LOS ANGELES | Downtown Project Rundown 6.0

[Quixote]

I’ve come around on Olympic/Hill. It was always meant to make a dent in the skyline and create a whole lot of housing units. We are/were starting to see some classier designs proposed before the market slowed down, so Olympic/Hill will probably end up being just another tower among towers.

Olympic/Hill (SE corner, Onni)
54 stories, 590 feet, 685 units

11th/Olive (SW corner, Mack Urban)
51 stories, 603 feet, 536 units

11th/Olive (SE corner, Mack Urban)
61 stories, 678 feet, 713 units

11th/Olive (NW corner, Crescent Heights)
70 stories, 810 feet, 794 units

8th/Grand (NW corner, Mitsui Fudosan)
50 stories, 592 feet, 580 units

The two Mack Urban projects are being designed by Callison/RTKL, who does good work (Oceanwide Plaza, Perla on Broadway, 888 at Grand Hope Park).

The architecture will improve over time. My main concerns with these new towers are the podiums and the glut of parking they provide. But thank goodness that gone are the days of the 7-story, TCA-designed “shit boxes” (remember those?).

[Quixote]

For a more balanced skyline that avoids the “Toronto effect,” we need at least half a dozen more towers around the height of 777 Figueroa (725 feet), two to three around the height of the Aon (868 feet), and perhaps a 1,200-footer

[craigs]

Originally Posted by Quixote

I’ve come around on Olympic/Hill. It was always meant to make a dent in the skyline and create a whole lot of housing units. We are/were starting to see some classier designs proposed before the market slowed down, so Olympic/Hill will probably end up being just another tower among towers.

The zig-zag balcony effect is interesting and gives Olympic + Hill some texture. It's not just a refrigerator box. I like it.

[craigs]

Originally Posted by hughfb3

The balcony glass is in place up till the first setback.

Thanks for posting fresh pics, Hugh!

[citywatch]

Originally Posted by Quixote

For a more balanced skyline that avoids the “Toronto effect,”

I've envied the amt of highrise construction in that city, but not sure if that may lead to a syndrome like dtla's oceanwide towers....

https://youtu.be/xGfFBP7U7pQ?si=6hGiaGLbZq9ORzyP

I personally don't want dtla to end up looking like a southern branch of vancouver, but LA may have bigger issues to worry about.

An article about the expansion of the LA convention ctr just being approved by city hall had a commentator in urbanizeLA mention this business as a sign of dt still suffering post covid. I didn't know about this cocktail bar closing until I goggled news about it. At the same time, the LA convention ctr is also ranked way below Vegas's, which is competing with business that dtla is trying to attract...

The Varnish, a legendary cocktail bar that heralded a modern cocktail revolution in L.A., will close its doors Wednesday after being open for more than 15 years. After years of trying to keep afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Varnish was only making half the business it did prior, said Alperin. The Varnish joins a growing number of food and beverage establishments that have closed because of financial difficulties.

At the same time, the number of people experiencing homelessness has increased in the area near the Varnish, which keeps patrons away, Alperin said. “The community of people living downtown, it isn’t what it used to be,” he said. “A lot of people moved out and moved on. They went away. It just isn’t happening downtown the way it used to be.”

The Wall Street Journal in 2023 ranked 30 of the largest convention centers in the U.S., scoring them on space, amenities, food options, proximity to airports and more. The Las Vegas Convention Center ranked No. 1, while Los Angeles ranked 21st.

[Radio5]

Originally Posted by citywatch

I've envied the amt of highrise construction in that city, but not sure if that may lead to a syndrome like dtla's oceanwide towers....

https://youtu.be/xGfFBP7U7pQ?si=6hGiaGLbZq9ORzyP

I personally don't want dtla to end up looking like a southern branch of vancouver, but LA may have bigger issues to worry about.

An article about the expansion of the LA convention ctr just being approved by city hall had a commentator in urbanizeLA mention this business as a sign of dt still suffering post covid. I didn't know about this cocktail bar closing until I goggled news about it. At the same time, the LA convention ctr is also ranked way below Vegas's, which is competing with business that dtla is trying to attract...

DTLA community is not what is used to be, but all neighborhoods ebb and flow. When the subway opens up, there will be a new excitement about it...if we can get people feeling safe on metro that is.

[scania]

Originally Posted by craigs

I don't think Olympic + Hill looks terrible. I mean, it's not gorgeous but it is good, basic infill. Also, I think we should praise Onni for its solid track record of actually building out its downtown proposals.

Originally Posted by craigs

The zig-zag balcony effect is interesting and gives Olympic + Hill some texture. It's not just a refrigerator box. I like it.

Yes it does…I haven’t walked over there in a month or two…but can see the upper portion from my unit. I’m hoping the zig zag is on the side I can see. The Mack Urban will IMO make that area the best sub district in DTLA. It’s already that according to some people already.

