings in Hollywood. Seems very L.A.

On a side note. I hope there are plans to tear down that empty discount shoe store across the street from the drive thru In and Out. That spot needs a high rise like the one shown above.

[LAisthePlace]

It's high time that Hollywood the place actually become a "glamorous" urban neighborhood with interesting architecture, good food/drink/entertainment/nightlife/hotel options, a blend of chain and local shops, and public space. I'd rather it be more like Shibuya than Times Square. Does Hollywood even have a business improvement district (BID) like Downtown?

Yeah they do the Hollywood Partnership - https://hollywoodpartnership.com/about

The Hollywood Partnership is a non-profit organization that manages the public realm within the Hollywood Entertainment District (HED), which is a Property Based Business Improvement District (PBID). Simply, this means that the organization is funded by property owners within the district to provide enhanced services to promote the cleanliness, safety, beautification, and economic vitality of our neighborhood.

Our official mission is to enhance the appeal, vitality, and well-being of the Hollywood Community from the ground up.

Our vision is a Hollywood where experiences EXCEED expectations!

We have four main goals within our strategic plan:

Goal 1: Establish and maintain a consistently high standard of cleanliness, hospitality, and safety – we have three teams, some working around the clock, to accomplish this!
Goal 2: Enhance and beautify the public realm to create a positive and memorable Hollywood experience – we currently are working on projects like public lighting and art to enhance Hollywood.
Goal 3: Create meaningful opportunities to convene and connect with Hollywood’s diverse community – we create fun and interesting engagement events to allow those who live, work, and play in Hollywood to meet and connect with each other.
Goal 4: Become the local market expert to advance & advocate for Hollywood’s economic interests – our quarterly reports have a finger on the pulse of Hollywood’s vitality and well-being.

[ocman]

Yeah, something feels off about that. But maybe Hart House was willing to be there until they got approvals to show proof of concept/advertising for 5 years. And then perhaps they'll be incorporated into the new building. :shrug:

Or just a shady property owner attracting a tenant but not telling them they’re not renewing the lease.

[Zapatan]

I'm loving this one, good stuff.

[hughfb3]

A now complete Level Hollywood by Onni

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53253524932_1c3cb6d757_b.jpg

And next to that is the under construction Tesla Supercharger Diner/Drive in Movie experience

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53254410486_eb0328a361_b.jpg

[colemonkee]

Level Hollywood turned out nice. I shake my head at the Tesla diner/charging station. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for electric charging infrastructure, but for God's sake, build it into the parking infrastructure that already exists!

[Radio5]

Anyone have more info on LA losing hosting world cup games? What a bummer that would be.

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/los-angeles-may-miss-out-on-2026-world-cup-after-rams-owners-dispute-with-fifa/

[Zapatan]

Anyone have more info on LA losing hosting world cup games? What a bummer that would be.

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/los-angeles-may-miss-out-on-2026-world-cup-after-rams-owners-dispute-with-fifa/

Sounds like it's just SoFi stadium that's the problem and that others may still be a possibility.

Anyway, as long as LA still hosts the 2028 olympics I'm happy. It'll hopefully give the city some incentive to really solve some of its serious problems and spur development.

[Radio5]

Sounds like it's just SoFi stadium that's the problem and that others may still be a possibility.

Anyway, as long as LA still hosts the 2028 olympics I'm happy. It'll hopefully give the city some incentive to really solve some of its serious problems and spur development.

Yeah, it's a sofi problem, but that's also a lot of money/eyes on LA that we wont get in 2026.

[sopas ej]

From Urbanize LA:

Long Beach's Ocean Center Building reopens as housing after $50M renovation

The 14-story building landmark is located at 110 E. Ocean Boulevard

OCTOBER 17, 2023, 8:00AM
STEVEN SHARP

After a $50-million renovation, the landmark Ocean Center Building in Downtown Long Beach has reopened as housing, developer Pacific6 announced earlier this month.

The 14-story building, completed at 110 E. Ocean Boulevard in 1929, is a well-known local landmark due in part to its unique Spanish Renaissance Revival design featuring a gable roof and towers. Meyers & Holler, the architecture firm behind
the project, is also known for its work on the Chinese and Egyptian Theatres in Hollywood.

Pacific6, which acquired the property in 2017, worked to restore vintage elements of the Ocean Center Building, including its lobby, terrazzo flooring, elevators, and stairs. Original corridors are preserved on each level, along with office doors
and hardware intended to evoke 1930s film noir.

