LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 3.0

[pesto]

I draw a big distinction between the digital and the plain historic billboard, even though both are commercial. The latter creates movement, changes of color and brightness, and invites creativity, the former is just a billboard.

And non-commerical still graphics (say, a 15 story Kobe or Shaq or Gustavo Dudamel) are OK but a Target add is not.

[colemonkee]

^ My issue with the Coke ad is that it's on a nice, modern glass facade just a hundred yards or so away from a gigantic blank stucco wall that also faces the freeway (which the Coke ad also faces). THAT's where the ads should be, whether they be static or animated, not maring the perfectly good - and NEW! - glass facade of a 54-story tower.

[Just-In-Cali]

Originally Posted by colemonkee

^ My issue with the Coke ad is that it's on a nice, modern glass facade just a hundred yards or so away from a gigantic blank stucco wall that also faces the freeway (which the Coke ad also faces). THAT's where the ads should be, whether they be static or animated, not maring the perfectly good - and NEW! - glass facade of a 54-story tower.

I have to agree...Ive always hated these adds decaled onto the sides of buildings, and there are too many blighted walls and plain facades that would be better suited. I just wonder how long it'll be before the trolls of the forum come in and turn this into a referendum on the city itself and its inhabitants...

[JDRCRASH]

Why can't they design buildings billboards:

[LosAngelesBeauty]

^ Because it's VERY expensive (millions and millions of dollars) and LA doesn't have the cache or the density (yet) to justify that.

[BrandonJXN]

LED wraps?

Remember that proposal to have this giant ring of light between the ARCO Towers? There was also a proposal to hang a LED net between the towers. Actually, I think it was a design study. Or something.

http://electroland.net/projects/cnp/

That alone would make downtown a destination. People love pretty lights.

Edit: That Urban Nomad Shelter things looks pretty cool. As does Big Time.

[OneMetropolis]

Originally Posted by JDRCRASH

Why can't they design buildings billboards:

I think something like that should be in Hollywood. Where you can see TV studios and giant LED billboards and other media outlets and those giant stores only times square has. For Being an entertainment capital, Hollywood sure dosen't show it like New York does.

[BrandonJXN]

Didn't (or does) that building across the street from H&H have some sort of LED wrap on it? The old building with the spire. I think I remember seeing it on there once or twice.

[bobcat]

Those giant displays in Times Square are expensive and are usually sponsored by companies like Nasdaq, Walgreens, etc. The giant display at LA Live is supposed to be sponsored by Panasonic, but maybe the rotten economy has delayed the installation?

[LosAngelesBeauty]

Originally Posted by bobcat

Those giant displays in Times Square are expensive and are usually sponsored by companies like Nasdaq, Walgreens, etc. The giant display at LA Live is supposed to be sponsored by Panasonic, but maybe the rotten economy has delayed the installation?

I was just in Downtown LA over the weekend and I saw the two massive LED Panasonic screens installed already and operating.

They're two gigantic screens right at the base of the JW Marriott.

[IconRPCV]

Moving to LA in August and was looking for a place within walking distance of the Redline as I will be working downtown and want to use mass transit. I am familiar with LA, but was wondering what areas locals would recommend.

[LAsam]

I'd focus on either Los Feliz within walking distance of the Sunset/Vermont station or Hollywood within walking distance of Hollywood/Highland or Hollywood/Vine. If you're open to living on the light rail gold line, Pasadena is a nice option as well.

[pesto]

Great discussion question. DT proper, Westlake, Ktown, Vermont, Silver Lake, E. Hollywood, Hollywood, Universal, NoHo. Pretty much all are urban and all are mixed neighborhoods (ethnically, economically, residential and commercial).

Got any preferences? Vermont-Wilshire gives easy access to the Purple Line. Hollywood and DT are more intense. NoHo more suburban and hotter in the summer.

[colemonkee]

Some interesting news on the Streetcar front from the Downtown News. In order for this to really take off, the three co-hosts will have to donate themselves, but this is a welcome development in my opinion.


Big Names Get Behind Streetcar Project
Sept. 30 Fundraiser to Include Eli Broad, Tim Leiweke and Rick Caruso

Richard Guzman, City Editor
Published: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 10:44 AM PDT
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - Some big names are getting behind the effort to bring back a streetcar to Downtown Los Angeles. They will all come together in the fall in a major L.A. Live fundraiser.