[milquetoast]

Originally Posted by milquetoast

Also, the Alloy Tower almost completely blocks the view

of downtown when entering from the 6th Street Viaduct.

I said this months ago.
There are such things as sightlines.

[craigs]

Originally Posted by milquetoast

I said this months ago.
There are such things as sightlines.

So, what is your point? Ban viable residential projects that might block a skyline view?

[craigs]

Obligatory 4th of July skyline shot from LA Reddit:

[craigs]

And a daytime shot from LA Reddit showing Olympic + Hill filling a gap in the skyline:

[Doctorboffin]

^Great shot. God, do I just want the Crescent Heights tower to break ground. It would do wonders for the skyline.

Edit: Also Olympia, though I have to wonder if that one is dead.

[hughfb3]

Originally Posted by craigs

So, what is your point? Ban viable residential projects that might block a skyline view?

We can look how we can put pressure on the city council to revise our outdated Los Angeles City building/fire codes that mandate the chunkiest towers in North America, so we can allow taller more slender towers that don’t block huge sight lines. This is one of the biggest hindrances in financing high rise construction in LA as it can make them harder to pencil out… that along with our red tape.

I’m working on putting together a presentation to meet with the mayors office about this. One of the reasons I’m grateful for this forum over the years where we can share, because I would have never known about this or felt there was something that could be done about it

[Zapatan]

Awesome shots of LA!

Originally Posted by Doctorboffin

^Great shot. God, do I just want the Crescent Heights tower to break ground. It would do wonders for the skyline.

Edit: Also Olympia, though I have to wonder if that one is dead.

Olympia the Chinese backed project? I think that died a long time ago, or sort of just faded away.

I think the smaller of the Crescent Heights towers may be heading towards approval. I'd imagine the 800 footer is farther down the line if it happens at all.


Are Angels Landing and Times Mirror still legit proposals at this point?

[hughfb3]

Originally Posted by Zapatan

Awesome shots of LA!




Olympia the Chinese backed project? I think that died a long time ago, or sort of just faded away.

I think the smaller of the Crescent Heights towers may be heading towards approval. I'd imagine the 800 footer is farther down the line if it happens at all.


Are Angels Landing and Times Mirror still legit proposals at this point?

Nothing mentioned of Olympia in a while, not a sale of property nor a cancellation of project. It’s probably in limbo.

Crescent Heights hasn’t even started on its much older hollywood Palladium project, I don’t see downtown happening for them any time soon.

Angels landing has said for years they would break ground this year and be open before the 2028 Olympics. As this one has been approved for a while, no news but still active is a real possibility.

Times Mirror is Onni and they’ve stated that it will start once 1000 Hill nears completion. I have a lot of thoughts on this/them….

I feel like that company has an interesting funding source separate from financial markets that demands them to always having something being built no matter what the interest rates are or if there is a macro economic slowdown. They must own or have great interest in the materials side that they want to keep in business because they use the same exact glass for every project like they own and mass produce these at their own facility or something and they want to keep it running. Many of their Canadian projects, even the smaller ones have it and closer to home, their tower in Long Beach has it. That and/or it’s a “laundry” business.

[Quixote]

Originally Posted by milquetoast

I said this months ago.
There are such things as sightlines.

Isn't this the holy grail? We get our skyline and create a shit ton of housing.


Cal Poly SLO / Gensler

[headcheckjj]

Whoa. What am I looking at? What is this?

Originally Posted by Quixote

Isn't this the holy grail? We get our skyline and create a shit ton of housing.


Cal Poly SLO / Gensler

[BrandonJXN]

Originally Posted by craigs

So, what is your point? Ban viable residential projects that might block a skyline view?

Absolutely. Rent is continuously going up everywhere and there is a shortage of housing. So we should place a moratorium on all residential buildings 10 stories or above because it'll block a view of a skyline from a bridge.

[Quixote]

Originally Posted by headcheckjj

Whoa. What am I looking at? What is this?

Cal Poly SLO and Gensler conducted a really cool study 11 years ago analyzing the capacity of DTLA based on current zoning and resource consumption levels. They concluded that DTLA could support a maximum of 1.36 million people. Unfortunately, the video has since been taken down.

DTLA's potential is enormous. We're talking 4.25 square miles of contiguous urbanism. Skid Row and lack of rail infrastructure are roadblocks, but anyone with some imagination can see the possibilities. This is clear based on proposed projects like Fourth and Central, City Market South, and 670 Mesquit, as well as the now-dead 6AM development.

[Quixote]

Google Maps Street View has been updated to May/June 2024. Clean horizontal and vertical lines, and the cutout on the 20th/21st floor adds a nice touch. If they can deliver on the crown, even better. No copium; I honestly like it.


Google Maps