The interior includes 80 apartments in a mix of studio, one-, and two-bedroom layouts, with modern finishes that mark a contrast the to the vintage common areas and exterior. A leasing website for the Ocean Center Building advertises
studio units as small as 520 square feet starting at $3,000 per month and two-bedroom units up to 685 square feet in size commanding at least $5,140 per month. Penthouse units occupy the uppermost floors of the building, including
a two-story, two-bedroom unit in the tower structure which asks $14,000 per month.

Other common features of the project include a trio of rooftop amenity decks, as well as a fitness center and parking for vehicles and bicycles.

Once located at the gateway to the Long Beach Pike, the Ocean Center Building still stands along a busy stretch of Ocean Boulevard, abutting the 216-unit Oceanaire apartment complex, which was completed in 2019, and across the street
from a parking lot slated for redevelopment with a 30-story hotel tower. The surrounding blocks have also recently seen to other rehabilitations of older buildings: a 1960s office tower turned housing at 200 Ocean Boulevard and the Breakers
Hotel, which is also being led by Pacific6.


Link: https://la.urbanize.city/post/long-beachs-ocean-center-building-reopens-housing-after-50m-renovation?fbclid=IwAR1dLZRUffUkg58PkSKFQ7jbZyjIBnn_caNVxOQVAn7CZo7UWOgKpMoARa0

Some pics:

https://la.urbanize.city/sites/default/files/styles/2018_article_gallery_image_2000w/public/2023-10/ocean%20center%20building%201.jpg?itok=GiNe41Ag

https://la.urbanize.city/sites/default/files/styles/2018_article_gallery_image_2000w/public/2023-10/ocean%20center%20building%203.jpg?itok=mH5qPt5A

https://la.urbanize.city/sites/default/files/styles/2018_article_gallery_image_2000w/public/2023-10/ocean%20center%20building%205.jpg?itok=PHwiKhwU

[ChelseaFC]

Yeah, it's a sofi problem, but that's also a lot of money/eyes on LA that we wont get in 2026.

Sounds like FIFA might still consider the Rose Bowl, as it has a history of hosting high profile soccer matches.

[202_Cyclist]

Those apartments look pretty, pretty, pretty good.

I posted on another thread last week, but Long Beach really is one of the most overlooked cities in the United States.

[sopas ej]

Those apartments look pretty, pretty, pretty good.

I posted on another thread last week, but Long Beach really is one of the most overlooked cities in the United States.

I've always loved Long Beach, ever since I was really young. I always considered it SoCal's "hidden gem," or "hidden diamond-in-the-rough." I think it's considered out of the way for many people who live in LA proper, so they avoid it. Also, over the years, when LB does get talked about on the news media, it's often because of something that happened in one of its bad neighborhoods, so, in SoCal people's minds, LB gets a bad rap, even in the minds of people who've never been there. I grew up near Long Beach, and my mom worked there, and I even went to Cal State Long Beach, so I am very familiar with it. Broadway and Belmont Shore were among my hangouts as a college student. Hehe one example of LB being perceived as a bad place... A former coworker of mine, who graduated from Cal Poly Pomona, when we started talking about what colleges we went to, when I told him I graduated from Cal State Long Beach, he said "Did you like it?" I said "Yeah, I liked it a lot, better than UCSB (I had transferred from there)." His next question was "Was it all ghetto?" I gave him a look, and said "No, not as 'ghetto' as POMONA." ;)

In a way, I'm kinda glad that Long Beach is sort of under the radar, because that's one of the things I like about it---the laid back, unpretentious vibe. It's not like the Westside of LA. I would hate for Long Beach to become a place where it gets full of pretentious annoying Westside types.

Incidentally, my oldest nephew now lives in Long Beach.

[ChelseaFC]

Disney Pixar Place Hotel to open in January after two year transformation

https://www.ocregister.com/2023/10/23/disneyland-sets-opening-date-for-pixar-place-hotel-makeover/

https://www.ocregister.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/OCR-L-PIXAR-PLACE-HOTEL-1023-01.jpg?w=1020

[ReDSPork02]

https://la.urbanize.city/post/big-mixed-use-complex-rise-6300-w-3rd-street

https://la.urbanize.city/sites/default/files/styles/2018_article_image_1140x538_retina/public/3rd%20fairfax%20development%20mve%20holland%20partner%20group%20urbanize%20la%204.jpg?itok=dV8KXVTB

really excited about this area.

[LAsam]

^RIP Andres Italian restaurant and K-Mart. The surface parking is an interesting choice, but certainly an improvement over the previous surface parking-to-building ratio.

[colemonkee]

Not shedding any tears over the K-Mart, but Andres was a bit of an institution.

[a9l8e7n]

The enormous redevelopment at Warner Bros. Ranch is in full swing in Burbank, CA.

https://twitter.com/LA_Construct/status/1717590389677519307

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F9YbHEjboAEFhPy?format=jpg&name=medium

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F9YbIviboAIxPTe?format=jpg&name=medium

[ReDSPork02]

Those (fake) buildings are the background in the FRIENDS? opening fountain scene?