A cocktail reception has been scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 30, at the L.A. Live Target Terrace. It will be hosted by 14th District Councilman José Huizar, whose 2-year-old Bringing Back Broadway initiative has propelled the idea of a streetcar line. Also listed as co-hosts are philanthropist Eli Broad, developer Rick Caruso and Anschutz Entertainment Group President and CEO Tim Leiweke.

Sponsoring and ticket information has yet to be released. The event will benefit the nonprofit Los Angeles Streetcar Inc., which was formed in 2009 to handle the design, construction and eventual operation of the proposed Downtown streetcar.

The streetcar is a key component of Huizar’s 10-year plan to revitalize Broadway. The streetcar, which would connect L.A. Live to Bunker Hill, is estimated to cost $100 million. So far, a little more than $10.5 million has been secured for the project as Huizar continues to look at a mix of federal and private sources to raise the money. One likely possibility to secure a portion of the funds is an assessment district in which property owners along the proposed route would be taxed.

Huizar has pegged a 2014 deadline for opening the streetcar, but that rests on $25 million the group is seeking from the Federal Transit Administration’s Urban Circulators program. The application has been filed and an answer is expected in June.

Two principal route options are being considered for the streetcar. In either case, the main southbound spine would be on Broadway. The main northbound corridor would be on Hill or Olive streets.

[Kingofthehill]

Wow, LA manages to get a single noteworthy tower during the boom, and Ritz allows for it to be molested with this tasteless crap. Way to go.

IconRPCV: What is it that you are looking for? Budget, likes/dislikes/preferences, maximum commute time, blah blah, etc., are all needed as the nabes along the Red Line pretty much run the gamut. For the most part, though, the nabes in mention (at least on the Basin side of the route) tend to be predominately Hispanic, relatively dense/urban, and of 1920s-30s vintage. If you want pics (which we all know I have no shortage of) and/or neighborhood-specific info., feel free to drop me a PM.

[202_Cyclist]

colemonkee:

Some interesting news on the Streetcar front from the Downtown News. In order for this to really take off, the three co-hosts will have to donate themselves, but this is a welcome development in my opinion.

There is an article in the June 2010 issue of the Atlantic (http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2010/06/here-comes-the-neighborhood/8093) that advocates for just this-- private developers paying for these local streetcar lines. The article notes that private sources have paid for $125M of the light rail line in Detroit. The article also notes that a century ago, private developers (and some utility companies) paid for these streetcar lines because it would bring downtown workers out to their homes in the 'streetcar suburbs,' generating more demand for housing.

[IconRPCV]

I think I am leaning more towards the Los Feliz area, I don't really know downtown, is a good alive neighborhood yet? If I lived downtown I could walk to work. Hollywood seems abit too much for me to live there full time. I have to say I am very excited about the move; I love LA, and although I love SD, she is a bit too conservative for my taste.

[colemonkee]

IconRPCV, I would definitely check out downtown, especially the Old Bank District and Little Tokyo neighborhoods. They are rather lively and very urban, and have a great community aspect to them made up largely of artists and young professionals.

Speaking of downtown living, I saw the first lights on at the Watermarke (formerly 705 Ninth) tonight. Looks like they're either showing apartments after 8:30 p.m. on a Wednesday, or people are starting to move in. I think they're gonna have a helluva time leasing the units staring directly into the Promerica Tower, but the rest of the units should go pretty quickly, as they over some amazing views.

[pesto]

Leiweke and Broad are obvious but does Caruso have a DT connection? He may have one planned. It seems natural for him to use the same controlled environment approach that AEG uses for entertainment and that he has used repeatedly as well, to build a shopping destination DT.

Btw, Caruso has expressed an interest in buying the Glendale Galleria, and converting it to mixed use. This, along with Beverly Center, have long been my poster children for what needs to be done with shopping centers: open them to the street; mix in housing and landscaping and make a beautiful environment for hanging out. Pulled off, this could make central Glendale a major urban area (although partly "faux" urban).

[JDRCRASH]

^ One shopping mall that needs to be fixed up is the Hawthorne Center.