[a9l8e7n]

Those (fake) buildings are the background in the FRIENDS? opening fountain scene?

Yes they are demolishing the whole thing. I believe the fountain from "Friends" intro was moved awhile back already.

[craigs]

^RIP Andres Italian restaurant and K-Mart. The surface parking is an interesting choice, but certainly an improvement over the previous surface parking-to-building ratio.
That surface parking lot seen in the renderings is not part of the proposed development. Somebody else owns that parcel.

[202_Cyclist]

Yes they are demolishing the whole thing. I believe the fountain from "Friends" intro was moved awhile back already.

Good riddance! Friends was perhaps the most overrated show from the 1990s. Seinfeld, of course was much better, as was Fraiser.

[craigs]

Fry's-replacing development moves forward at 6100 Canoga in Warner Center (https://la.urbanize.city/post/frys-replacing-development-moves-forward-6100-canoga-warner-center)

1.1-million-square-foot complex would feature housing and a hotel

Steven Sharp
Urbanize Los Angeles
October 27, 2023

A proposed 1.1-million-square-foot commercial development slated for the site of the shuttered Fry's Electronics store in Warner Center has cleared a key obstacle.

At its meeting on October 26, the Los Angeles City Planning Commission voted to reject two appeals which sought to block the construction of District at Warner Center, a mixed-use complex proposed by Kaplan Companies. The project, which would span an 8.8-acre property at 6100 N. Canoga Avenue, calls for the construction of a trio of mid-rise buildings featuring a 204-room hotel, 852 residential units, and nearly 2,200 square feet of ground-floor market uses. More than 1,400 parking spaces are planned across the site.

AO is designing District at Warner Center, which would be completed in three phases:


Phase 1: The North Building, an 11-story, 156-foot-tall residential structure featuring 445 homes (including 158 live/work units) above a 2,171-square-foot market and parking for 717 vehicles;
Phase 2: The South Building, an 11-story, 152-foot-tall building with 407 dwellings (including 158 live/work units) above parking for 673 vehicles; and
Phase 3: A 12-story, 154-foot-tall hotel with 204 guest rooms with a ground-floor lobby, bar, outdoor patio, and bistro, served by a 112-car garage.


A full buildout of the project would take roughly four years.

Publicly-accessible open space, lined with live/work units, plazas, and green space, would ring the perimeter of the site. It would be oriented to connect with a similar multi-use corridor which cuts through the adjacent Vela at Ox mixed-use project, and aligned to connect to those planned in future developments along Variel Street to the east and Canoga Avenue to the west.

The project was faced with two appellants, identified as the West Valley Alliance for Optimal Living and Jeff Bornstein, both of whom listed the same legal representation, the same address, and the same contact information in their filings. The appeals argued that the project should be required to undergo further study under the California Environmental Quality Act, and also made the case for the project to provide a dedication of land for park creation, rather than paying fees to the city. Staff reports recommended denial of both appeals.

District at Warner Center sits directly across Canoga Avenue for the former Anthem Blue Cross property site which Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke purchased in mid-2022 for a reported sum of $175 million. Kroenke has since initiated plans to turn the property's parking lot into a temporary practice facility for the Rams, a prelude to what is expected to be a mixed-use project that transformers nearly 100 acres of property the developer has acquired in Warner Center.

Fry's, which went out of business in early 2021, left behind a handful of large sites across Southern California which could be suitable for redevelopment. At least one firm is besides Kaplan Companies has also set its sights on a former Fry's location: LaTerra Development plans to raze the chain's Burbank store to make way for housing and commercial space.

[craigs]

https://la.urbanize.city/sites/default/files/styles/2018_article_gallery_image_2000w/public/2023-10/district%20warner%20center%202023%201.jpg?itok=xBjXLXSr

https://la.urbanize.city/sites/default/files/styles/2018_article_gallery_image_2000w/public/2023-10/district%20warner%20center%202023%202.jpg?itok=s-AlU5sm

https://la.urbanize.city/sites/default/files/styles/2018_article_gallery_image_2000w/public/2023-10/district%20warner%20center%202023%204.jpg?itok=teZ0YXE4

https://la.urbanize.city/sites/default/files/styles/2018_article_gallery_image_2000w/public/2023-10/district%20warner%20center%202023%206.jpg?itok=VViVAKlQ

https://la.urbanize.city/sites/default/files/styles/2018_article_gallery_image_2000w/public/2023-10/district%20warner%20center%202023%207.jpg?itok=9ygEAYcf